Apparatus for growing cells in culture under shear stress and/or strain
AssigneeFlexcell International Corporation
InventorAlbert J. Banes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is a cell culture device for inducing shear stress and/or strain on cells. The device includes a cell culture membrane and a flow pathway for moving fluid across cells growing on the membrane to apply shear stress on the cells. Another embodiment of the device includes a body having flow shafts into which slides are placed. Fluid flows through the flow shafts over the slides to apply shear stress to cells growing on the slides.
Claims17
A cell culture assembly for applying shear stress to cells, comprising:
- a body having a plurality of flow shafts therethrough, said plurality of flow shafts configured to removably receive a plurality of slides therein;
- a top member having a plurality of slots in alignment with and in fluid communication with said plurality of flow shafts, and a top bore extending from one end of said top member and in fluid communication with said plurality of slots;
- and
- a bottom member having a plurality of slots in alignment with and in fluid communication with said plurality of flow shafts, and a bottom bore extending from one end of said bottom member and in fluid communication with said plurality of slots.
A cell culture assembly for applying shear stress to cells, comprising:
- a body having a plurality of flow shafts therethrough, said plurality of flow shafts configured to removably receive a plurality of slides therein;
- a top member having a plurality of slots in alignment with and in fluid communication with said plurality of flow shafts, and a top bore extending from one end of said top member and in fluid communication with said plurality of slots;
- and
- a bottom member having a plurality of slots in alignment with and in fluid communication with said plurality of flow shafts, and a bottom bore extending from one end of said bottom member and in fluid communication with said plurality of slots,
- wherein said body further includes:
- a first section having a surface and a plurality of slits extending from said surface to an interior of said body and extending a length of said first section;
- and
- a second section abutting said surface of said first section thereby defining said plurality of flow shafts.
A cell culture assembly for applying shear stress to cells comprising:
- a housing having a top member, a bottom member, and a body defining a plurality of flow shafts therethrough, said flow shafts configured to removably receive a plurality of slides therein;
- an inlet in said top member or said bottom member in fluid communication with an end of a terminal one of said flow shafts;
- an outlet in said top member or said bottom member in fluid communication with an end of another terminal one of said flow shafts;
- and
- at least one passageway in said top member and/or said bottom member in fluid communication with ends of a pair of adjacent flow shafts, said ends of said adjacent flow shafts not being in fluid communication with said inlet and said outlet,
- wherein said body further includes:
- a pair of end sections, each of said end sections having a surface having a recess extending a length of said surface;
- and
- a body section having opposed surfaces, each opposed surface having a recess extending the length of said surface,
- wherein said body section is positioned between said end sections such that each said surface having said recess of said end sections opposes one of said recesses of said body sections thereby defining said flow shafts.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.