CONTINUOUS CULTURE APPARATUS WITH MOBILE VESSEL, ALLOWING SELECTION OF FITTER CELL VARIANTS AND PRODUCING A CULTURE IN A CONTINUOUS MANNER

摘要

A method and device for growing plant, animal or stem cells in a continuous manner.

主权项

1. A method for growing cells that are not in suspension, comprising:
a) providing flexible tubing containing culture medium, and a surface on which the living cells can grow in said tubing, and a system of clamps, each of the clamps being capable of open and closed positions, the clamps being positioned so as to be able to divide the tubing into: i) an upstream region containing unused culture medium; ii) a downstream region containing spent culture medium; and iii) a growth chamber region for growing said cells on the surface, the growth chamber region being disposed between the upstream and downstream regions; and b) closing selected ones of the clamps on the tubing to define the growth chamber region of the tubing between the upstream and downstream regions of the tubing, and introducing viable cells into the growth chamber region; c) cyclically closing and opening selected ones of the clamps to redefine the growth chamber region of the tubing so that a first portion of the previously defined growth chamber region becomes a portion of the downstream region of the tubing, and a portion of the previously defined upstream region of the tubing becomes a portion of the growth chamber region of the tubing; and d) repeating step c); wherein the growth chamber region is subjected to a pre-determined growth condition, and the repetition of step c) selects for those of the living cells that demonstrate an improved rate of reproduction responsive to said growth condition; wherein the living cells are cells that do not grow in suspension.