This disclosure provides a method of fingerprinting and analyzing cell culture samples using Raman spectroscopy to detect cell culture media preparation errors, degradation, or other changes in the media that may render it suboptimal for cell culture use.

A biological component treatment system is equipped with a biological component kit having a path through which a culture medium is capable of flowing, and a biological component treatment device that controls a flowing state of the culture medium. In a cell culturing method, there are performed a measurement step of performing a measurement of information in relation to lactic acid, a cell number calculation step of calculating a number of cells during culturing of cells on the basis of the obtained information in relation to lactic acid and calibration information, and an operation control step of controlling supply of the culture medium to the cells on the basis of the number of cells.

A centrifugal microfluidic chip is provided that allows an on-chip chamber to provide humidification control, or more generally, gas composition control, to another chamber of the chip. This allows for microfluidic incubation using low-cost and efficient centrifugal devices such as multi-port pneumatic chip controllers, single or multi-port pneumatic slip rings, and articulated centrifugal blades with a pneumatic slip ring. The device may be used for cell culturing, microorganism testing, or production of chemical species from biological samples with a controlled microenvironment.

The disclosure provides for multilayered organ-on-a-chip systems that can be used to generate topographic neural organoids, and uses thereof, including as models to study neurological disorders.

A co-culture apparatus includes: a first airtight container; a co-culture device disposed outside of the first airtight container; a first culture medium source disposed in the first airtight container and storing a first culture medium; a second culture medium source storing a second culture medium having a lower dissolved oxygen concentration than that of the first culture medium; and a first conduit connected to the co-culture device and the first culture medium source. The co-culture device includes: a membrane having a first main surface, and a second main surface opposite to the first main surface for culturing cells; a first flow path partially defined by the first main surface and disposed such that the first culture medium flows therethrough; and a second flow path partially defined by the second main surface and disposed such that the second culture medium flows therethrough. The first flow path has an inlet connected to the first conduit.

A microchannel cell culture device is disclosed. The microchannel cell culture device includes a well plate defining an array of tissue modeling environments. A cell culture system including the microchannel cell culture device is also disclosed. The cell culture system includes a plurality of optical sensors, a platform, and a light source. A method of high throughput screening cell biological activity with the microchannel cell culture device is disclosed. A method of measuring oxygen consumption rate of cells in the microchannel cell culture device is disclosed. A method of facilitating drug development with the microchannel cell culture device is also disclosed.

The invention relates to cassettes for culturing cells. The invention also relates to analytical and preparative incubators for housing the cassettes. The invention also relates to methods of using the cassettes, for example, to culture cells wherein the processes of feeding and passaging cells are automated.

Blood being circulated to mimic the environment it naturally inhabits increases growth of cultures including bacteria for analysis. The present disclosure presents examples of a device, method, computer-readable medium, and other techniques for simulating a natural environment for blood. The techniques may include a channel with a hydrophobic interior surface and a fluid mover to encourage continuous fluid flow through the channel. The techniques may further include a gas exchange opening of the channel that exposes a fluid to gas outside of the channel.

A method for examining a culture solution containing a pH indicator and accommodated in a culture container includes: measuring, as a baseline intensity, an intensity of light that has passed through a solution and the culture container; measuring, as a measurement intensity, an intensity of light that has passed through the culture solution and the culture container; obtaining light source information including first information pertaining to the light source that is provided when measuring the baseline intensity and second information pertaining to the light source that is provided when measuring the measurement intensity; and on the basis of the baseline intensity, the measurement intensity, and the light source information, calculating an absorbance of the pH indicator at at least one wavelength included in emitted light from the light source.

A bioreactor for growing micro-organisms, has a reaction chamber containing a reaction mixture with a reaction medium and micro-organisms. A draft tube is arranged inside the reaction chamber, which has a gas inlet, an inlet for the reaction mixture at its first end, and an outlet for the reaction mixture at its second end. The bioreactor includes means for generating flow of the reaction mixture within the reaction chamber and a first blade structure arranged inside the reaction chamber, surrounding the draft tube. The first blade structure has blades arranged at, at least one of an angle α.sub.1 with respect to a direction defined by the height of the reaction chamber, or an angle α.sub.2 with respect to a direction defined by the height of the reaction chamber. The bioreactor also includes an inlet for reaction medium and an outlet for withdrawing medium with grown micro-organisms.