Continous
Culture -
where
growth
occurs
in
a
vessel
of
finite
dimensions
and
eventually
ceases.
Is
it
not
possible
to
devise
an
apparatus
in
which
the
cells
are
kept
growing
indefinitely
by
the
continuous
addition
of
fresh
nutrient
medium
and
the
continuous
removal
of
cells
and
their
products.
The
work
on
these
lines
could
be
initiated
only
in
1940s
and
much
of
the
development
was
the
result
of
work
on
more
efficient
ways
of
producing
cells
for
biological
warfare
(or
as
we
are
usually
told,
for
defense
against
biological
warfare).
The
method
of
growth
was
called
continuous
culture
and
the
apparatus
most
commonly
used
was
the
chemostat,
Fresh
sterile
medium
is
pumped
into
the
growth
vessel
at
a
steady
rate
while
a
constant
level
device
removes
cells
and
their
products
at
an
equal
rate.
Index >> Growth of Microorganism >> Continous Culture
In the steady state, biomass concentration, substrate concentration, and everything else in the vessel remain constant, and in theory can do so indefinitely Continuous culture has many advantages over batch culture, particularly in the research laboratory where reproducibility in the environment is more important than simplicity in technique and also in industry where large amounts of cells or products are required at economic costs.
Some of the advantages are as follows: |
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