Method of cell cultures and device for implementing it

A method of culturing cells in a culture vessel with circulation of a culture medium, comprising the steps of:

• introducing the culture medium (M) to means for circulating culture medium and discharging the culture medium (M) therefrom,
• transferring the culture medium (M) into and upwardly through a first culture medium transfer zone,
• transferring the culture medium (M) into a second cell culture zone,
• transferring the culture medium from said first culture medium transfer zone into a third culture medium transfer zone, by overflowing from the first culture medium transfer zone to the third culture medium transfer zone;
• and
• transferring the culture medium from said second cell culture zone into a fourth culture medium transfer zone, by overflowing the culture medium from the second cell culture zone into the fourth culture medium transfer zone, wherein the culture medium flow is generally downwardly in the fourth culture medium transfer zone.

A device for culturing cells based on a substantially vertical flow, comprising:

• a culture vessel including at least one first zone and at least one second zone, wherein said first zone is a transfer zone for the culture medium essentially containing no cells and said second zone for culturing cells, said second zone comprising a bottom wall and at least one imperforate side wall, at least said bottom wall being permeable to the culture medium allowing a transfer of culture medium essentially free from cells, and further comprising at least one third zone and at least one fourth zone, said third and fourth zones comprising medium transfer zones essentially free from cells, wherein said third zone is in medium communication with the first and second zones and wherein said fourth zone is in medium communication with the second zone and with the first zone;
• and
• means for circulating the culture medium through the bottom wall and into the second zone;
• wherein the culture vessel is arranged such that the culture medium overflows from the first zone to the third zone and overflows from the second zone to the fourth zone.

A method of culturing cells in a culture vessel, comprising the steps of:

• circulating culture medium throughout the culture vessel, including by:
• (i) transferring the culture medium generally upwardly through a first medium transfer zone,
• (ii) transferring the culture medium from the first medium transfer zone to a second medium transfer zone, including by overflowing the culture medium from the first medium transfer zone to the second medium transfer zone;
• (iii) transferring the culture medium upwardly through a cell culture zone from bottom to top;
• and
• (iv) transferring the culture medium from the cell culture zone to a third medium transfer zone, including by overflowing the culture medium from the cell culture zone into the third medium transfer zone.