bioreactor
/ˌbaɪoʊriˈæktər/
Definition
A specialized device or vessel designed to support and control the growth of biological organisms, such as cells or tissues, within a contained, artificial environment.
Etymology
The word is a hybrid construction combining the Greek prefix 'bio-' (meaning life) and the Latin-derived 'reactor' (a device in which a chemical or physical process takes place). It emerged in the 20th century to describe systems that utilize biological catalysts to perform specific biochemical tasks.
In the news
In this article, researchers developed an acoustic bioreactor to trap and cultivate 3D cellular organoids in the liquid medium of an International Space Station experiment. This technology is vital for overcoming the difficulties of handling delicate biological assemblies in microgravity.
NASA Spaceline Current Awareness List #1,204 12 June 2026 (Space Life Science Research Results)
Read the full article ↗Astrobiology News