Bioreactor: Tools
NASA's cell science program uses experimental hardware fitted to the requirements of the science community and the resources of the Space Shuttle orbiter middeck, and taking advantage of the endurance of the Mir space station. These are forerunners of systems for long-term investigations aboard the International Space Station.
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- Bioreactor Demonstration System (BDS) comprises an electronics module, a gas supply module, and the incubator module housing the rotating wall vessel and its support systems. Nutrient media are pumped through an oxygenator and the culture vessel. The shell rotates at 0.5 rpm while the inner filter typically rotates at 11.5 rpm to produce a gentle flow that ensures removal of waste products as fresh media are infused. Periodically, some spent media are pumped into a waste bag and replaced by fresh media. When the waste bag is filled, an astronaut drains the waste bag and refills the supply bag through ports on the face of the incubator. "Pinch" valves and a perfusion pump ensure that no media are exposed to moving parts. An Experiment Control Computer controls the Bioreactor, records conditions, and alerts the crew when problems occur. The crew operates the system through a laptop computer displaying graphics designed for easy crew training and operation.
- Biotechnology Specimen Temperature Controller (BSTC) will cultivate cells until their turn in the bioreactor; it can also be used in culturing experiments that do not require the bioreactor. The BSTC comprises four incubation/refrigeration chambers individually set at 4 to 50 °C (near-freezing to above body temperature). Each chamber holds three rugged tissue chamber modules (12 total), clear Teflon bags holding 30 ml of growth media, all positioned by a metal frame. Every 7 to 21 days (depending on growth rates), an astronaut uses a shrouded syringe and the bags' needleless injection ports to transfer a few cells to a fresh media bag, and to introduce a fixative so that the cells may be studied after flight. The design also lets the crew sample the media to measure glucose, gas, and pH levels, and to inspect cells with a microscope. The controller is monitored by the flight crew through a 23-cm (9-inch) color computer display on the face of the BSTC.
- Biotechnology Refrigerator (BTR) holds fixed tissue culture bags at 4 °C to preserve them for return to Earth and postflight analysis.
- Gas Supply Module contains four rechargeable bottles of an air/carbon dioxide mixture to support optimal cell growth over long periods of time aboard a space station.
Into the commercial sector
Bioreactors are entering the medical research community via the Technology Transfer Act. In 1990, NASA granted Synthecon, Inc., of Houston exclusive commercial license to NASA patents for the bioreactor system. This ensures that the research potential of the bioreactor will be available to a wide range of institutes and companies. More than $2,000,000 in Rotary Cell Culture Systems had been sold by mid-1998. Synthecon has sponsored research agreements with the University of North Texas Science Center, Fort Worth, to commercialize replacement skin products, and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, to develop a novel diabetic therapy. Synthecon is negotiating other agreements with major medical institutes to commercialize additional biological products. In addition, Synthecon develops new designs to advance their growth potential.
Photo:Synthecon
[Bioreactor lead story][Tools][Ground-based research][Flight results]
Author: Dave Dooling Suggestions: Dan Woodard
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