Laboratory Design and
Layout
Chapter 4
Planning of tissue culture labs
Importance of asepsis
Old labs – modifying ventilation and airconditioning, structural modifications will be
expensive
New labs – Integrative and innovative design
- Facilities may be positioned for ergonomic and
energy-saving reasons
Planning of tissue culture labs
-
Ventilation – Pressure balance and Laminar
Flow Hoods
Positive pressure – Avoid influx of
contaminated air into surroundings of lab
Negative pressure – Usage of human material
Positive-pressure buffer zone – Preparation
area and microscope
Laminar Flow Hoods – Positions of air inlets
and extracts
Planning of tissue culture labs
Accommodation
- How many people will work each week?
- What kinds of culture will they perform?
- Area required to handle bioreactors
- 12 laminar hoods/50 people
Planning of tissue culture labs
Space –
- Largest area – culture operation accommodating laminar-flow
hoods, cell counters, centrifuges, incubators, microscopes, and
arrangements for media, stocks of reagents, glassware and
plastics etc.
- Area for wash up, preparation and sterilization
- Area for storage
- Area for incubation
Planning of tissue culture labs
Aseptic area
- Animal facility is accessible but not
contiguous to tissue culture labs
- Windows – high heat generation, UV influx
and incursion of microorganisms
Planning of tissue culture labs
-
Hoods –
Space between hoods should be 500 mm (2 ft)
Motion movement
Minimize interference in airflow between
hoods
Space filled with removable cart or trolley
Planning of tissue culture labs
Incubation –
- Large number of flasks or large volume flasks
(sealed) incubated in hot rooms
- Open plates and dishes incubated in humid
Co2 incubator
Planning of tissue culture labs
Preparation area –
- Facilities for washing up and for sterilization
should be located
- i) close to aseptic area that they service
- ii) outside wall to allow for heat extractions
from ovens and steam vents from autoclaves
Planning of tissue culture labs
Servicing aseptic areas –
- Elevator or ramp suffice
- Maximum load capacity of ramp without any
mechanical help
Storage –
- Space required for disposable plastics
- Cell line work with liquid nitrogen
Planning of tissue culture labs
Renovations – Choose location carefully
Access – Doorways are wide and high to allow
for installations
Quarantine - Screening for Mycoplasma in new cell lines
and biopsies
- Containment of biopsies and cell lines posing
biohazard
Layout of aseptic room or suite
Six main functions – sterile handling,
incubation, preparation, washup, sterilization
and storage
Location for sterile handling should be at one
end of room
- Wash up and sterilization facilities at other
end
- In-between - Preparation, Storage and
Incubation
4.3.1 Sterile handling area
Sterile area restricted
No traffic or disturbance
Absence of laminar hoods – use separate room
or cubicle
- Plastic laminate topped bench
- Freestanding or sealed to wall
4.3.2 Laminar Hood
-
Less expensive than sterile rooms
Hoods – Operator’s arms enter
Laminar flow wall or ceiling units –
Operator is part of work area
Wear sterile caps and gowns
Legroom with space for pumps, aspirators
Chairs with adjustable seat and height
Cart or trolley or folding flap (300-500mm)
4.3.3 Quarantine and Containment
Separate room with door or lock
Separate incubators, freezer, refrigerator, centrifuge,
supplies and disposal
Newly imported cell lines or biopsies
Act as Level II containment – biohazard cabinet or
pathogen trap
4.3.4 Service bench
Close to sterile handling area
Drawer units below and open shelves above
Store sterile glasswares, plastics, pipettes,
screw caps, syringes etc
4.4 Incubation
Incubators
Less expensive
Lose more heat and
slow to recover
Hot room
Less expensive than two
incubators
Insulated to prevent
cold spots
Avoid wooden
furnishings
Stainless steel bench or
plastic laminate
Heat generation in hot room
Heater – Fan heater provides heat, run
continuously
Air circulation – Fan positioned on opposite
side of room of fan heater
Thermostats – Two separate heaters with their
thermostats
Overheating – increase of room temperature,
heat produced from apparatus etc
4.5 Preparation area
4.5.1 Area for media preparation - Accommodate balances, pH meter, osmometer
etc
- Preparation and sterilization in hoods
4.5.2 Wash up and sterilization facilities
outside tissue culture lab
- Space for drying glassware, sorting pipettes,
packaging and sealing packs for sterilization
4.5 Preparation area
4.5 Wash up
Raised edge – to avoid spillage
Four taps
Deionized water provision
4.5 Preparation area
4.5.3 Storage
Sterile liquids – 25, 4 or -20 or – 70 degree
Sterile and non sterile glassware
Sterile disposable plastics
Screw caps, stoppers
Filters
Gloves and disposal bags
4.5.3 Storage
Liquid Nitrogen – Dewars (25-50 L)
Large storage vessel (100-150 L) on trolley
Storage tanks (500 – 1000 L)
Safety – Ventilation + oxygen alarm + replace
air in room
Co2 storage units –tethered to wall or bench
in a rack
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