A new and novel flow through bioreactor which is broadly applicable to cell and tissue culture for both research and industrial applications is described. Using bioreactors of this design, the required protocol for optimized production of microtubers of Solanum tuberosum will be established. Using cells of Taxus brevifolia the use of this sort of bioreactor in cell culture will be assessed. The protocol for optimization here sought will be based upon taxol production. This difficult to synthesize diterpine, which is in critically short supply, shows substantial promise in the treatment of ovarian and other cancers. The applicant claims this particularly novel aspect of the described bioreactor is the method of propelling gases, liquid medium and sustended cells and tissues into, and circulating them, within the reactor. This is accomplished by a novel, low energy input, metering gas-liquid propulsion device. This device does not impart high shear forces, which are damaging to plant cells and tissues, even when cells and tissues are suspended in the liquid medium it is propelling. The applicant claims that the proposed devices are very inexpensive to manufacture and will perform in metered delivery ranges beyond the realm of alternative devices.
