Multi-well collapsible basket arrays and methods for their use with high throughput culture and histology analysis of spheroids and organoids. Such a collapsible basket array includes a collapsible cellular array structure having multiple cells and connectors that interconnect adjacent pairs of the cells to cause the collapsible cellular array structure to collapse from an expanded configuration to a collapsed configuration in which the connectors are partially wrapped around perimeters or circumferences of the cells, whereby the collapsible cellular array structure is expandable to acquire an expanded configuration capable of individually aligning the cells thereof with wells of a well plate. The collapsible basket array further includes inserts individually mountable to the cells of the collapsible cellular array structure, with each insert including a permeable basket with pores sized to retain spheroids or organoids within the basket.

Disclosed is a permeable membrane support having an attachable and detachable permeable membrane, the permeable membrane support comprising: a lower support; an upper support partially accommodated into the lower support; and a permeable membrane disposed between the lower support and the upper support. When the upper support and the lower support are engaged with each other in a snap-fit manner, the permeable membrane is sandwiched between a bottom opening of a cylindrical lower member of the upper support and a top face of a bottom support portion of the lower support.

The porous microwell according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that as a porous microwell which is a cell culture surface for culturing cells, at least one thereof is indented in a downward direction and is located within a region formed by a penetrating part of a cell culture vessel, and the porous microwell includes a plurality of pores together with a connection part formed therearound, and a first porosity formed by first pores thereof and a second porosity formed by second pores formed in the connection part are different from each other.

The invention relates to a cell culture carrier comprising a first channel and a reservoir, where the first channel and the reservoir are formed in the interior of the cell culture carrier, where the first channel has an inlet opening in an outer side of the cell culture carrier and an outlet opening in the outer side of the cell culture carrier, where the reservoir has at least two openings arranged next to one another, where the first channel is connected to the reservoir by the at least two openings, and where the reservoir is connected to the outer side of the cell culture carrier by no other channel.

In some embodiments, the invention provides tissue-on-a-chip and organ-on-a-chip devices with integrated, on-board photonic integrated circuit optical sensors that allow real-time detection of analytes released from cells disposed on either side of a porous, ultrathin membrane within the device. The invention further provides modular devices for studying cells and interactions between and among cell types. The devices and methods using them are useful for, among other thing, modeling the biological and physiological interactions of cells of different tissue types, allowing high-throughput screening of drug candidates, and informing safety and efficacy in a virtual clinical trial.

The application relates to a cartridge for a plurality of petri-dishes, comprising a cylindrical cartridge housing configured to receive the plurality of petri-dishes in a stack aligned with an axial direction of the cartridge housing in an interior space of the cartridge housing such that the stack of petri-dishes can be moved in the axial direction within the interior space. An axial end portion of the cartridge housing has a first opening dimensioned so that the petri-dishes can be exposed from the cartridge housing by sliding in the axial direction. Another axial end portion of the cartridge housing has a second opening dimensioned to prevent removal of the petri-dishes through the second opening and so that a piston can be inserted into the interior space of the cartridge housing for moving the stack of petri-dishes (P) in the axial direction towards the first opening.

An apparatus for collecting or culturing cells or cell colonies includes: a common substrate formed from a flexible resilient polymeric material and having a plurality of wells formed therein; and a plurality of rigid cell carriers releasably connected to said common substrate, with said carriers arranged in the form of an array, and with each of the carriers resiliently received in one of the wells. A method of collecting or culturing cells or cell colonies with such an apparatus is carried out by depositing a liquid media carrying cells on the apparatus so that said cells settle on or adhere to said the carriers; and then (c) releasing at least one selected carrier having said cells thereon by gradual application of release energy to each carrier from the cavity in which it is received (e.g., by pushing with a probe).

Methods and systems for cell media exchange wherein media maybe aspirated without also aspirating cells and wherein removal and re-plating of cells is not necessarily required. For example, the cell culture system or apparatus features a gap that is small enough to retain cells therein and also sized to prevent media from leaking. The methods and systems of the present invention may help reduce stress and damage to cells as compared to traditional methods that require removing and re-plating cells.

Provided are cell plate inserts that include an interior lip and legs on a bottom side. The cell plate inserts can have a diameter that provides a snug fit within a cell plate or well. The cell plate inserts can include a cell support membrane disposed on an interior lip of the cell plate insert. The cell plate inserts can be included in systems for cell co-culture, where cells cultured in a top chamber formed by the cell plate insert do not infiltrate cells cultured in a bottom chamber formed by the cell plate insert.

Embodiments provide methods to produce an assembly that mimics in vitro the human microenvironment of a primary tumor site, a secondary distant organ, and circulation. Methods and apparatuses that provide a platform for the isolation of primary tumor, invasive, and metastatic cells to be used for evaluation of therapeutic efficacy and diagnostics as applied to metastatic cancers are also provided.