In situ-formed bacterial exopolysaccharide (EPS) as a potential carrier for anchorage-dependent cell cultures

The study involved the use of a bacterial strain isolated from environmental samples which produce the biopolymer in the form of pellets in the submerged culture. This material (bacterial exopolysaccharide) is produced by bacteria of the Komogateibacter xylinus which are prevalent in the environment. The aim of this study was to characterize bacterial exopolysaccharides and commercial dextran-based “microcarriers” in terms of their roughness and cell culture effects, including the morphology and viability of the human hybridoma vascular endothelial cell line EA.hy926. The pellets were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic for¬ce microscopy (AFM). The resulting structures were used for cell culture of adherent cells (anchorage¬-dependent cells). At the same time, the cultures with commercial, dextran-based “microcarriers” were carried out for comparative purposes. After com¬pletion of the cell culture (24 hours of culture), the cellulose and commercial “carriers” were analyzed using SEM and AFM. Finally, the obtained cell dens¬ities (fluorescence labelling) and their morphological characteristics (SEM) were compared. The obtained results strongly support the applicability of bacterial exopolysaccharide (EPS) in tissue engineering to build innovative 3D scaffolds for cell culture, the more so that it is technologically possible to produce EPS as spatially complex structure