Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Methods for Monitoring Cell Growth and Metabolism in Intensive Bioreactors

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and spectroscopy (MRS) are powerful noninvasive techniques that can be used to monitor the behavior of cells in intensive bioreactor systems. We describe here a number of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based techniques that have been used successfully to investigate cell growth and distribution, cellular energetics and the porosity to medium flow and linear flow velocity profiles around and across cell layers in perfusion bioreactors. These are important parameters to determine when designing bioreactor systems and operation protocols that optimize cell productivity.