The present invention provides cell assay systems and its use in cell based assays.

A method for producing a cell-containing extracellular matrix is provided, the method including preparing an extracellular matrix solution which contains (i) an extracellular matrix precursor and (ii) cells or a cell mass inside a pipette having a tip opening portion; discharging the extracellular matrix solution to form a drop of the extracellular matrix solution at the tip opening portion of the pipette; bringing the tip opening portion of the pipette close to a culture surface of a cell culture container to place the drop on the culture surface while avoiding bringing the tip opening portion of the pipette into contact with the culture surface; moving the tip opening portion of the pipette away from the culture surface to separate the drop from the tip opening portion of the pipette; and gelating the extracellular matrix solution to form a cell-containing extracellular matrix.

The present application provides a pluripotent stem cell-derived neuronal culture system for use in modeling neurodegenerative diseases, drug screening and target discovery; and methods of generating homogenous, terminally differentiated neuronal culture from pluripotent stem cells, and compositions resulting thereof; as well as automated cell culture systems that sustain long-term differentiation, maturation and/or growth of neuronal cells for use in modeling neurodegenerative diseases.

A pumpless microfluidic system is disclosed that can be used to mimic the interaction of organ systems with the immune system. Also disclosed is a method for mimicking an immune system, comprising culturing a plurality of organ cells and at least one population of immune cells in the disclosed pumpless microfluidic system under physiological conditions. The method can further comprise activating an immune reaction in the pumpless microfluidic system, continuing the culture for a defined period, collecting a sample of culture medium from the system, and assaying the sample for one or more indicators of an immune response.

A method of performing antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) on a sample uses a reader device that mounts on a mobile phone having a camera. A microtiter plate containing wells preloaded with the bacteria-containing sample, growth medium, and drugs of differing concentrations is loaded into the reader device. The wells are illuminated using an array of illumination sources contained in the reader device. Images of the wells are acquired with the camera of the mobile phone. In one embodiment, the images are transmitted to a separate computing device for processing to classify each well as turbid or not turbid and generating MIC values and a susceptibility characterization for each drug in the panel based on the turbidity classification of the array of wells. The MIC values and the susceptibility characterizations for each drug are transmitted or returned to the mobile phone for display thereon.

The microfluidic chip according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a plate, a bridge channel formed in intaglio on one side of the plate, an inlet formed through the plate to communicate with one end of the bridge channel, an outlet formed through the plate to communicate with the other end of the bridge channel, and at least one well extending in an outward direction of the plate from the bridge channel to provide a space, wherein the bridge channel may be in the form of a curved line, a bent line, an arc, a circle, a spiral, or a polygon.

The microfluidic chip according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a plate, a bridge channel formed in intaglio on one side of the plate, an inlet formed through the plate to communicate with one end of the bridge channel, an outlet formed through the plate to communicate with the other end of the bridge channel, and at least one well extending in an outward direction of the plate from the bridge channel to provide a space, wherein the bridge channel may be in the form of a curved line, a bent line, an arc, a circle, a spiral, or a polygon.

A genetically modified cell that can be mass-produced efficiently. The genetically modified cell production system includes a cell-processing isolator for seeding a T cell in a well plate (culture vessel) a cell culture incubator (cell storage) for holding the culture vessel in which the T cell has been seeded and culturing the T cell a virus-processing isolator (nucleic acid preparation isolator) for providing, to the well plate, a virus having a nucleic acid containing a gene to be introduced into a cell a virus storage (nucleic acid storage) for holding the well plate from the virus-processing isolator and a virus infection isolator (nucleic acid introduction isolator) for introducing the nucleic acid into the T cell by infecting the T cell with the virus.

A transfer device designed to extract an amorphous or semi-solid structure, tissue, or construct from supporting media while maintaining the spatial integrity/organizational architecture thereof. The transfer device can include a controller, an actuator assembly, a plunger, and a needle. The controller can move the transfer device and the plunger independently.

A kit for temperature maintenance and shipment integrity of a cell culture is provided, including a well plate, a cell culture, culture media, an insulated receptacle, and a temperature maintenance element. The kit may include a heat release element. The well plate includes a plurality of wells. The cell culture is arranged within each of the plurality of wells of the well plate. Culture media is arranged within each of the plurality of wells of the well plate, where the culture media encapsulates the cell culture. The well plate is arranged within the insulated receptacle. The temperature maintenance element is arranged within the insulated receptacle. The heat release element is also arranged within the insulated receptacle.