A method for in-vitro production of a cohesive cartilage construct includes the following steps: a) propagating chondrogenic cells derived from a subject to allow formation of one or more cartilage micro constructs; b) putting a plurality of the cartilage micro constructs in motion to facilitate contact between the cartilage micro constructs and thereby allow formation of one or more fused cartilage micro constructs; and c) subjecting one or more of the fused cartilage micro constructs to mechanical stimulation in a hypoxic environment to allow formation of a cohesive cartilage construct.

Disclosed is a system for determining fecundity of an embryo utilizing a non invasive grading of early stage embryos (pre-hatching) based upon specific gravity, density and/or estimated weight. The system allows 100% recovery of embryos and can detect differences in growth potential at the earliest stages of development. The system may further enhance the development of embryos by utilization of microfluidic effects during use. The disclosed system supports a wide variety of scenarios for human and animal reproductive technologies and related products and services.

A method, apparatus, and system are provided for the printing and maturation of living tissue in an Earth-referenced reduced gravity environment such as that found on a spacecraft or on other celestial bodies. The printing may be three-dimensional structures. The printed structures may be manufactured from low viscosity biomaterials.

A composition is disclosed including a composite microbead that has one or more animal cells embedded therein. The composite microbead has a material matrix composed of silk fibroin and a mixture of modified and unmodified alginate. The composite microbead has reduced disintegration by ion exchange when compared with material lacking the modified alginate. The material matrix is ionically and covalently crosslinked. The animal cells can be on-demand released by contact with a calcium chelator and a reducing agent. The microbeads can be made by introducing droplets of a pre-hydrogel solution including the cells into a crosslinking solution. The resulting microbeads provide the animal cells with an enhanced ability to survive elevated pressures, immunocamouflaging, permselectivity against higher molecular weight molecules, protection from harsh chemical environments, and protection from UV radiation.

The invention refers to a method for culturing cells in a substrate in which a chamber having at least one side wall, a bottom, and a top is formed, comprising introduction of cells into the chamber, tilting of the substrate such that the cells accumulate on a side wall of the chamber, and holding the substrate in the tilted orientation such that the cells form a three-dimensional cell aggregate.

A cell modification device, comprising a centrifugation chamber with at least one cell modifying surface with a normal vector having an angle of 13545 to the rotational axis of the centrifugation chamber, wherein the centrifugation chamber comprises at least one input/output port and the cells to be modified are immobilized at the cell modifying surfaces by the rotation of the centrifugation chamber at 2 to 2000 g. In an embodiment, the device is used as a point-of-care and/or portable device. Further, the present disclosure describes software that, when executed by a processor, causes the device to perform the disclosed functions.

The present invention is a method for controlling a regeneration speed of an animal cell that includes a step of grasping tide-generating force and a step of giving a physical stimulus or chemical stimulus to the animal cell according to the variation in the tide-generating force.

A method, apparatus, and system are provided for the printing and maturation of living tissue in an Earth-referenced reduced gravity environment such as that found on a spacecraft or on other celestial bodies. The printing may be three-dimensional structures. The printed structures may be manufactured from low viscosity biomaterials.

A cell modification system includes a separation module, a modification module, a culture module and a filter module. The separation module is configured to receive a blood sample, separate cells and plasma from the blood sample, and then separate target cells. The modification module is configured to receive the target cells and introduce a modification composite material into the target cells to convert the target cells into modified cells. The culture module is configured to receive and store the modified cells, and monitor a cell proliferation environment to facilitate the activation and proliferation of the modified cells. The filter module is configured to receive the modified cells after proliferating, determine whether the modified cells have been modified successfully, and output the cells that have been modified successfully as a therapeutic product. A cell modification device is also disclosed.

The present invention relates to a method for determining the activity of a drug or drug candidate and/or for predicting suitability of a drug or drug candidate for treatment or prevention of a disease and/or for predicting suitability of a drug or drug candidate for influencing ageing.