A culture material including a 4-methyl-1-pentene polymer for cells, tissues, or organs, the culture material having a water contact angle at a culture surface of 50° to 100°, a sagging distance by a test method described below of 0 to 5 mm, and an oxygen permeation rate at a temperature of 23° C. and a humidity of 0% of 4500 to 90000 cm.sup.3/(m.sup.2×24 h×atm). A test piece having the same material as the culture material and the same thickness as the culture surface of the culture material and having a flat plate shape of 100 mm long and 10 mm wide is made. The test piece is fixed onto a test board in a state where the test piece protrudes lengthwise in a horizontal direction from a top surface of the test board, the top surface being horizontal.

The present invention is a cell cultivating vessel or device, such as a single or multitier flask, including a cover having a top plate, a side wall and a resealable port; an intermediate tray for receiving cells and cell culture media, having a bottom plate, a side wall, and a gap region formed between an interior upwardly angled lip located on an interior portion of the intermediate tray bottom plate and an adjacent outwardly angled side wall portion of the intermediate tray bottom plate, wherein the lip has a outwardly swooping curvilinear edge feature; and a base tray for receiving the cells and cell culture media, including a bottom plate and a side wall. The intermediate tray is positioned between the cover and the base tray, such that the gap region of the intermediate tray bottom plate is in alignment with the port located on the cover, resulting in the port, the intermediate tray and the base tray in fluid communication with one another which provides direct access, such as by a user to remove and/or add cells, cell media, and nutrients located on each of the intermediate and/or the base trays. Alternatively, the cell cultivating flask includes a plurality of intermediate trays stacked on top of one another and the gap regions of each intermediate tray are in alignment with each other and with the port on the cover.

This invention relates to methods and devices that improve cell culture efficiency. They include the use of gas permeable culture compartments that reduce the use of space while maintaining uniform culture conditions, and are more suitable for automated liquid handling. They include the integration of gas permeable materials into the traditional multiple shelf format to resolve the problem of non-uniform culture conditions. They include culture devices that use surfaces comprised of gas permeable, plasma charged silicone and can integrate traditional attachment surfaces, such as those comprised of traditional tissue culture treated polystyrene. They include culture devices that integrate gas permeable, liquid permeable membranes. A variety of benefits accrue, including more optimal culture conditions during scale up and more efficient use of inventory space, incubator space, and disposal space. Furthermore, labor and contamination risk are reduced.

A screw cap lidded container for laboratory use includes a container body defining a chamber, a tubular section of the container body that is connected at the rear to the chamber and has a container opening in the front and an external thread on the outer periphery of the tubular section. There is a circumferential first sealing surface on the tubular section and at least one first projection, which projects from the container body at a peripheral position of the tubular section, and a screw cap having an internal thread on the inner periphery that can be screwed onto the external thread with thread play, a second sealing surface on the screw cap can be brought into sealing contact with the first sealing surface, and at least one second projection, which projects at a peripheral position of the screw cap.

This invention relates to methods and devices that improve cell culture efficiency. They include the use of gas permeable culture compartments that reduce the use of space while maintaining uniform culture conditions, and are more suitable for automated liquid handling. They include the integration of gas permeable materials into the traditional multiple shelf format to resolve the problem of non-uniform culture conditions. They include culture devices that use surfaces comprised of gas permeable, plasma charged silicone and can integrate traditional attachment surfaces, such as those comprised of traditional tissue culture treated polystyrene. They include culture devices that integrate gas permeable, liquid permeable membranes. A variety of benefits accrue, including more optimal culture conditions during scale up and more efficient use of inventory space, incubator space, and disposal space. Furthermore, labor and contamination risk are reduced.

Embodiments disclosed herein relate to novel apparatuses, methods and systems employing said novel apparatuses, and sensors for use with said apparatuses and systems. In some embodiments, apparatuses and systems described herein are used to culture cells and/or detect changes in pH levels or dissolved oxygen and/or carbon dioxide levels in a cell culture sample resulting from the growth of living cells contained within a reaction vessel such as a flask. In some embodiments, said novel apparatuses may be used in combination with a rocker or shaking device or apparatus. The systems and methods may be used to detect changes in pH and dissolved gas levels in a liquid contained in the reaction vessel due to growth of living cells.

Means which enables preparation of a thick cell aggregate by a simple process without an operation of detaching and stacking of cells is disclosed. The method for preparing a three-dimensional cell aggregate by the present invention comprises: a cell encasing step of placing a cell suspension in a cell container; and a pressure application step of applying pressure to cells in the container. The cell encasing step and the pressure application step may be carried out a plurality of times. By the present invention, a thick, robust cell aggregate can be obtained by a simple operation of applying pressure to a cell suspension or a medium containing cells.

Since the method does not require an operation of stacking a plurality of cell sheets, the cells are hardly damaged, and the conditions of the cells can be favorably maintained, so that the cells can be advantageously used as a tissue piece for transplantation.

A gas supply device for operation in an incubator allowing treatment of a culture within a shaker flask with gas independently of the composition and humidity of the gas atmosphere within the incubator individually supplies each shaker flask of the incubator with gas using a gas supply clamp detachably connected to the closure cap of each flask. The gas supply clamp has at least two elastic clamping jaws and a web connecting the clamping jaws to one another. The clamping jaws exert a clamping force on the side wall of the closure cap. The clamp is held in place by the elastic clamping jaws. Above a sterile filter in the closure cap, an individual gas atmosphere for treatment of the culture in the shaker flask is produced in a recess of the web above a gas passage in the closure cap.

This disclosure provides a cell culture media extending material capable of releasing nutrients into the cell culture environment slowly over time. In embodiments, this material is a part of a cell culture vessel. In embodiments, the material is a coating or a film on a surface of a cell culture material. In additional embodiments, the material is a surface upon which cells are cultured, such as a cell culture vessel or a microcarrier.

The invention relates to a biocompatible scaffold for three dimensional cultivation of cells, said scaffold comprise one or more fibers randomly oriented to form a scaffold with open spaces for cultured cells. The one or more fibers are also coated with a bio-active coating and have a diameter of 100-3000 nm.