Aspects of the present invention relate to apparatus for use in cell and tissue culture techniques. Particularly, although not exclusively, embodiments of the present invention relate to apparatus which contribute to providing a dynamic cell culture environment. Also disclosed herein are methods for culturing cells and/or tissues, together with in vitro methods of testing drug efficacy as well as other subject matter.

In an embodiment of the invention, there may be provided a bioreactor having tissue scaffolds and having culture medium perfused therethrough. There may be multiple independent culture chambers and reservoirs or sub-reservoirs. Sensors can provide for individually controlling conditions in various culture chambers, and various culture chambers can be operated differently or for different durations. It is possible to infer the number of cells or the progress toward confluence from the fluid resistance of the scaffold, based on flowrate and pressure drop. Harvesting may include any combination or sequence of; exposure to harvesting reagent; vibration; liquid flow that is steady, pulsatile or oscillating; passage of gas-liquid interface through the scaffold. Vibration and flow can be applied so as to reinforce each other.

Fluid circulation and leveling systems and methods of using the same are described. A fluid circulation system includes a fluid mixing chamber and open fluid chambers in fluid communication with the fluid mixing chamber. Each open fluid chamber includes a microfluidic fluid leveling conduit with an orifice disposed in the open fluid chamber at a minimum fluid level associated with a corresponding minimum fluid volume. A controller causes a first pump to generate a first direction of fluid flow during a first time period between the open fluid chambers, and causes the first pump to generate a second direction of fluid flow during a second time period between the first and second open fluid chambers. The controller also causes a second pump to generate a flow of fluid during a third time period from one of the first and second open fluid chambers into the fluid mixing chamber.

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to apparatuses and methods for a pulsing system which can be configured to provide pressure pulses to a fluid communication tube to/from a bioreactor (for example). Such a system may comprise one or more of, and preferably a plurality of a pulsing motor, a compression plate, one or more fluid communications tubes comprising a biomedia fluid tube configured to direct biomedia fluid into and out of one or more bioreactors, and/or an intra-luminal fluid tube configured to direct intra-luminal fluid through a mandrel tube provided in each bioreactor, and one and/or another of a cam, gearing, and/or actuator configured to repetitively moving the compression plate so as to repetitively compress and release at least a portion of a respective intra-luminal fluid tube for a respective bioreactor to effect a temporary pressure increase (distension or strain) in a respective mandrel-tube according to the predetermined time period.

A protocol created in such a format that a series of operations in cell culture are executable by a robot 10 is acquired (S1). The robot 10 is controlled to implement the operations according to the protocol (S2). In order to modify the protocol after the implementation of the operations, modification information on at least one action among basic actions which serve as bases for implementing the operations and is performed on an instrument used by the robot 10 in the operations, and complementary actions which complement the basic actions is acquired (S5). The robot 10 is controlled to produce cells by using the protocol modified based on the modification information (S7).

Cell culture apparatus for emulating gastrointestinal tract conditions and comprising at least two adjacent, microfluidic, cell cultivation channels separated by a permeable or semipermeable membrane, a first channel carrying gastrointestinal tract epithelial cells or tissues and a second channel carrying luminal and preferably mucosal microbiota, and wherein said second channel comprises one or more dwell chambers capable of providing a location for unattached luminal flora to reside away from any direct flow in said second channel, permits modelling of multiple sections of the gastrointestinal tract and control of retention times.

A bioartificial liver device including a bioreaction chamber having a plurality of semi-permeable membranes and a plurality of filter spaces each confined by two adjacent semi-permeable membranes; a plurality of liver cell perfusion ports each communicating with one of the filter spaces for introducing the liver cells into the filter spaces, and a positive peristaltic pump. In the device, the semi-permeable membranes are disposed substantially horizontal with respect to the ground, and the positive peristaltic pump is adapted to drive the plasma flow from the bottom wall of the device to the top wall. The device of the invention improves the cell loading and the area for substance exchange between the blood and the liver cells.

Method for monitoring a liquid culture, wherein the monitoring comprises inline dilution of a flow of the liquid culture, comprising: providing a device (100) for inline mixing of two or more liquid flows, wherein each liquid flow is induced by a separate pump (202, 204), the device (100) comprising a liquid culture inlet flow channel (112) for conducting the liquid culture flow from a separate pump (202); and a diluent inlet flow channel (114) for conducting a diluent flow from a separate pump (204); a mixer (120) into which liquid from the inlet flow channels (112, 114) enters and is mixed, wherein passage of liquid flow through each inlet flow channel (112, 114) effects a reduction in periodic variability in liquid flow rate, diluting the liquid culture flow with the diluent flow using the device (100), thereby obtaining an inline diluted liquid culture, monitoring, from the diluted liquid culture, the liquid culture.

The invention relates to a bioreactor for charging the outside and the interior of a hollow element (1) or hollow element framework with a liquid, having a housing (2) accommodating the liquid, forming a liquid surface, and a rotation device (3) arranged within the housing (2) and receiving the hollow element (1), which rotation device (3) is for rotating the hollow element (1) about the longitudinal axis (4) thereof in the region of the liquid surface. In known bioreactors of this type, the interior of the hollow element must be flushed with a special device, and so here also a liquid exchange takes place. The object of forming a bioreactor for charging the interior and the outside of hollow elements in such a manner that simplest and cheapest flushing of the interior of the hollow element is ensured is achieved in that the rotation device (3) comprises a scooping chamber (5) running at least in part tangentially to the longitudinal axis, and which is connected via a flow channel (6) to the interior of the hollow element (1).

The present invention discloses an autologous cell multidimensional molding apparatus, which can customize an artificial implant by using an autologous cell. The autologous cell multidimensional molding apparatus comprises a barotropic room, an autologous cell culturing module, a supplying module, a multi-axis molding module, and an implant saving module. The autologous cell culturing module cultivates the autologous cells and sends the autologous cells to the supplying module to mix with polymer materials to be combined autologous cells. The multi-axis molding module prints the combined autologous cells to be artificial implants for carrying and saving the combined autologous cells by the implant saving module. Wherein, the barotropic room is filled with a gas having pressure greater than an ambient pressure. The modules listed above are all inside the barotropic room and connected by closed pipes. Thus, compared to the prior art, the present invention can customize the artificial implants and effectively enhance the yield of the preparation of the artificial implants.