What is the Difference Between Upstream and Downstream Bioprocessing?

Upstream and downstream bioprocessing are two distinct stages involved in the production of biologics, such as proteins, enzymes, and vaccines. The key differences between them are as follows:

Upstream Bioprocessing:

Involves screening and identification of microorganisms, media preparation, and multiplication of microbes inside bioreactors.
Focuses on inoculum development and cell cultivation.
Steps include cell isolation, media development and preparation, inoculum development, cell banking and storage, and cell cultivation.

Downstream Bioprocessing:

Deals with extraction, purification, and filtration of the resulting product.
Involves all unit operations after fermentation that improve the purity of the product.
Steps include cell disruption, separation, filtration, chromatography, ion-exchange, purification, extraction and clarification, isolation, crystallization, inactivation, concentration, and polishing.

In summary, upstream bioprocessing focuses on the initial stages of cell cultivation and inoculum development, while downstream bioprocessing deals with the extraction, purification, and filtration of the final product.

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What is the Difference Between Upstream and Downstream Bioprocessing?

Comparative Table: Upstream vs Downstream Bioprocessing

The difference between upstream and downstream bioprocessing can be summarized in the following table:

Aspect	Upstream Bioprocessing	Downstream Bioprocessing
Definition	Upstream bioprocessing refers to all stages of cell cultivation, from early cell isolation, media development and preparation, inoculum development, cell banking and storage.	Downstream bioprocessing involves extraction, purification, and packaging of the product resulting from the fermentation.
Major Steps	Include media preparation, inoculation, incubation, and cell cultivation.	Include extraction, purification, quality checking, and packaging of the product.
Focus	Building a viable cell culture and optimizing growth conditions for the production of the target protein or API.	Separating, purifying, and recovering the final bioproduct, ensuring its quality and purity.
Bioreactor Involvement	Microbes are screened, cultured, and grown inside a bioreactor, providing necessary nutrients and growth conditions.	The fermentation broth from the bioreactor is processed to extract, purify, and recover the desired product.

In summary, upstream bioprocessing focuses on the growth and cultivation of cells to produce the target protein or API, while downstream bioprocessing deals with the extraction, purification, and packaging of the resulting product.

Guilherme Mazui

Guilherme Mazui is graduated in journalism from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and a master's degree in Communication from the University of São Paulo (USP). In addition, he has experience in advertising writing and has worked as a content editor in several companies.