Multifrequency permittivity measurements enable on-line monitoring of changes in intracellular conductivity due to nutrient limitations during batch cultivations of CHO cells.

Lab and pilot scale batch cultivations of a CHO K1/dhfr(-) host cell line were conducted to evaluate on-line multifrequency permittivity measurements as a process monitoring tool. The beta-dispersion parameters such as the characteristic frequency (f(C)) and the permittivity increment (Deltaepsilon(max)) were calculated on-line from the permittivity spectra. The dual-frequency permittivity signal correlated well with the off-line measured biovolume and the viable cell density. A significant drop in permittivity was monitored at the transition from exponential growth to a phase with reduced growth rate. Although not reflected in off-line biovolume measurements, this decrease coincided with a drop in OUR and was probably caused by the depletion of glutamine and a metabolic shift occurring at the same time. Sudden changes in cell density, cell size, viability, capacitance per membrane area (C(M)), and effects caused by medium conductivity (sigma(m)) could be excluded as reasons for the decrease in permittivity. After analysis of the process data, a drop in f(C) as a result of a fall in intracellular conductivity (sigma(i)) was identified as responsible for the observed changes in the dual-frequency permittivity signal. It is hypothesized that the beta-dispersion parameter f(C) is indicative of changes in nutrient availability that have an impact on intracellular conductivity sigma(i). On-line permittivity measurements consequently not only reflect the biovolume but also the physiological state of mammalian cell cultures. These findings should pave the way for a better understanding of the intracellular state of cells and render permittivity measurements an important tool in process development and control.