Culture system and method for immunogenicity and immunofunction testing in vitro

A method of analysing the effect of a test compound on immune cells, which comprises the steps of:

• (a) incubating immune cells embedded in a matrix in a culture chamber of at least one culture unit of a culture device, at predefined culture conditions for a predefined period of time, whereby the matrix is continuously perfused with liquid culture media and supplements,
• (b) adding the test compound to at least one culture unit through an inlet port,
• (c) incubating immune cells as described in step a) in the presence of the at least one test compound,
• (d) removing at least one sample of the culture media discharged from an outlet port of the at least one culture unit to which the test compound was added, and
• (e) analysing the sample for an effect of the test compound on the immune cells,
• wherein the culture device comprises a top side, a bottom side, and at least one lateral side comprising a plurality of culture wherein each unit comprises:
• (i) a culture chamber,
• (ii) an inlet port for reversibly connecting the unit with an external liquid supply, and
• (iii) an outlet port for discharging liquid from the unit,
• wherein the inlet port is in fluid communication with the culture chamber and the culture chamber is in fluid communication with the outlet port for allowing a liquid flow through the culture chamber, and
• wherein the inlet port is accessible for connecting an external liquid supply from the top side or lateral side of the culture device, and the outlet port is accessible for connecting a discharge conduct from the top side or lateral side of the device, and
• wherein the culture device further comprises a conduct between the inlet port and the external liquid supply, the conduct comprising a gas permeable conduct that allows equilibrating liquid media to a predefined oxygen and carbon dioxide content.

A method of analysing the effect of a test compound on immune cells, which comprises the steps of:

• (a) incubating immune cells embedded in a matrix in a culture chamber of at least one culture unit of a culture device, at predefined culture conditions for a predefined period of time, whereby the matrix is continuously perfused with liquid culture media and supplements,
• (b) adding the test compound to at least one culture unit through an inlet port,
• (c) incubating immune cells as described in step a) in the presence of the at least one test compound,
• (d) removing at least one sample of the culture media discharged from an outlet port of the at least one culture unit to which the test compound was added, and
• (e) analysing the sample for an effect of the test compound on the immune cells,
• wherein the culture device comprises a top side, a bottom side, and at least one lateral side, comprising a plurality of culture units, wherein each unit comprises:
• (i) a culture chamber,
• (ii) an inlet port for reversibly connecting the unit with an external liquid supply, and
• (iii) an outlet port for discharging liquid from the unit,
• wherein the inlet port is in fluid communication with the culture chamber and the culture chamber is in fluid communication with the outlet port for allowing a liquid flow through the culture chamber, and
• wherein the inlet port is accessible for connecting an external liquid supply from the top side or lateral side of the culture device, and the outlet port is accessible for connecting a discharge conduct from the top side or lateral side of the device, and
• wherein the immune cells embedded in the matrix are obtained by:
• (a) introducing a suspension of immune cells in an aqueous matrix-forming composition into the culture chamber, and (b) solidifying the suspension, thereby forming the immune cells embedded in the matrix, and wherein the suspension comprises non-adherent cells.