Biopharmaceuticals Quiz

What is the main purpose of using a master cell bank/working cell bank system?

• To improve the taste of biopharmaceuticals

• To ensure an indefinite supply of production cells

• To reduce the size of bioreactors

• To eliminate the need for microbial fermentation

Which organism is most commonly used in microbial fermentation for biopharmaceuticals?

• Bacillus subtilis

• Escherichia coli

• Penicillium chrysogenum

• Clostridium acetobutylicum

What is the function of impellers in microbial fermenters?

• Measure pH of the media

• Sterilize the medium

• Ensure even distribution of nutrients and cells

• Remove microbial contaminants

What is the role of baffles in a fermentation tank?

• Increase product concentration

• Act as filters

• Prevent vortex formation

• Supply nutrients to cells

Which component is commonly added to animal cell culture media but not usually required in microbial media?

• Glucose

• Supplemental serum

• NaCl

• Antibiotics

Why are mammalian cell cultures preferred for some therapeutic proteins?

• They are cheaper than microbial fermentation

• They provide easier downstream processing

• They allow essential post-translational modifications

• They are faster to scale up

What is the primary cooling method during large-scale fermentation?

• Freezing the culture

• Circulating cold water or glycol in the vessel jacket

• Adding ice to the media

• Using dry ice cooling blocks

What is a significant disadvantage of roller-bottle systems at an industrial scale?

• They damage animal cells

• They require antibiotics

• Thousands of bottles are needed per batch

• They provide poor oxygen transfer