The present invention discloses a device and method for multidimensional cell culture, a more particularly three-dimension (3D) and four-dimension (4D) device and method. The device and method of the present invention comprises growing cells as spheroids/tissueoids on non-woven fabric scaffold to create 3D tissue-like structures. The fourth dimension is provided by ability of the system to generate the 3D tissueoids in a much less time span and their ability to grow for extended period of time, even for greater than one year. The present invention also provides methods of use for analysis of cell-drug sensitivity of the device. Further, the invention provides a device for growth and drug sensitivity characterization of cells.

The invention provides a device for growing cellsreferred to as a cassette. The cell culturing device includes a housing that contains a lid having an optically clear window; a fluid distribution channel; a sample injection port fluidically connected to the fluid distribution channel; a base housing a porous media pad; and a media injection port fluidically connected to the media pad. The lid mates to the base to form a sterile seal; the fluid distribution channel is disposed over the media pad, which is viewable through the optical window; and sample fluid introduced into the fluid distribution channel is distributed evenly to the media pad, e.g., via a plurality of channels. The invention also provides kits that include cassettes of the invention and a tube set.

A Petri dish (100) base (300) and lid (200) each having a substantially circular, substantially flat region from which sidewalls extend perpendicular to the flat region (312) forming a corner (326), (230). The base may have a base stacking ring (325) extending from the base (300) at the corner (326), and an internal channel (330) around the inside of the base (300) at the corner (326). The base (300) may have a uniform cross-sectional thickness (350) and may also have vents (322) in the base stacking ring (325). The lid (200) may have a uniform cross-sectional thickness (250). The lid (200) may have a lid stacking ring (225) at the corner (230), which forms a groove (240) in the interior (212) of the lid (200) at the corner (230). The lid may also have ribs (295) and vents (222) to enable multiple dishes to be stacked without forming a vacuum.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a culture container capable of preventing a concave meniscus without using a jig. In order to achieve this purpose, the present invention provides a culture container (1A) provided with: a base (3) having a concave portion (4); and a water-repellent layer (5) formed on an outer edge region (411) of the bottom (41) of the concave portion (4) and the inner circumferential surface (42) of the concave portion (4). One of the surfaces of the water-repellent layer (5) is exposed to the space in the concave portion (4).

This disclosure relates to microbiological culture plates configured for providing hydrologic stability to an inoculant/sample placed upon solid media held within the plate. A culture plate includes a base section and a lid section shaped to fit upon and enclose the base section. The lid section includes an extension extending downward from an upper surface, and a cover attached to the lower end of the extension. The cover is configured so that when the lid section is placed upon the base section, the cover contacts the inoculant/sample placed upon the solid media in the base section.

The invention relates to a feeding system (10) having a feeding apparatus (30) for conveying laboratory vessels for samples, microorganisms, cell cultures or the like, and a carrier (12) having one or plural holders (16) for storing laboratory vessels, which feeding apparatus (30) has a loading area (36) and an unloading area (46) remote from the loading area (36) in which plural laboratory vessels can be stored in a vertically stacked configuration, with each receiving unit (34) being coupled to an endless conveyor unit (38) which transports the receiving unit (34) from the loading area (36) to the unloading area (46), and in which the carrier (12) can be used to introduce laboratory vessels into one or plural receiving units (34) in the loading area (36), for which purpose the carrier (12) is at least partially slid over the at least one receiving unit (34) which is to be loaded or unloaded, and for this purpose has projections (28, 32) and/or recesses that are associated with the carrier (12) and are provided in the loading area (36) of the feeding apparatus (30), which will result in positive locking of the feeding apparatus (30) and the carrier (12) when the carrier (12) has been inserted in the loading area (36). According to the invention, the carrier (12) has at least two holders (16) and the positive locking of the carrier (12) and the receiving unit (34) in the loading area (36) of the feeding apparatus (30) will allow only a single predefined orientation of the carrier (12) in the loading area (36).

Cell culture devices are described herein that have notched lids, notched lids with corresponding gripping pads included on their bases, or gripping tabs included on their bases to minimize or eliminate the need for a user to contact a lid when attempting to lift or move a lidded cell culture device. In addition, methods for using the cell culture devices are also described herein.

Disclosed is a technology for assaying individual cells, in which the identity of each individual cell in an ordered array is determined from coordinates assigned to it, and can be readout at high throughput with microscope. The method is able to test responses of millions of identical cells in multiple chemical and physical processes with superior statistics power to facilitate deep data mining.

Provided is a method in which visibility of colonies of microorganisms in a medium is improved and quantitative counting of the number of microorganisms can be simply and accurately performed. The method of counting the number of microorganisms includes a step of adding a analyte to a composition containing (a) a polymer compound that can form non-flowable transparent gel without passing through dissolution by heating and without depending on cooling, (b) guar gum and (c) a nutritional ingredient and mixing the resulting mixture, a step of culturing the microorganisms contained in the analyte, and a step of counting the number of colonies of the microorganisms.

Provided is a method for simply and accurately counting the number of microorganisms in an analyte containing carbonate ion or bicarbonate ion in a dialysis fluid or the like. A counting method for the number of microorganisms includes: a step of adding the analyte to a composition for preparing a medium for counting the number of microorganisms, and containing (a) polyacrylic acid and/or a salt thereof, (b) hydroxide of alkaline earth metal and (c) a nutritional ingredient, and mixing the resulting mixture; a step of culturing microorganisms contained in the analyte; and a step of counting the number of colonies of the microorganisms.