MossCellTec™

MossCellTec™ is a unique plant biotechnology that is based on cultivated moss cells. These are one of the oldest and most resilient plant forms on Earth. Mosses are known for their exceptional ability to survive extreme environmental stress, such as dehydration, UV radiation, and pollution.

The sterile cultivation of mosses in bioreactors enables the production of high-quality moss biomass. This is free from microbiological contamination, unwanted species, and toxic residues such as pesticides and heavy metals from environmental pollution.

At the same time, moss grown under precisely controlled laboratory conditions develops faster, is fully reproducible, and requires significantly less water compared to conventional indoor or outdoor cultivation methods. 

Establishing sterile and homogeneous moss cultures is a complex and resource-intensive process. Initially,  sterile plant material can be cultivated on special agar plates where the characteristic “moss carpet” develops. This structure comprises the protonema, which is a filamentous, root-like structure, and the gametophores, which are the upright, leafy shoots commonly recognized as “moss.” Together, these structures constitute the gametophyte, the dominant life stage in mosses.

The protonema spreads across the substrate and generates new gametophores through budding. It can be mechanically disrupted, following which it regenerates and continues to proliferate. By regularly fragmenting the protonema, it is possible to establish a homogeneous liquid culture while suppressing the formation of gametophores.

In a single-use pharma-grade wave bag system, the moss protonema is then cultivated under tightly controlled conditions. Carbon dioxide from the circulating air serves as the primary nutrient, while energy-efficient LED lighting enables the moss to produce all the essential metabolites through photosynthesis.

With MossCellTec™, Mibelle Biochemistry has established for the first time a production process for mosses that is independent of seasonal variations and delivered a product that is sterile, free of heavy metals, toxins, and other contaminants.