A method of lithographic masking for spatially localized biochemical stimulus delivery, comprising the steps of providing a group of cells on a substrate, coating a layer of gelatin on a portion of the cells, creating a mask layer on a portion of the layer of gelatin on a portion of the cells, and creating an area of masked cells and an area of unmasked cells. Further, the method can include delivering a biochemical signal to the area of unmasked cells, removing the mask layer, and allowing the cells with the biochemical signal and the cells without the biochemical signal to interact freely.

The present disclosure relates to a method for micropatterning on silicone-based elastomer, the method including forming an initiator at a position of the silicone-based elastomer having high optical transmittance and transparency, and moving a laser beam to induce chain pyrolysis, thereby forming micropatterns with high quality in a very short time.

The present disclosure provides a system, including methods and apparatus, for culturing, monitoring, and/or analyzing organoids. In an exemplary method of organoid culture, the method may comprise disposing a scaffold in a receptacle having an open side. A sealing member may be bonded to the open side of the receptacle to create a chamber. An organoid may be formed in the chamber using the scaffold. Fluid and/or at least one substance may be introduced into the chamber from an overlying reservoir for contact with the organoid.

A thin-walled microplate suitable for use in the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technique comprising a plurality of thin-walled tubes or wells arranged in a fixed array, each well having an upper portion with an open top and a lower, frustoconical portion having a substantially flat bottom.

A bioreactor includes a culture medium vessel housing culture medium. The culture medium vessel further includes a first side surface including a first transparent optical window; and a second side surface parallel to the first surface and including one or more sensor adapters to fix optical sensors. A cell retention vessel is disposed underneath and connected to the culture medium vessel, the cell retention vessel housing biological cells and having: a top surface that intersects a base of the culture medium vessel, and a second transparent optical window indented into the top surface at a first corner of the top surface. A semipermeable membrane is disposed at a bottom of the cell retention vessel, and a frame comprising a grid is disposed underneath the semipermeable membrane.

According to an aspect there is provided an illumination system for illumination of a sample in a container, such as a well of a microplate or a petri dish, the container comprising a bottom surface and side walls which together define a volume for receiving the sample, the illumination system comprising: at least one light source; a mask comprising an opaque portion, preventing light from passing through the mask, and an at least partially transparent portion, allowing light to pass through the mask; wherein the illumination system is adapted to be positioned such that the light generated by the light source, passing through the mask, illuminates the sample in the container; and wherein the light source and the mask are configured such that a shape, a size, and a position of a projection of the light passing through the mask, onto a plane of the bottom surface, match a shape, a size, and a position of the bottom surface.

The systems and methods of the present disclosure provide highly deformable porous membrane culture systems and actuation methods for studying the effects of biomedical stretch on cultured tissue. A well plate can include a well having a first opening configured to receive an insert coupled to a deformable membrane. The well plate can include a gasket positioned within the well and configured to create a seal between the insert and the well when the insert is positioned in the well. The well plate can include a chamber defined beneath the well, the chamber configured to receive fluid media and to expose the fluid media to a surface of the deformable membrane when the insert is positioned in the well. The well plate can include an actuator configured to stretch the deformable membrane by a target amount of strain.

A platelet incubator usable as a lid for a refrigerated container includes a heating plate and a transparent cover. The heating plate has an aluminum top plate, an aluminum middle plate with an opening into which a silicon mat heater is placed, and a 5052 aluminum alloy bottom plate, with an aperture through which the wires providing electrical energy to the silicon mat heater are placed. The temperature is continuously monitored, and a log is kept for printout, allowing the platelet incubator to meet relevant compliance requirements. An alarm is activated if the temperature of the platelets exceeds twenty-three degrees Celsius, or falls under twenty-one degrees Celsius.

Example embodiments include a cell culture apparatus, methods for cell cultivation by using the cell culture apparatus, and a cell culture incubator comprising the cell culture apparatus. The cell culture apparatus comprises a plurality of cell culture modules arranged adjacent to each other. Each cell culture module comprises two or more culture medium reservoirs connected by two or more flow channels that go through a basal chamber arranged under an apical chamber. The apical and basal chambers are separated by a porous membrane. The basal chamber has a bottom part arranged higher than a bottom part of each of the culture medium reservoirs. The culture model comprises further a cavity under at least the bottom part of the basal chamber and at least one means for capturing at least one image from a bottom and/or top of the at least one cell culture module.

A cell culture container comprising a base section and a compressible wall element. The base section includes a substantially planar rigid base plate. The compressible wall element extends from the base section in an axial direction and defines an internal volume of the cell culture container. The compressible wall element is compressible in the axial direction. There is also disclosed a bioreactor that includes the cell culture container.