Patent ID: 8492140

Claim:
An automated system for cell culture and/or tissue engineering comprising; a) a housing; b) at least two bioreactors within said housing and linked in sequence by fluid communication comprising: i) a first bioreactor for cell or tissue input and/or processing; ii) a second bioreactor for cell expansion or forming a tissue construct; wherein the cells or tissues input and/or processed in the first bioreactor are passed to the second bioreactor where the cells are expanded or formed into a tissue construct; said bioreactors facilitating physiological cellular functions by controlling one or more of the following parameters selected from the group consisting of temperature, pH, dissolved gases, optical density, light scattering, and images of cell/tissue proliferation; c) a fluid containment system in fluid communication with said bioreactors, d) one or more sensors associated with one or more of said housing, bioreactors or fluid containment system, said one or more sensors selected from the group consisting of temperature, pH, dissolved gases, optical density, light scattering, images of cell/tissue proliferation; and e) a microprocessor linked to one or more of said sensors, said microprocessor receiving and monitoring relayed parameters from said sensors such that optimal conditions are maintained in said bioreactors to generate a desired cell population and/or tissue construct and further signals are generated by said microprocessor to re-adjust said parameters of said cell culture and/or tissue engineering process responsive to the status of cell proliferation and/or tissue formation.