Celluar assays

Abstract

In the field of cell-based assays, i.e. cellular assays, there is a need for improved cell culture retaining inserts, cell culture retaining insert assemblies, cell culture positioning inserts, and cell culture positioning insert assemblies. A cell culture retaining insert (10; 50; 70), for retaining a three-dimensional biological sample (56) in a cell culture vessel (122; 132) comprises a rigid insert body (12) which has at least one engagement formation (14) to, in use, removably secure the cell culture retaining insert (10; 50; 70) to the cell culture vessel (122, 132). The cell culture retaining insert (10; 50; 70) also includes a retention element (18; 18′; 18″) that is coupled with the insert body (12). The retention element (18; 18′; 18″) has a distal end (28) that is positionable, in use, proximate to a well bottom (90) in a cell culture vessel (122; 132). The entire distal end (28) is resiliently deformable.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.