The present invention provides a cell culture base that avoids contact between a photoresponsive layer and cells. The cell culture base of the present invention includes: a support layer; a photoresponsive layer; and a cell culture layer, wherein the photoresponsive layer is laminated on the support layer, the cell culture layer is laminated on the photoresponsive layer, the photoresponsive layer contains a photoresponsive substance that causes at least one of heat and change in magnetism by light irradiation, and the cell culture layer is capable of culturing cells.

Provided is a culture-medium-monitoring apparatus including: an optical measurement unit that includes an illumination light source and a collecting lens that radiate an illumination light onto a culturing liquid, a retroreflective member that has an array in which micro-reflective elements are arrayed, that is disposed so as to sandwich the vessel between the retroreflective member, and the illuminating light source and the collecting lens, and that reflects the illumination light passed through the culturing liquid in the vessel, and a light detector that detects an intensity of the illumination light passed through the culturing liquid in the vessel after being reflected by the retroreflective member; and a control portion that causes the intensity of the illumination light to be repeatedly detected at a prescribed timing, and that determines a state of the culturing liquid on the basis of a change over time in the intensity of the illumination light.

An optofluidic photoreactor including an optical waveguide having an input, characterized by an evanescent optical field confined along an outer surface of the optical waveguide produced by radiation propagating in the optical waveguide, means for inputting light to the input of the optical waveguide, and a photoactive material disposed substantially only within the evanescent field. A method for optically activating a photoactive material in an optofluidic photoreactor to convert carbon dioxide and water into other molecules that may be useful as a fuel or a chemical feedstock.

An open raceway algae cultivation system includes a channel configured to contain an algae cultivation fluid. The channel includes a contraction zone having a width and a depth. A pump is configured to circulate the algae cultivation fluid in the channel. A width of the contraction zone decreases leading into the entrance of the pump and a depth of the contraction zone is greater than a depth of at least a portion of the channel located outside of the contraction zone.

A container (1, 1b) of a bioreactor (1a, 1b) has a container interior (22) designed for being filled with a medium (8) including a photoreactive material, and designed for at least partially triggering a photochemical reaction of the photoreactive material. The container (1, 1b) has at least one illuminant receiving pouch (11) that is at least partially transparent for an electromagnetic radiation (14), and that is arranged on a illuminant opening (12) within the container interior (22) and is designed to receive at least one illuminant (15, 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d, 15e) from an outer side (A) through the illuminant opening (12, 12a, 12b). The illuminant at least partially irradiates the medium (8) such that the photochemical reaction of the photoreactive material can be triggered by electromagnetic radiation (14) emitted by the illuminant and the illuminant is isolated in relation to the medium (8) by the illuminant receiving pouch (11).

An illuminated container for the growth of biological entities is provided. The container is illuminated by a flexible light diffusing fiber. The light diffusing fiber includes a core formed from a silica-based glass and a cladding in direct contact with the core. The light diffusing fiber also includes an outer polymer coating layer surrounding the cladding, the outer polymer coating layer being the cured product of a liquid polymer blend including a scattering material and a luminophore.

The present invention provides an erythrocyte-culture monitoring device including a light source that radiates monochromatic light onto a culture solution culturing erythrocytes accommodated in a culture container, a first photodetector that detects a light intensity of the monochromatic light transmitted through the culture solution, and a controller that evaluates an amount of hemoglobin in the culture solution based on a temporal change in the light intensity detected by the photodetector.

A photobioreactor is described for cultivating phototrophic organisms and in particular a mat, as can be used in one such photobioreactor. The mat has a plurality of first fibres which are light conductive along their longitudinal direction and are constructed to decouple light conducted in the longitudinal direction laterally, at least somewhat transversely to the longitudinal direction. The mat furthermore has a plurality of second fibres which are electrically conductive along their longitudinal direction. With the aid of one such mat, light can on the one hand be coupled in the interior of a photobioreactor. On the other hand, a travelling electric alternating field can be generated by applying a suitable polyphase voltage from a voltage source with the aid of electrically conductive second fibres. This alternating field can act on electrically charged particles.

A cell monitoring plate comprises a flat surface on which multiple cell culturing vessels may be stacked. The flats surface has multiple optical imaging systems embedded therein to fully image a cell culture vessels stacked on the plate. Each one of the multiple optical imaging systems provides both illumination and imaging through a single aperture in the surface of the monitoring plate.

A measurement apparatus according to an embodiment of the present technology includes a light source, a filling portion, and a detector. The light source emits illumination light. The filling portion includes a first surface portion and a second surface portion which are provided on an optical path of the illumination light and are opposite to each other, the filling portion enabling a cavity between the first and second surface portions to be filled with liquid including a cell. The detector detects an interference fringe of the illumination light passing through the cavity, the interference fringe being caused by the liquid including the cell.