A method for dissecting and collecting one or more cells from a tissue sample fixed to an inner surface of a microfluidic device is described. The tissue sample is in fluid communication with a channel having an inlet end and an outlet end defined by the microfluidic device. The method comprises flowing a first fluid through the channel with a fluid flow from the inlet end to the outlet end; powering a laser to direct laser energy into the channel to impinge upon the first fluid proximate a first region of the tissue sample and cause fluid cavitation to thereby ablate a first set of one or more cells from the tissue sample; and collecting the first set of one or more cells within a first sample container coupled to the outlet end.

A method for dissecting and collecting one or more cells from a tissue sample fixed to an inner surface of a microfluidic device is described. The tissue sample is in fluid communication with a channel having an inlet end and an outlet end defined by the microfluidic device. The method comprises flowing a first fluid through the channel with a fluid flow from the inlet end to the outlet end; powering a laser to direct laser energy into the channel to impinge upon the first fluid proximate a first region of the tissue sample and cause fluid cavitation to thereby ablate a first set of one or more cells from the tissue sample; and collecting the first set of one or more cells within a first sample container coupled to the outlet end.

A method for forming a droplet interface bilayer (DIB) comprises the steps of: (1) providing an assembly that includes a housing contained within an enclosure, wherein the housing includes at least one aperture that comprises a cis portion and a trans portion, at least one cis electrode receptacle and at least one trans electrode receptacle, wherein the cis electrode receptacle is operatively connected to the cis portion, and the trans electrode receptacle is operatively connected to the trans portion; (2) inserting an electrode into each of the cis and trans electrode receptacles; (3) introducing an oil/lipid phase to the enclosure such that the oil/lipid phase flows into the housing through the aperture; (4) delivering at least two aqueous droplets to the oil/lipid phase in such a manner that at least one aqueous droplet is disposed within the cis portion of the aperture and at least one aqueous droplet is disposed within the trans portion of the aperture; and (5) lowering a level of the oil/lipid phase in the cis and trans portions of the aperture to cause the aqueous droplets in the cis and trans portions to expand and move closer to one another until the aqueous droplets contact one another thereby forming the lipid bilayer at the location at which the aqueous droplets contact one another.

A method for forming a droplet interface bilayer (DIB) comprises the steps of: (1) providing an assembly that includes a housing contained within an enclosure, wherein the housing includes at least one aperture that comprises a cis portion and a trans portion, at least one cis electrode receptacle and at least one trans electrode receptacle, wherein the cis electrode receptacle is operatively connected to the cis portion, and the trans electrode receptacle is operatively connected to the trans portion; (2) inserting an electrode into each of the cis and trans electrode receptacles; (3) introducing an oil/lipid phase to the enclosure such that the oil/lipid phase flows into the housing through the aperture; (4) delivering at least two aqueous droplets to the oil/lipid phase in such a manner that at least one aqueous droplet is disposed within the cis portion of the aperture and at least one aqueous droplet is disposed within the trans portion of the aperture; and (5) lowering a level of the oil/lipid phase in the cis and trans portions of the aperture to cause the aqueous droplets in the cis and trans portions to expand and move closer to one another until the aqueous droplets contact one another thereby forming the lipid bilayer at the location at which the aqueous droplets contact one another.

This invention provides devices and methods that enable co-incubation of microorganisms. Also provided are methods of making such devices for co-incubation of microorganisms, and various applications of such devices.

This invention provides devices and methods that enable co-incubation of microorganisms. Also provided are methods of making such devices for co-incubation of microorganisms, and various applications of such devices.

A cell support composite includes a substrate, a coating agent layer and cultivated cells. The coating agent layer covers at least a portion of the substrate, and contains one or more laminin molecules, a basement membrane matrix mixture, collagen molecules, and fragments of any of these. The cultivated cells adhere to the substrate with the coating agent layer being interposed therebetween. The cultivated cells are produced by cultivating primary cultured kidney cells dedifferentiated in a state of being non-adherent to a culture vessel, forming aggregates of the kidney cells, then cultivating the kidney cells in a state of having formed aggregates, and restoring physiological functions of the kidney cells. The primary cultured kidney cells include primary cultured renal proximal tubular epithelial cells, and a percentage of the primary cultured renal proximal tubular epithelial cells in the primary cultured kidney cells is 83% or more.

Cultivated cells that are produced by a cultivation method including cultivating primary cultured kidney cells which are dedifferentiated in a state of being non-adherent to a culture vessel for a period of 5 days or longer, forming aggregates of the kidney cells during the cultivation period, then cultivating the kidney cells in a state of having formed aggregates, during a portion of the period, and thereby restoring physiological functions of the kidney cells. The primary cultured kidney cells include primary cultured renal proximal tubular epithelial cells, and a percentage of the primary cultured renal proximal tubular epithelial cells in the primary cultured kidney cells being 83% or more.

A incubator chamber comprises a base, lid and plurality of trays, each of which are stackable upon one another in an open or closed configuration. A clamp could be provided having an interior cavity sized and dimensioned to simultaneously receive a portion of a perimeter of each of a base and a lid.

A method for forming a droplet interface bilayer (DIB) comprises the steps of: (1) providing an assembly that includes a housing contained within an enclosure, wherein the housing includes at least one aperture that comprises a cis portion and a trans portion, at least one cis electrode receptacle and at least one trans electrode receptacle, wherein the cis electrode receptacle is operatively connected to the cis portion, and the trans electrode receptacle is operatively connected to the trans portion; (2) inserting an electrode into each of the cis and trans electrode receptacles; (3) introducing an oil/lipid phase to the enclosure such that the oil/lipid phase flows into the housing through the aperture; (4) delivering at least two aqueous droplets to the oil/lipid phase in such a manner that at least one aqueous droplet is disposed within the cis portion of the aperture and at least one aqueous droplet is disposed within the trans portion of the aperture; and (5) lowering a level of the oil/lipid phase in the cis and trans portions of the aperture to cause the aqueous droplets in the cis and trans portions to expand and move closer to one another until the aqueous droplets contact one another thereby forming the lipid bilayer at the location at which the aqueous droplets contact one another.