The invention relates to a method for the formation of renal tubules by embedding individual renal cells into a synthetic hydrogel, which is based on polyethylene glycol as a component, and the culturing of the cells until tubule structures are formed. The culturing can be continued until the obtained tubule structures correspond in terms of size, structure, morphology and functionality to adult human renal tubules or are at least similar thereto.

The present invention relates to an insertable culture container and a kit for three-dimensional cell culture, and a three-dimensional cell co-culture method using the same, the insertable culture container for three-dimensional cell culture comprising: a cylindrical side wall having open upper and lower portions; at least one hook protruding outward from the upper side of the side wall; and at least one support protruding inward from the lower side of the side wall. The present invention is advantageous in that air required for a three-dimensional cell culture structure can be smoothly supplied since the cell is cultured at a position spaced apart from a bottom surface of the culture container, and an existing culture plate can be used without change due to the culture container configured as an insert type.

The present disclosure relates to approaches for assessing a sample or the presence of microorganisms. The sample, in certain implementations may be assessed for one or both of absence of microorganisms (sterility) and/or for concentration of said organisms (bio-burden). sample partition device may be employed that partitions the sample input volume into multiple discrete measurement zones with little or no loss of sample (e.g., zero-loss) and with little operator involvement, thereby reducing operator- and environment-based false positives.

Systems, methods, and devices for culturing a multicellular structure, such as an organoid. An exemplary system comprises a vessel, an electric/magnetic module, and a control circuit. The vessel may include a culture chamber to contain a multicellular structure. The electric/magnetic module may be configured to be located in the vessel, at a position in or adjacent the culture chamber. The control circuit may be configured to wirelessly power and/or operate the electric/magnetic module.

A fluidic cartridge comprises a fluidic disk having a plurality of alignment openings; a fluidic chip comprising a body, one or more channels formed in the body in fluidic communications with input ports and output ports for transferring one or more fluids between the input ports and the output ports, and a plurality of protrusions formed on the body and received in the alignment openings of the fluidic disk for aligning the fluidic chip to the fluidic disk; an actuator operably engaging with the one or more channels for selectively and individually transferring the one or more fluids through the one or more channels from at least one of the input ports to at least one of the output ports at desired flow rates; and a tube member defining a cylindrical housing for accommodating the fluidic disk, the fluidic chip and the actuator therein.

A method of vascularising a cell aggregate on a microfluidic device, microfluidic cell culture devices comprising perfusable vascular networks and kits and assays using the microfluidic cell culture devices are described. The microfluidic devices comprise one or more capillary pressure barriers allowing for formation of an extracellular matrix gel within a confined area of the network, in which cells can be cultured for different uses.

Provided herein are novel organoid culture media, organoid culture systems, and methods of culturing tumor organoids using the subject organoid culture media. Also provided herein are tumor organoids developed using such organoid culture systems, methods for assessing the clonal diversity of the tumor organoids, and methods for using such tumor organoids, for example, for tumor modelling and drug development applications. In particular embodiments, the tumor organoid culture media provided herein is substantially free of R-spondins (e.g., R-spondin1).

A platform for testing cell response to biochemical agents. The TrophoWell™ includes a well which contains a gel, and a plurality of capillaries that open into it. Cells and various biochemical agents such as drugs and growth factors are flown through those capillaries. The platform allows for the evaluation of cell response by imaging. The platform is a cost effective testing platform and can be used in the fields for drug discovery and personalized medicine.

A fluidic device for culturing cells includes a microplate and plate lid. The microplate includes multiple wells and channels, the channels extending between the wells such that the channels interconnect the wells. The plate lid releasably engages the microplate to thereby enclose the wells and the channels. The wells include a culture surface such that a cell culture medium received therein is deposited over the culture surface. At least one channel that extends between adjacent ones of the wells is spaced from the culture surfaces of the adjacent wells defining a gap between the at least one channel and the culture surfaces of the adjacent wells for collection of the cell culture medium.

Hematopoietic stem cells are extremely difficult to maintain or expand in vitro. Two observations in traditional long-term bone marrow cultures strongly suggest that macrophages may be at the root of the problem: First, micromolar concentrations of hydrocortisone improve the longevity of long-term bone marrow cultures and hydrocortisone is known as a potent inhibitor of macrophage production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, enzymes, nitrogen oxide and reactive oxygen species and redirects macrophages to the anti-inflammatory differentiation pathway; Second, the decline of hematopoiesis in long-term bone marrow cultures coincides with the development of large numbers of adherent and non-adherent macrophages including foreign body giant cells. These adherent macrophages and foreign body giant cells exhibit well-spread morphology, contain numerous lysosomes and phagolysosomes in the cytoplasm and are metabolically active. We hypothesize that hydrocortisone fails to suppress all aspects of macrophage pro-inflammatory activation/differentiation, resulting in the production of inhibitors or toxins of hematopoiesis. Macrophage adhesion in cell culture depends on serum proteins pre-adsorbed to the tissue-culture-treated polystyrene (TC-PS), which adsorbs proteins via mostly hydrophilic interactions. TC-PS is used in almost all tissue culture devices currently available. Cellular adhesion provides a strong stimulus for metabolic, mitotic and certain gene activities. Therefore, we seek to reduce macrophage adhesion and activation by culturing bone marrow cells in tissue culture devices composed of or covered with polymers with very different protein-binding characteristics than TC-PS such as polyethylene (PE) and other polyolefins, the latter bind proteins via exclusively hydrophobic interactions. As a result, polyolefins bind different proteins and in lower quantities than TC-PS. Furthermore, PE does not contain additional chemical features like the phenolic rings of polystyrene that might contribute to protein binding and macrophage adhesion/activation. Using these new culture devices, we developed a drastically different long-term bone marrow culture, the “Low Macrophage-Adhesion/Activation” (LoMAC) bone marrow culture. In LoMAC bone marrow culture, hematopoiesis continues for months to over a year and hematopoietic stem cells are amplified gradually. In stark contrast to traditional long-term bone marrow cultures, de novo erythropoiesis and megakaryocytopoiesis proceed robustly in the LoMAC bone marrow culture and B-lymphocyte and natural killer cell progenitors can be continuously derived. Thus, these new culture devices and the associated LoMAC c