The present invention provides a system for the insertion of a pre-sterilized sensor probe into a sterile vessel. The system of the invention provides a reliable and straightforward way to insert one or more sterile probes into a sterile vessel. The present invention also provides a sterile vessel that includes one or more of the systems of the invention. The sterile vessel can be a flexible or semi-rigid bag or tubing of the type typically used for carrying out biochemical and/or biological processes and/or manipulating liquids and other products of such processes. Furthermore, the present invention provides a method for aseptically inserting a probe into a sterile vessel where the method makes use of the system of the invention.

A container system includes a collapsible bag having an interior surface at least partially bounding a chamber, the chamber being adapted to hold a fluid. A sparger is disposed within the chamber of the bag, the sparger bounding a compartment and having an inside edge that encircles an opening passing through the sparger. At least a portion of the sparger is gas permeable. A tubular member is coupled to the sparger and is in communication with the compartment. A shaft passes into the chamber of the bag and through the opening of the sparger. A mixing element is secured to the shaft and is disposed within the chamber of the bag.

A bioreactor system includes a bioreaction unit configured to accommodate a culture medium, and a treatment unit configured to recycle the culture medium transferred from the bioreaction unit, wherein the treatment unit includes a treatment tank which accommodates the culture medium transferred from the bioreaction unit, a culture medium exchange part configured to exchange the culture medium between the bioreaction unit and the treatment tank, and a waste product removal part configured to remove waste products contained in the culture medium accommodated in the treatment tank.

A bioreactor system and packaging is provided. The bioreactor system includes a vessel for housing biomaterials for processing and a support structure. The vessel includes a flexible material defining a chamber and a mixing system positioned within the chamber. The mixing system includes an agitator for imparting motion and mixing to the contents of the vessel and includes a base affixed to the flexible material at a base section of the chamber, a shaft moveably mounted in the base and extending from the base into the chamber and at least one mixing element mounted to the shaft, the shaft configured to be driven by a motor magnetically coupled to the shaft and external to the lower portion of the chamber. The support structure is connected to the mixing system such that the shaft is moveable therein and configured to cooperate with an external structure to provide support for the shaft.

Some embodiments include a system having a support structure configured to mechanically support a first bioreactor. The support structure can have a first frame and a second frame together being configured to mechanically support the first bioreactor in interposition between the first frame and the second frame. The first frame can maintain a first set point temperature of the first bioreactor through an exchange of thermal energy between the first frame and the first bioreactor when the first bioreactor is vitally supporting one or more first microorganisms and when the support structure is mechanically supporting the first bioreactor. Other embodiments of related systems and methods are also disclosed.

A culture device includes an accommodation portion that accommodates a culture solution and microalgae. The accommodation portion is provided with a guide portion and a gas supply portion. The gas supply portion includes an extended tube section that extends from an upper portion to a lower portion of the guide portion in the depth direction. The extended tube portion supplies gas at the lower portion of the guide portion in the depth direction. This gas causes convection in the culture solution. The convection includes an upward flow from a lower portion to an upper portion of the accommodation portion in the depth direction. The extended tube portion is located in an upward flow region where the upward flow region is the portion through which the upward flow passes.

A gas stirring fermentation device has excellent mixing performance of a culture liquid and is applicable to aerobic culture requiring a high demanded oxygen amount. The gas stirring fermentation device includes a culture tank, a draft tube located inside the culture tank, and a gas supply pipe supplying gas to the inside of the culture tank, in which the gas supply pipe is provided with a gas discharge part made of a sintered metal film, and a culture liquid in the culture tank can be stirred by the gas discharged from the gas discharge part.

Some embodiments include a method. The method can include: inoculating a bioreactor with one or more first microorganisms and a first fluidic support medium, the bioreactor having one or more bioreactor walls at least partially enclosing a bioreactor cavity, being configured to be at least one of folded up or rolled up, and being sterile when the bioreactor is inoculated with the one or more first microorganisms, the one or more bioreactor walls having at least one bioreactor wall material, and the at least one bioreactor wall material being flexible and at least partially transparent; and vitally supporting the one or more first microorganisms with the bioreactor, a supply of light, and a supply of organic carbon. Other embodiments of related systems and methods are also disclosed.

A system and method for compartmentalizing micro-carriers in a bioreactor includes a container configured to store micro-carriers and a vessel configured to contain a fluid so as to prevent the micro-carriers from entering the vessel during sterilization, shipping, storage, or other pre-use handling of the system. One or more addition lines connect the container and the vessel such that the vessel is in fluid communication with the vessel. The one or more addition lines are contactable by at least one blocking element configured to reversibly block fluid flow between the container and the vessel. The container, addition lines, and vessel are configured to allow the micro-carriers to be injected into the vessel at any point during a cell culture run. The vessel may also include a rotatable wheel, a harvest port configured to allow for the removal of the micro-carriers from the vessel, and a media removal port comprising a retention screen for removing spent medium.

The present invention relates to a culture device for tissue cell suspension. The culture device includes a tissue cell culture body. The tissue cell culture body is a porous material. The porous material is formed by cavities classified into different levels according to the pore size of material and cavity walls surrounding to form the cavities. A lower level of small cavities is provided to surround the cavity wall which forms the upper level of large cavity. Cavities of each level are in communication with each other, and cavities between respective levels are also in communication with each other. The culture device further includes a swirler device provided therein. Such culture device can particularly facilitate normal and unrestricted growth of the suspension of cells in three-dimensional space, obstructing the formation of over-dense cell region or nutrient-rich region during the cell culturing.