A cell culture apparatus includes one or more plates having a first major surface and an opposing second major surface. The first major surface comprises a structured surface defining a plurality of wells. Each well has an interior surface defining an upper aperture and a nadir, wherein the upper aperture of each well has a diametric dimension in a range from 100 micrometers to 2000 micrometers. The apparatus also includes a plurality of spacers extending from the first major surface along a length of the bottom surface. A plurality of flow channels are defined between adjacent rails.

The present invention relates to a device for cultivating cells, in particular tissue, comprising a carrier plate unit which has a central axis of rotation, at least one access opening arranged proximally to the axis of rotation, at least one cultivation chamber arranged distally to the axis of rotation, and at least one channel connecting the access opening to the cultivation chamber, and also a method for cultivating cells in a device according to the invention and a method for producing the device according to the invention.

The present invention relates to a cell preparation method that includes a step in which cells are applied to a polyimide porous film and cultivated, wherein the polyimide porous film is a polyimide porous film with a three-layer structure, having a surface layer A and a surface layer B that have a plurality of holes, and a macrovoid layer that is sandwiched between the surface layer A and the surface layer B, and the polyimide porous film is produced by a method including the following steps: (1) a step in which a poly(amic acid) solution comprising poly(amic acid) and an organic polar solvent is flow cast in a film shape and the result is immersed in or brought into contact with a coagulation medium to create a porous film of poly(amic acid); and (2) a step in which the porous film of poly(amic acid) obtained in step (1) is heat-treated and imidized.

The present invention relates to a cell preparation method that includes a step in which cells are applied to a polyimide porous film and cultivated, wherein the polyimide porous film is a polyimide porous film with a three-layer structure, having a surface layer A and a surface layer B that have a plurality of holes, and a macrovoid layer that is sandwiched between the surface layer A and the surface layer B, and the polyimide porous film is produced by a method including the following steps: (1) a step in which a poly(amic acid) solution comprising poly(amic acid) and an organic polar solvent is flow cast in a film shape and the result is immersed in or brought into contact with a coagulation medium to create a porous film of poly(amic acid); and (2) a step in which the porous film of poly(amic acid) obtained in step (1) is heat-treated and imidized.

A reactor arrangement for performing, by means of at least one solid reaction member(s), a biological or chemical transformation, or physical or chemical trapping from, or release of agents to, a fluidic media in a continuous process. The arrangement comprises at least one reactor with a cylindrical reaction vessel (11) in which at least one reactor a transformation device (100) has been mounted. The vessel (11) comprises at least one inlet port (30) in the vicinity of its bottom wall (18) and at least one outlet port (40) arranged in the vicinity of its upper end portion. Each inlet port (30) is connected to a fluid supply member (300) configured to be submerged below the fluid surface level in a pool or a pond. The fluid supply member (300) comprises at least one inlet opening (301) configured to continuously supply a fluid from the pool or the pond to the vessel (11). Each outlet port (40) is configured to continuously let out the fluid from the vessel (11) to the pool or the pond via the outlet port (40). Further a method of using the reactor arrangement is provided.

One aspect of this disclosure is a method for maintaining a plankton population in a culture medium by removing particles from the culture medium. The method may comprise rotating a filter body to lift the particles from the culture medium with a filter of the filter body, positioning the filter relative to a conduit so that a first portion of the lifted particles fall into the conduit, directing a removal fluid toward the filter body to move a second portion of the lifted particles off the filter and into the conduit with impact forces applied by the removal fluid, and/or outputting an effluent flow from the conduit. The effluent flow may comprise the first and second portions of the lifted particles and a portion of the removal fluid. Aspects of related apparatus, methods, and systems also are disclosed.

Embodiments described herein generally provide for the expansion of cells in a cell expansion system using an active promotion of a coating agent(s) to a cell growth surface in some embodiments. A coating agent may be applied to a surface, such as the cell growth surface of a hollow fiber in a bioreactor, by controlling the movement of a fluid in which a coating agent is suspended, by changing flow rates, by changing flow directions, by rotation of the bioreactor, and/or combinations thereof.

The present invention relates to a device (1) for treating cells for stimulating cell growth, comprising a unit (2) for generating and emitting electric pulses and an electric field resulting therefrom, and a treatment space (3) that can be penetrated by the emitted electric pulses, wherein the device (1) further comprises a unit (4, 9) which can be moved into and out of said treatment space (3) such that cell material provided within a compartment (4a) of said unit (4), or provided in a container (5) on or in said unit (4, 9), can be moved into and out of said treatment space (3), and wherein said treatment space (3) is provided between two electrodes (2a, 2b) or plates of a capacitor parallel to each other.

A fluidic cartridge comprises a fluidic disk having a plurality of alignment openings; a fluidic chip comprising a body, one or more channels formed in the body in fluidic communications with input ports and output ports for transferring one or more fluids between the input ports and the output ports, and a plurality of protrusions formed on the body and received in the alignment openings of the fluidic disk for aligning the fluidic chip to the fluidic disk; an actuator operably engaging with the one or more channels for selectively and individually transferring the one or more fluids through the one or more channels from at least one of the input ports to at least one of the output ports at desired flow rates; and a tube member defining a cylindrical housing for accommodating the fluidic disk, the fluidic chip and the actuator therein.

A device for simulating a function of a tissue includes a first structure, a second structure, and a membrane. The first structure defines a first chamber. The first chamber includes a matrix disposed therein and an opened region. The second structure defines a second chamber. The membrane is located at an interface region between the first chamber and the second chamber. The membrane includes a first side facing toward the first chamber and a second side facing toward the second chamber. The membrane separates the first chamber from the second chamber.