In vitro equine organ model systems, and methods of making and using such systems, are provided and can include an organoid prepared using equine tissue associated with the organ of interest; or equine primary cells, wherein the equine primary cells are derived from equine tissue associated with an organ of interest, or derived from an organoid prepared using equine tissue associated with the organ of interest.

A method of handling an adherent cell in a microdroplet assaying system by conjugating an adherent cell to a microbead is provided. The method 50 comprises the steps of: loading a first plurality of microdroplets into a microfluidic space, wherein each of the first microdroplet 5 contains a microbead 52 and a first fluid; loading a second plurality of microdroplets into the microfluidic space, wherein each of the second microdroplet contains an adherent cell and a second fluid 54; merging the first plurality of microdroplets and the second plurality of microdroplets to form a plurality of merged microdroplets 56, each merged microdroplets containing the first and second fluids, at least one microbead and at least one adherent cell; and10 agitating each of the merged microdroplets 58 to cause the first and second fluids in each of the merged microdroplets to move such that at least one adherent cell adhere to the at least one microbead. [FIG. 1] 15

The present disclosure relates to tissue supports for use with engineered tissues and organoids, such as cardiac organoid chambers. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the tissue supports are provided with a fluid-impermeable resilient member that is resiliently deformable during testing by cultured tissues formed on the surface of the tissue support.

Provided is a cell culture apparatus including a culture vessel that stores a cell suspension containing cells; a first filter part that has a first filter membrane that performs membrane separation treatment on the cell suspension extracted from the culture vessel; a first circulation flow path that allows components blocked by the first filter membrane to return to the culture vessel; a second filter part that has a second filter membrane that performs membrane separation treatment on components of the cell suspension permeated through the first filter membrane; a second circulation flow path that allows components permeated through the second filter membrane to return to the culture vessel; and a recovery flow path that recovers components blocked by the second filter membrane. In the cell culture apparatus, an average hole diameter of the first filter membrane is 20 μm or smaller, and 0<B/A≤0.5 is satisfied in a case where an average hole diameter of the first filter membrane is A and an average hole diameter of the second filter membrane is B; or an average hole diameter of the first filter membrane is 20 μm or smaller, and the second filter membrane is an ultrafiltration membrane.

Methods and compositions for the biological repair of cartilage using a hybrid construct combining both an inert structure and living core are described. The inert structure is intended to act not only as a delivery system to feed and grow a living core component, but also as an inducer of cell differentiation. The inert structure comprises concentric internal and external and inflatable/expandable balloon-like bio-polymers. The living core comprises the cell-matrix construct comprised of HDFs, for example, seeded in a scaffold. The method comprises surgically removing a damaged cartilage from a patient and inserting the hybrid construct into the cavity generated after the foregoing surgical intervention. The balloons of the inert structure are successively inflated within the target area, such as a joint, for example. Also disclosed herein are methods for growing and differentiating human fibroblasts into chondrocyte-like cells via mechanical strain.

The invention provides a microfluidic device comprising at least one cell culture chamber, the at least one cell culture chamber being connected to at least two openings, the device being configured to supply at least one physiologically active substance from at least one of the openings to the at least one cell culture chamber in such a manner as to form a concentration gradient or concentration gradients in the at least one chamber when cells and a hydrogel are introduced into the at least one cell culture chamber to culture the cells in a 3D-gel medium.

Methods for introducing exogenous material into a cell are provided, which include exposing the cell to a transient decrease in pressure in the presence of the exogenous material. Also provided are devices for performing the method of the invention.

Described herein are apparata and methods for growing cells in a manner that mimics the native three-dimensional environment. Cell cultures grown in the apparatus can be screened for inhibition by specific chemotherapeutics or other drugs.

Methods and systems for enhancing cell populations such as chondrocytes for tissue engineering applications, e.g., for production of neocartilage. The methods and systems of the present invention feature the introduction of a hypotonic buffer to the cells during the cell isolation process, which results in neotissue (e.g., neocartilage) constructs that are significantly more mechanically robust as compared to those not treated with hypotonic buffer. The methods and systems may further comprise introducing cytochalasin D to cells purified with a hypotonic buffer, which can further bolster the mechanical properties and matrix deposition of the cells. The methods and systems result in neocartilage engineered from chondrocytes, for example, from fetal aged tissue, having compressive properties on par with native adult articular cartilage.

Efficient harvesting of cells, cell fragments, free nuclei, and DNA material from female reproductive system is made possible by processing gelatinous part of cervical mucus. Rinsing may be used to separate the gelatinous part of cervical mucus from the remainder of the cervical mucus sample.