Permeable membrane support with a detachable permeable membrane

A permeable membrane support having an attachable and detachable permeable membrane, the permeable membrane support comprising:

• a lower support;
• an upper support partially accommodated into the lower support;
• and
• a permeable membrane disposed between the lower support and the upper support,
• wherein the lower support has a hollow cylinder shape having an outer diameter smaller than an inner diameter of a plate well such that the lower support is accommodated in the well of the plate,
• wherein the lower support has:
• a top having a first opening;
• a bottom having a second opening;
• an inner wall extending between the top and the bottom, wherein an inner open space is surrounded by the inner wall and communicates with the first and second openings;
• and
• a bottom support portion extending inwardly from the inner wall at a bottom of the lower support, wherein the second opening is centrally located in the bottom support portion and communicates with the inner space;
• wherein the upper support has:
• a cylindrical lower member fitted into the inner space of the lower support, wherein the cylindrical lower member has a bottom opening defined therein;
• an annular disk supported on a top of the well of the plate;
• and
• a bridge for connecting the cylindrical lower member and the annular disk with each other,
• wherein one of the upper support and the lower support has one of a hook having a projection and a groove to achieve snap-fit engagement therebetween, while the other of the upper support and the lower support has the other of the hook having the projection and the groove to achieve snap-fit engagement therebetween,
• wherein when the upper support and the lower support are engaged with each other in a snap-fit manner, the permeable membrane is sandwiched between the bottom opening of the cylindrical lower member of the upper support and a top face of the bottom support portion of the lower support.