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KINETICS OF SUBSTRATE UTILIZATION, PRODUCT FORMATION
AND BIOMASS PRODUCTION IN CELL CULTURES
Kinetics is a study that deals with rate of the reaction. It is based on the mechanisms of any
processes-physical, chemical or biological. The chemical kinetics deals with how the rate of
reaction is dependent upon the concentration of the reactants while in the biochemical reaction,
kinetics is a little complicated. Hence biochemical reaction proceeds with the intervention of
microbial cells when a small quantity of living cell is added to a liquid solution of essential
nutrients at a suitable temperature and pH, the cell will grow consuming a part of substrate and
other necessary components from the fermentation broth. Cell growth process is associated
processes involving the uptake of some materials from the cell’s environment and release of
metabolic end product in the surroundings. With these, cell growth got two manifestation: the
increase in biomass are accompanied by increases in the number of cells present and increase the
growth of mold size (Najafpour, G.D., 2007). On the other hand, balanced growth is defined as
growth during which a doubling of the biomass is accompanied by a doubling of all other
measurable properties of the population such as protein, DNA, RNA, and intracellular water. In
other words, cultures undergoing balanced growth maintain a constant chemical composition
(Dutta, R.,2008).
In determining the cell population kinetics there are certain parameters/ phenomena to
consider. These complex parameters including the characteristics of culture broth, nutrients and
substrates used for growth and production of metabolites, cell to cell heterogeneity, microbial cells
of different ages manifesting metabolic activities and characterization of biochemical pathway
make it difficult to formulate a simple kinetic model for cellular activities. Kinetic model are the
fundamentals of biochemical and microbial processes. Different kinetic models have been
proposed in several research works for microbial growth, substrate utilization and product
formation in various fermentation modes (Najafpour, G.D., 2007).
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Substrate Utilization kinetics
Substrate utilization kinetics is given as the modification of the Luedeking Piret model,
which considers substrate conversion to cell mass, to product and substrate consumption
maintenance,
𝑑𝑠 1 𝑑𝑥 1 𝑑𝑃
=− − +
𝑑𝑡 𝑌𝑋 𝑑𝑡 𝑌𝑃 𝑑𝑡
𝑆 𝑆
where Yx/s is the yield coefficient for biomass with respect to substrate consumed and Yp/s is the
yield coefficient for product formed with respect to the substrate consumption.
If the amount of carbon sources used for product formation and maintenance constants are
neglected when modeling substrate consumption rate, the model becomes,
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𝑠 = 𝑠0 − (𝑥 − 𝑥0 )
𝑌𝑋/𝑆 𝑡
Growth Kinetics
The growth of microbial cells include five major phases:
a) lag phase
It is the period where the individual bacteria are maturing and not yet able to
divide. Cell growth and division are often delayed due to how the inoculum (starting
bacteria) was kept since previously used.
b) log phase
The log phase is sometimes called the logarithmic phase or the exponential phase.
It is the period characterized by cell doubling and the growth rate is independent of
nutrient and substrate concentration. At this stage carbon sources are utilized and
products are formed.
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c) stationary phase
No net growth of cell numbers or cell mass. Secondary metabolites like alkaloids
and glycosides are produced.
d) Death phase
The death phase shows an exponential decrease in the number of living cells in
the media while nutrients are depleted. Rate of cell decline is first order.
Various models had been used for studying growth kinetics. The models are will be
discussed by the next reporter.
Modelling Cell Growth
a) Structured model
Structured model is one perspective in which the microbial cells are considered as
multicomponent systems. These models are very complex and not used very often.
b) Unstructured model
When cell population is treated as one component system, it is referred to as
unstructured model. Model assumes balanced growth where cell components do not change
with time. Much less complex and much more commonly used. Valid for batch growth
during exponential growth stage and also for continuous culture during steady-state
operation.
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REFERENCES:
Najafpour, G.D. (2007). Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology. Retrieved June 27, 2017
from https://www.u-cursos.cl/ingenieria/2009/2/IQ53D/1/material_docente/bajar?id
Dutta, R. (2008). Fundamentals of Biochemical Engineering. Retrieved June 27, 2017 from
https://www.researchgate.net/file.PostFileLoder.html
Uzir, M.H., et. al. (2007). Biochemical Engineering: A Concise Introduction. Retrieved June 27,
2017 from chemical.eng.usm.my/notes/HEKARL/notes/ekc471_notes.pdf&ved
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