Concentrating device and method for concentrating cell suspension

A method for concentrating a cell suspension using a switching mechanism of switching flow passages in a liquid supply circuit connected to a first port bringing an internal space of a culture vessel and an outside into communication with each other, an inflow port bringing an inside of a filtration membrane of a filtering device having a case provided with the filtration membrane in an internal space and an outside of the case into communication with each other, a third port bringing an internal space of a first reservoir and the outside into communication with each other, a fifth port bringing an internal space of a second reservoir capable of reserving a priming liquid in the internal space and the outside into communication with each other, and a sixth port bringing an internal space of a third reservoir capable of reserving a culture medium in the internal space and the outside into communication with each other so that the flow passages are switchable and in a liquid discharge circuit connected to a second port bringing the internal space of the culture vessel and the outside into communication with each other, a first outflow port bringing the inside of the filtration membrane of the filtering device and the outside of the case into communication with each other, a second outflow port bringing the outside of the filtration membrane of the filtering device and the outside into communication with each other, and a fourth port bringing an internal space of a collection vessel and the outside into communication with each other so that the flow passages are switchable, a liquid supply/discharge mechanism having a first pump circulating a liquid in the liquid supply circuit and a second pump circulating a liquid in the liquid discharge circuit, and a first rotation mechanism rotating the filtering device so that positions in a vertical direction of the inflow port and the first outflow port are changeable, the method comprising:

• a moving step of bringing the second port and the third port into communication with each other, and then driving the first pump to thereby move a cell suspension to the first reservoir from the culture vessel;
• a priming step of bringing the filtering device into a first state in which the inflow port is located downward relative to the first outflow port, bringing the fifth port and the inflow port into communication with each other and opening the inflow port, and then driving at least the first pump drive to thereby supply a priming liquid to the filtering device from the second reservoir;
• a filtering step of bringing the filtering device into a second state in which the inflow port is located upward relative to the first outflow port, bringing the third port and the inflow port into communication with each other, closing the first outflow port and opening the second outflow port open, and then driving at least the first pump to thereby supply the cell suspension to the filtering device from the first reservoir;
• and
• a collecting step of bringing the sixth port and the inflow port into communication with each other, closing the second outflow port and bringing the first outflow port and the fourth port into communication with each other, and then driving at least the first pump to thereby supply the cell suspension to the collection vessel from the filtering device.