Bioprocessing and Fermentation Flashcards
6 cards from real BACE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Bioprocessing and Fermentation flashcards as text
What is the purpose of a 'seed train' in biopharmaceutical manufacturing?
Answer: To progressively expand cell cultures from a small vial to volumes large enough to inoculate the production bioreactor
A seed train is a series of sequential culture steps that expand cell numbers from a frozen working cell bank vial up to production bioreactor inoculation volume.
Which method is commonly used to separate cells from fermentation broth during harvest?
Answer: Centrifugation or depth filtration
Centrifugation and depth filtration are primary harvest methods that separate cells (or cell debris) from the broth containing the desired product.
What is 'fed-batch fermentation'?
Answer: A process where nutrients are periodically or continuously added to the bioreactor during the run without removing broth
Fed-batch fermentation adds nutrients incrementally during the process to prevent substrate inhibition and extend the productive growth phase.
What is the significance of the 'specific growth rate' (μ) in fermentation?
Answer: It describes how fast cells are growing relative to the existing cell mass at a given moment
Specific growth rate (μ, units: h⁻¹) expresses the rate of increase in biomass per unit of existing biomass, defining the exponential growth kinetics.
Why is controlling temperature important during cell culture in a bioreactor?
Answer: Because temperature affects enzyme activity, cell growth rate, product formation, and product quality
Temperature directly influences metabolic enzyme kinetics, protein folding, glycosylation patterns, and cell viability, all affecting yield and product quality.
What does 'in-process control' (IPC) testing mean in bioprocessing?
Answer: Monitoring and testing critical parameters during manufacturing to ensure the process is performing within defined limits
In-process controls are measurements taken during production (e.g., cell viability, pH, osmolality, titer) to detect deviations and ensure process consistency.