Apparatus for high-throughput cell culture with mechanical compression stimulation

摘要

An apparatus for high-throughput cell culture with mechanical compression stimulation includes a cell culture vessel and a fluid pressure supply unit. The cell culture vessel includes at least one culture chamber, at least one pressure chamber disposed above the culture chamber, a membrane disposed between the culture chamber and the pressure chamber, and at least one pressurizing member that projects downwardly from the membrane into the culture chamber. The fluid pressure supply unit is connected fluidly to the pressure chamber, and has a fluid pressure supply device to supply a pressurized fluid to the pressure chamber so as to deform the membrane and move the pressurizing member, and a control device that is adapted to vary a pressure of the pressurized fluid in the pressure chamber.

主权项

1. An apparatus for high-throughput cell culture with mechanical compression stimulation, comprising:
a cell culture vessel including at least one culture chamber adapted to culture at least one cell, at least one pressure chamber disposed above said culture chamber, a membrane disposed between said at least one culture chamber and said at least one pressure chamber, and at least one pressurizing member that has a pillar portion projecting downwardly from said membrane into said at least one culture chamber; and a fluid pressure supply unit connected fluidly to said at least one pressure chamber and having a fluid pressure supply device to supply a pressurized fluid to said at least one pressure chamber to deform said membrane and move said at least one pressurizing member, and a control device to vary a pressure of the pressurized fluid in said at least one pressure chamber; and an outflow channel that is in fluid communication with said at least one culture chamber, and an inflow channel that is in fluid communication with said at least one culture chamber, said inflow channel being disposed at a position that is higher than a bottom surface of said at least one culture chamber and that is lower than said outflow channel, wherein said pillar portion has a bottom free end for applying a mechanical compression force to said cell, said bottom free end having an enlarged disc portion that has a cross section larger than a cross section of a remaining part of said pillar portion.