ABSTRACT
Immobilization is a particularly attractive alternative for the large-scale culture of plant cells, especially when considering their natural tissue-forming tendency and the problems of suspension culturing. Recently, the adhesive properties of plant cells were exploited in a surface immobilization technique that was successfully scaled up in laboratory-size bioreactors. The state of development of this last technology is reviewed with emphasis on immobilization processes, bioreactor development and experimentation, and physiological behavior of cultured plant cell biofilms. The metabolism and production capabilities of plant cells cultured in vitro are significantly affected by the type, scale, and physical environment of the culture system used. This chapter reviews the advantages of the surface immobilized plant cell culture technique. Its three drawbacks–biofilm diffusion, growth control, and product release–may not be as limiting as originally suggested. The real challenge remains the development of an integrated cost-effective bioprocess for the production of valuable secondary metabolites.
