US 9,845,453 B2 · Cell culture apparatus and cell culture method

Abstract

A cell culture apparatus is provided which can continuously and accurately measure turbidity of a cell culture solution and culture a cell, without inserting a turbidity sensor from outside into a sterile bag. The cell culture apparatus includes: a flexible and transparent sterile bag that is installed at a prescribed position in the cell culture apparatus and in which a cell contained in a cell culture solution is cultured; and a turbidity sensor that includes a light emitter which emits light to the cell culture solution in the sterile bag via a portion of the sterile bag, a light receiver which receives the light transmitted through the cell culture solution via another portion of the sterile bag, and that is configured to place the light emitter, the portion of the sterile bag, another portion of the sterile bag, and the light receiver, optically on a same straight line.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A cell culture apparatus comprising:

a recessed portion having a pair of facing surfaces that face each other, the recessed portion being configured to receive between the pair of facing surfaces a portion of a cell culture solution in which cells are cultured, the cell culture solution being contained in a flexible and transparent sterile bag;
and
a turbidity sensor that includes:
a light emitter which emits light to the cell culture solution in the sterile bag via a first portion of the sterile bag, and
a light receiver which receives the light that has been transmitted through the cell culture solution in the sterile bag via a second portion of the sterile bag,
wherein:
the light is transmitted along a light path comprising the light emitter, the first portion of the sterile bag, the second portion of the sterile bag, and the light receiver in this order;
a space between the pair of facing surfaces constitutes a part of the light path;
and
at least one of the pair of facing surfaces is a stepped surface.

7 more elements

A cell culture method comprising:

arranging a flexible and transparent sterile bag containing a cell culture solution in a prescribed position in a cell culture apparatus, a portion of the cell culture solution being positioned between a pair of facing surfaces of a recessed portion of the cell culture apparatus, the cell culture solution containing cells to be cultured;
and
then culturing the cell culture solution inside the sterile bag;
and
measuring turbidity of the cell culture solution by transmitting light from a light emitter of the cell culture apparatus through the portion of the cell culture solution positioned between the pair of facing surfaces of the recessed portion to a light receiver of the cell culture apparatus;
wherein
the light is transmitted along a light path comprising the light emitter, a first portion of the sterile bag, a second portion of the sterile bag, and the light receiver;
a space between the pair of facing surfaces constitutes a part of the light path;
and
at least one of the pair of facing surfaces is a stepped surface.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Cell culture apparatus and cell culture method

Life of this patent

Cell culture apparatus and cell culture method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14