Multi-well assembly for growing cultures in-vitro

An apparatus comprising:

• a plate having a top surface and a number of well components;
• said well components each having a lower portion and an upper portion;
• said lower portion having at least one chamber, said upper portion having at least one vessel and an access port;
• said vessel having at least one sidewall defining a top opening and a bottom opening, each of predetermined cross-sectional area, wherein an inner cross-sectional area, between said top and bottom openings, in a horizontal plane orthogonal to a sidewall of said chamber, is smaller than the inner cross-sectional area of said bottom opening, and said vessel is sized to fit into said chamber;
• said access port providing communication between said top surface and said chamber;
• said bottom opening capable of binding with a membrane.

A plate for use as an upper portion of a biological assay plate, the plate comprising:

• a top surface having a number of vessels;
• each of said vessels having a central cavity, defined by a sidewall, extending from a first open end to a second open end, wherein said second open end has an inner cross-sectional area greater than the inner cross-sectional area of said first open end or a cross-sectional area in a horizontal plane between said first and second open ends;
• said second open end capable of binding with a permeable substrate;
• and said top surface having access portals.

A method for manufacturing an insert-article for a multi-well cluster plate, the method comprises:

• providing a mold having a first component with a bottom and a central core pin and at least one peripheral component which defines a mold cavity having a sloping sidewall, said first component having a portion with narrowing diameter from the bottom, which extends for at least part of the length of said central core pin;
• assemblying said mold, wherein said peripheral component encloses said central core pin of said first component;
• introducing a formable material into said mold;
• removing from said mold an insert-article with a central cavity, defined by a sidewall, extending from a first open end to a second open end, wherein said second open end has an inner cross-sectional area greater than the inner cross-sectional area of said first open end or a cross-sectional area in a horizontal plane between said first and second open ends, such that at least a part of said insert-article has a flared shape;
• and
• attaching cross said second open end a permeable substrate suitable for sustaining culture samples, and of a similar or dissimilar material to the body of the insert-article.