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US 6,653,124 B1Granted
Array-based microenvironment for cell culturing, cell monitoring and drug-target validation
AssigneeCytoplex Biosciences Inc.
InventorAlex R. Freeman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for cell culture in microchambers that are formed on or adjacent to a substrate. The microchambers are connected by one or more fluid conduits, valves and reagent reservoirs, is disclosed.
Claims41
An apparatus, comprising:
- one or more microchambers;
- wherein the one or more of the microchambers are adapted to contain cells;
- one or more fluid conduits in fluid communication with the microchamber;
- one or more valves adapted to regulate the flow of a fluid to the one or more microchambers;
- one or more reagent reservoirs in fluid communication with the one or more fluid conduits, wherein the valve regulates the flow of fluids between the one or more microchambers and the one or more reagent reservoirs adapted to exchange nutrients, oxygen and remove excretions;
- and
- the one or more microchambers adapted to contain cells is substantially planar.
4 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- one or more microchambers;
- wherein the one or more of the microchambers are adapted to contain cells;
- one or more fluid conduits in fluid communication with the microchamber;
- one or more valves adapted to regulate the flow of a fluid to the one or more microchambers;
- one or more reagent reservoirs in fluid communication with the one or more fluid conduits, wherein the valve regulates the flow of fluids between the one or more microchambers and the one or more reagent reservoirs adapted to exchange nutrients, oxygen and remove excretions;
- the one or more microchambers adapted to contain cells is substantially planar;
- and
- one or more micromirrors arranged to direct light into the microchambers.
5 more elements
A cell culturing system, comprising:
- one or more nano-scale microchambers for housing cultured cells;
- one or more of nano-scale fluid inlets and outlets in fluid communication with the microchambers;
- one or more controls to regulate the inlet and the outlet of fluids between the inlets and the outlets and the microchambers;
- and
- one or more controls in communication with the microchambers for detecting biological parameters of the cultured cells.
2 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- one or more microchambers;
- wherein the one or more of the microchambers are adapted to contain cells;
- one or more fluid conduits in fluid communication with the microchamber;
- one or more valves adapted to regulate the flow of a fluid to the one or more microchambers;
- one or more reagent reservoirs in fluid communication with the one or more fluid conduits, wherein the valve regulates the flow of fluids between the one or more microchambers and the one or more reagent reservoirs adapted to exchange nutrients, oxygen and remove excretions;
- and
- the one or more microchambers adapted to contain cells is substantially planar for detecting biological parameters of the cultured cells.
4 more elements
A cell culturing system comprising:
- a chamber having a bottom substrate for growing cultured cells, the chamber further comprising through-holes for controlled porosity;
- a nanoporous semipermeable membrane attached to the substrate;
- and
- a top head on the bottom substrate, the head being adapted to provide space for cells to grow on the substrate and to sandwich the membrane between the substrate and the head,
- wherein fluid exchange occurs across the membrane through the through-holes.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.