The LifeReactor system can be used in the culture of cells for the production of secondary metabolites or other purposes. It can be used to cultivate somatic embryos and to multiply organogenic culture such a nodules, meristem clumps or shoot clusters. It can also be employed to culture bulblets, corms or microtubers. Some relevant references are presented below. 

Leathers, R.R., Smith, M.A.L. & Aitken-Christie (1995) Automation of the LifeReactor process for mass propagation and secondary metabolism. It, "Automation and Environmental Control in Plant Tissue Culture" (J. Aitken-Christie, T. Kozai and Smith, M.A.L., eds.) pp. 187 - 214. Kluver Academic Publishers, the Netherlands. 

Cazzulino, D., Pedersen, H. & Chin, C. K. (1991) Bioreactors and image analysis for scale-up and plant propagation. In, "Scale-up and Automation in Plant Propagation" (Vasil, I.K. ed.) pp. 147 - 177. Academic Press, San Diego, California, USA. 

Fukui, H. & Tanaka, M. (1995) An envelope-shaped film culture vessel for plant suspension cultures and metabolite production without agitation. Plant cell tissue and organ culture 41, 17 - 21. 

Harrel, R.C., Bieniek, M., Hood, C.F., Munilla, R. & Cantliffe, D.J. (1994) Automated, in vitro harvest of somatic embryos. Plant cell tissue and organ culture 39, 171 - 183. 

McCown, B.H. & Joyce, P.J. (1991) Automated propagation of Microtubers of Potato. In "Scale-up and Automation in Plant Propagation" (Vasil, I.K. ed.) pp. 95 - 109. Academic Press, San Diego, California, USA. 

Takayama, S. Sedlund, B. & Miwa, Y. (1991) Automated propagation of microbulbs of lilies. In "Scale-up and Automation in Plant Propagation" (Vasil, I.K. ed.) pp. 112 - 131. Academic Press, San Diego, California, USA. 

Levin, R., Stav, R., Alper, Y. and Watad, A. (1997) A technique for repeated non-axenic subculture of plant tissue in a bioreactor on liquid medium containing sucrose. Plant Tissue Culture and Biotechnology 3, No. 1, pp. 41-44. 

A compact mobile rack (# 800 525) for the simultaneous operation of up to 10, five liter LifeReactors is available from Osmotek Ltd. The rack, which takes up less than a square meter of floor space, provides adjustable lighting and an adjustable supply of sterile humidified air for each of the bioreactors. This rack is equivalent to approximately 200 sq. ft. of shelf space in conventional production. 

The rack is constructed of stainless steel, and mounted on lockable wheels for easy movement. The rack includes 10 stations, one for each LifeReactor. Each station provides a supply of humidified air, appropriate lighting, a holder for an air outlet filter and a support rod for mounting the LifeReactor. 

A stainless steel pressure vessel in the rack holds up to a 30-minute supply of air in the event of an electrical disruption. The inlet of the pressure vessel must be provided with a supply of clean compressed air. The air pressure vessel then provides air through a sterilizing filter to a stainless steel water vessel holding up to 20 liters of sterile water for humidification of the gas stream. This water vessel is filled with tissue culture grade water through an integral sterilizing filter. 

The humidified air is then passed through a sterilizing filter and distributed through stainless steel tubing to an adjustable valve at each LifeReactor. The air inlets of LifeReactors are connected through a sterilizing filter to the adjustable valves. The air outlets of the LifeReactors are fitted with sterilizing filters which are held by holders at each LifeReactor station. 

Operation of the LifeReactor system in conjunction with the support rack is easy and convenient. Autoclaving of the entire system is carried out by simply closing the port valves, and wheeling the entire rack directly into the autoclave. 

For set up, the LifeReactors are charged with media and plant material at a sterile laminar flow bench. The cap is then closed and the air inlets and outlets are fitted with sterile filters. A tube is passed through the LifeReactor mounting sleeve, and then mounted on the support rack by passing the tube through the support rod. The air outlet filter is placed in the holder, the air inlet filter is connect to the adjustable air supply and air flow started. 

For harvesting, the LifeReactor is simply disconnected from the air supply and brought to the laminar flow bench to be emptied as described in section 9 above. 

The following set of accessories has been developed during actual work with the Osmotek LifeReactor, and has proven helpful in facilitating the use of LifeReactors. Each item is constructed of high quality, autoclavable materials, and has been carefully tested through on-site use with the LifeReactor at Plant Tissue Culture laboratories.