Compare centrifugation and filtration for cell harvesting.

Centrifugation uses centrifugal force to separate cells from broth based on density differences. It handles high cell densities and is well-established but requires capital-intensive equipment and can damage shear-sensitive cells. Filtration (microfiltration, tangential flow filtration) separates based on size using membranes. It is gentler, scalable, and amenable to closed processing, but can suffer from membrane fouling and requires larger membrane areas for high cell densities. Selection depends on organism (size, shear sensitivity), scale, product location, and facility capabilities. Many processes use combination approaches.