Apparatus and Method for Culturing Cells and Tissue
AssigneeIonoptix LLC
InventorsPeter G.W. LEE, Douglas L. TILLOTSON, Richard T. UDALE, Katherine L. BARBER
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus that provides synchronized chronic electrical stimulation and chronic stretch to a cell culture or tissue. The apparatus includes a programmable controller which synchronizes stretch and electrical stimulation applied to a deformable culture container, such as a silicone rubber culture dish. The apparatus is used to treat cells and retard de-differentiation or promote differentiation and maturation in some applications.
Claims20
An apparatus for providing synchronized chronic electrical stimulation and chronic stretch to a cell culture comprising:
- (a) a deformable cell culture container having a cavity for receiving cells or tissue;
- (b) at least two (2) electrodes disposed in the cavity of said deformable cell culture container;
- (c) means for providing chronic stretch to said deformable cell culture container;
- and
- (d) a programmable controller coupled to the two (2) electrodes and coupled to the means for providing chronic stretch to the deformable cell culture container,
- wherein the programmable controller has one or more electrical stimulation output(s) adapted to provide chronic electrical stimulation in the form of electrical stimulation pulses to the electrodes, the pulses being suitable for stimulating cells and the controller further having one or more stretch outputs coupled to the means for providing stretch to said container and thus provides a stretch control signal thereto,
- and wherein further the controller is adapted to synchronize the chronic electrical stimulation provided to the electrodes and the chronic stretch signals provided to the means for providing chronic stretch to the deformable cell culture container.
An apparatus for providing synchronized chronic electrical stimulation and chronic stretch to a cell culture comprising:
- (a) a electromechanical stage having a movable portion coupled to a stepper motor for providing chronic motion to the movable portion of the electromechanical stage corresponding to rotation of the stepper motor;
- (b) a deformable cell culture container having a cavity for receiving cells or tissue mounted on the electromechanical stage and coupled to the movable portion thereof such that chronic stretch is applied to said deformable cell culture container corresponding to rotation of the stepper motor and the accompanying chronic motion of the movable portion of the electromechanical stage;
- (b) at least two (2) electrodes disposed in the cavity of said deformable cell culture container;
- and
- (d) a programmable controller coupled to the two (2) electrodes and the stepper motor,
- wherein the programmable controller has one or more electrical stimulation output(s) adapted to provide chronic electrical stimulation in the form of electrical stimulation pulses suitable for stimulating cells coupled to the electrodes and one or more stretch outputs coupled to the stepper motor and thus provides a control signal thereto for controlling its rotation,
- and wherein further the controller is adapted to synchronize the chronic electrical stimulation provided to the electrodes and the rotation imparted to the stepper motor to thereby provide synchronized chronic electrical stimulation and chronic stretch to cells or tissue disposed in the deformable cell culture container.
A method of culturing cells comprising:
- (a) disposing cells in the cavity of a deformable cell culture container;
- and
- (b) applying synchronized chronic electrical stimulation and stretch to the cells in the deformable culture cell container,
- wherein the synchronized chronic electrical stimulation is applied in the form of pulses at a frequency of from 0.010-99 Hz and a duration of from 0.4 to 24 ms;
- and
- wherein stretch cycles are applied to the cells at a frequency of from 0.010 to 15 Hz.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.