Development of a Robust MR-Compatible 5mm Bioreactor for Primary Human Tissue Cultures and Hyperpolarized MR

Kayvan R. Keshari¹, Mark Van Criekinge¹, Bertram Koelsch¹, Renuka Sriram¹, David M. Wilson¹, Daniel B. Vigneron¹, John Kurhanewicz¹

Development of MR-compatible bioreactor systems to study cell metabolism non-invasively has been limited by the sensitivity of low γ nuclei, such as 13C and 15N. Dynamic nuclear polarization has afforded the necessary SNR to study hyperpolarized [1-13C] pyruvate and other metabolites using the bioreactor platform in immortalized cells. However, new methods are needed to study primary cell cultures and tissues, which are more clinically relevant. Here we report the construction of a 5mm MR-compatible platform interfaced with HP MR, and its application to primary renal tissue slice cultures, with HP metabolic studies performed at dramatically reduced cell and perfusate volumes.