A tissue culture chamber

Abstract

This invention discloses a tissue culture chamber, comprising an inner chamber, an outer ring, and an outer ring connecting portion. The inner chamber includes an inner chamber wall and an inner bottom, with the inner bottom disposed within the cavity formed by the inner chamber wall. A central hole is provided on the inner bottom, and inner bottom leakage holes are distributed on the inner bottom around the central hole. The inner chamber wall includes a top ring and inner chamber pillars circumferentially distributed at the bottom of the top ring. The outer ring is disposed on the outer side of the inner chamber, and the outer ring is connected to each of the inner chamber pillars through the outer ring connecting portion. The tissue culture chamber of this invention can stably support cultured tissues on cell culture plates or cell culture dishes, is convenient and quick to use, and can be reused multiple times to reduce costs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of life science technology, and in particular to a tissue culture chamber. Background Technology

[0002] With social development and the progress of the times, scientists around the world are flourishing, and scholars are vying for excellence, leading to the quiet emergence of tissue culture methods. However, the emergence of new technologies also indicates that this technology is not yet mature. The constructed tissue culture models either use only cell culture dishes and plates, cell chambers, or are constructed using materials found independently. Using only cell culture dishes and plates results in long-term pressure on the bottom of the tissue, and the tissue is prone to tipping over. Cell chambers allow the tissue to be positioned higher, facilitating contact between the lower part of the tissue and the culture medium, providing good support. However, cell chambers were originally designed to study the interaction between two cell types, and their high cost and limited usage restrict their development for tissue culture. Self-construction follows similar principles to cell chambers; however, this method of raising the tissue height is unsatisfactory. Some researchers have used the term "base," constructing a base using agarose and other materials, placing gauze or other materials on top, and then constructing the tissue. This method lacks support, is cumbersome, complex, prone to contamination, and prone to failure. Therefore, providing a rationally designed and easy-to-use tissue culture chamber is a problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide a tissue culture chamber to solve the problems existing in the prior art. It can stably support cultured tissues on cell culture plates or cell culture dishes, is convenient and quick to use, and can be used multiple times to reduce costs.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following solution:

[0005] This invention provides a tissue culture chamber, comprising an inner chamber, an outer ring, and an outer ring connecting portion. The inner chamber includes an inner chamber wall and an inner bottom, with the inner bottom disposed within the cavity formed by the inner chamber wall. A central hole is provided on the inner bottom, and inner bottom leakage holes are distributed on the inner bottom around the central hole. The inner chamber wall includes a top ring and inner chamber columns circumferentially distributed at the bottom of the top ring. The outer ring is disposed on the outer side of the inner chamber, and the outer ring is connected to each of the inner chamber columns through the outer ring connecting portion.

[0006] Preferably, the inner chamber, outer ring, and outer ring connection portion are an integral structure.

[0007] Preferably, the inner chamber diameter is 4mm-6mm larger than the tissue diameter, the inner chamber height is 5mm-7mm lower than the inner height of the cell culture plate or cell culture dish, and the inner chamber wall thickness is 0.8mm-1mm.

[0008] Preferably, there are 6 inner chamber columns, which are evenly distributed around the bottom of the top ring, and the width of the inner chamber columns is 1.4mm-1.6mm.

[0009] Preferably, the inner bottom has a thickness of 0.8mm-1mm and a height of 2mm-3mm. The diameter of the inner bottom is the inner diameter plus 1mm. The outer periphery of the inner bottom is also distributed with 6 grooves that mate with the inner column. The depth of the grooves is the inner bottom diameter minus 0.5mm-0.8mm.

[0010] Preferably, the diameter of the central hole is half the diameter of the tissue.

[0011] Preferably, the inner bottom leakage holes are six fan-shaped holes evenly distributed around the outer periphery of the central hole, and the connecting ribs between two adjacent inner bottom leakage holes are respectively opposite to each of the inner chamber columns and are the same width as the inner chamber columns.

[0012] Preferably, the outer ring has a wall thickness of 0.8mm-1mm and a vertical thickness of 1mm-1.4mm, and the outer diameter of the outer ring is 0.4mm-0.6mm smaller than the inner diameter of the cell culture plate or cell culture dish.

[0013] Preferably, the inner chamber and the outer ring are both provided with rounded corners, and the diameter of the rounded corners is 0.1mm-0.2mm.

[0014] The present invention achieves the following beneficial technical effects compared to the prior art:

[0015] 1. The tissue culture chamber in this invention provides better support for tissues. Its elevated height facilitates nutrient absorption by the tissue below and prevents prolonged pressure on the tissue bottom. Being slightly lower than the surrounding cell culture dish / plate promotes gas-liquid exchange. The rounded corners prevent tissue damage, and the outer ring design contributes to chamber stability. The outer ring connection maximizes the space between the inner and outer chambers, minimizing the chamber's impact on the culture medium volume. The chamber is a single unit, preventing it from becoming loose, and its weight exceeds the buoyancy of the liquid, ensuring stability during tissue culture. This provides a material basis for tissue culture research.

[0016] 2. By using tissue culture chambers, researchers can conveniently culture sampled tissues, eliminating the tedious self-assembly steps and reducing the risk of contamination during processing.

[0017] 3. By using tissue culture chambers, tissue culture researchers can avoid the use of expensive disposable cell chambers.

[0018] 4. This tissue culture chamber can be manufactured using quadcopter machines, 3D printers, etc., and a wide range of materials can be selected. Medical-grade materials such as polyethylene, polystyrene, polycarbonate, 304 stainless steel, and 316 stainless steel have high chemical stability and different heat distortion temperatures. Different materials can be sterilized using different methods, which plays a key role in the reusability of this tissue culture consumable. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the tissue culture chamber in this invention;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a top view of the tissue culture chamber in this invention;

[0022] In the diagram: 1-Inner chamber, 2-Outer ring, 3-Outer ring connecting part, 4-Top ring, 5-Inner chamber column, 6-Inner bottom, 7-Center hole, 8-Inner bottom leakage hole, 9-Rounded corner. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0024] The purpose of this invention is to provide a tissue culture chamber to solve the problems existing in the prior art.

[0025] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0026] The tissue culture chamber in this embodiment, such as Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, it includes an inner chamber 1, an outer ring 2, and an outer ring connecting part 3. The inner chamber 1 includes an inner chamber wall and an inner bottom 6. The inner bottom 6 is disposed in the inner cavity formed by the inner chamber wall. A central hole 7 is provided on the inner bottom 6. Inner bottom leakage holes 8 are also distributed on the inner bottom 6 around the central hole 7. The inner chamber wall includes a top ring 4 and inner chamber columns 5 distributed circumferentially at the bottom of the top ring 4. The outer ring 2 is disposed on the outside of the inner chamber 1, and the outer ring 2 is connected to each inner chamber column 5 through the outer ring connecting part 3.

[0027] In this specific embodiment, the inner chamber 1, outer ring 2, and outer ring connecting part 3 are an integral structure. It can be manufactured using a quadcopter, 3D printer, etc., and a wide range of materials can be selected. Medical-grade materials such as polyethylene, polystyrene, polycarbonate, 304 stainless steel, and 316 stainless steel exhibit high chemical stability and varying heat distortion temperatures. The chambers can be fabricated according to different experimental budgets, and different sterilization methods can be selected for different materials, playing a crucial role in the reusability of this tissue culture chamber.

[0028] In this specific embodiment, the size of the inner chamber 1 is designed according to the size of the sampled tissue and conforms to the size of commonly used samplers. The inner diameter of the inner chamber 1 is 4mm-6mm larger than the tissue diameter. The height is determined according to the height of the cell culture plate or cell culture dish. The height of the inner chamber 1 is 5mm-7mm lower than the internal height of the cell culture plate or cell culture dish to ensure space for the tissue above and gas exchange. The thickness of the inner chamber wall is 0.8mm-1mm to ensure the basic strength of the inner chamber 1.

[0029] In this specific embodiment, there are 6 inner chamber columns 5, which are evenly distributed around the bottom of the top ring 4. The included angle between two adjacent inner chamber columns 5 is 60°, and the width of the inner chamber columns 5 is 1.4mm-1.6mm.

[0030] In this specific embodiment, the inner bottom 6 has a thickness of 0.8mm-1mm and a height of 2mm-3mm. The diameter of the inner bottom 6 is the inner diameter of the inner chamber 1 plus 1mm. The outer periphery of the inner bottom 6 is also distributed with 6 grooves that mate one-to-one with the inner chamber columns 5. The depth of the grooves is the inner bottom diameter of the inner chamber 1 minus 0.5mm-0.8mm. This structural design of the inner bottom 6 facilitates liquid flow. The diameter of the central hole 7 is half the diameter of the tissue to ensure gas-liquid exchange.

[0031] In this specific embodiment, the inner bottom leakage holes 8 are six fan-shaped holes evenly distributed around the outer periphery of the central hole 7. The connecting ribs between two adjacent inner bottom leakage holes 8 are respectively opposite to each inner chamber column 5 and are of the same width as the inner chamber column 5.

[0032] In this specific embodiment, the outer ring 2 has a wall thickness of 0.8mm-1mm and a vertical thickness of 1mm-1.4mm. The outer diameter of the outer ring 2 is 0.4mm-0.6mm smaller than the inner diameter of the cell culture plate or cell culture dish to ensure that the chamber is easy to access and not easily loosened. The connection length of the outer ring 2 is determined by the inner chamber 1, the inner chamber wall, the outer ring 2, and the wall thickness of the outer ring 2. The vertical thickness is the same as that of the outer ring 2. The outer ring 2 is connected by a rectangular section of equal width from the inner chamber column 5 extending to the outer ring 2 and directly connected to it. The height of the outer ring connection part 3 and the outer ring 2 connection is at the center of the inner chamber 1 to ensure sufficient stability.

[0033] In this specific embodiment, both the inner chamber 1 and the outer ring 2 are provided with rounded corners 9, and the diameter of the rounded corners 9 is 0.1mm-0.2mm.

[0034] In this embodiment, the inner diameter of the chamber 1, the spacing of the inner chamber columns 5, and the design of the inner bottom 6 provide space and good support for the tissue. The inner diameter is slightly larger than the tissue to ensure contact between the tissue and the culture medium and to prevent tilting. The spacing of the inner chamber columns 5 prevents tissue from falling off. The height of the inner bottom 6 and the design of the central hole 7 and the inner bottom leakage hole 8 meet the requirements for tissue gas-liquid exchange and prevent long-term pressure on the bottom of the tissue. The outer ring 2 and the outer ring connecting part 3 ensure the stability of the inner chamber 1 and its compatibility with the selected cell culture dish / plate, and the space between the inner chamber 1 and the inner chamber ensures tissue gas-liquid exchange. The inner chamber 1 and the outer ring 2 are designed with rounded corners to reduce tissue damage and prevent tissue from falling off due to excessively large leakage holes. When the chamber needs to be used in a cell culture dish with a relatively large tissue, the inner chamber of this invention can be designed in multiple units, with an outer ring and an outer ring connecting part attached, so that multiple tissues can be cultured under the same conditions.

[0035] This invention has illustrated its principles and implementation methods using specific examples. The descriptions of these embodiments are merely illustrative of the method and its core ideas; furthermore, those skilled in the art will recognize that modifications may be made to the specific implementation methods and application scope based on the principles of this invention. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as limiting the invention.

Claims

1. A tissue culture chamber, characterized in that: The device includes an inner chamber, an outer ring, and an outer ring connecting portion. The inner chamber includes an inner chamber wall and an inner bottom. The inner bottom is disposed within the cavity formed by the inner chamber wall. A central hole is provided on the inner bottom. Inner bottom leakage holes are also distributed on the inner bottom around the central hole. The inner chamber wall includes a top ring and inner chamber columns circumferentially distributed at the bottom of the top ring. The outer ring is disposed on the outside of the inner chamber, and the outer ring is connected to each of the inner chamber columns through the outer ring connecting portion. The inner chamber, outer ring, and outer ring connecting portion are an integral structure.

2. The tissue culture chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that: The height of the inner chamber is 5mm-7mm lower than the internal height of the cell culture plate or cell culture dish, and the wall thickness of the inner chamber is 0.8mm-1mm.

3. The tissue culture chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inner chamber has 6 columns, which are evenly distributed around the bottom of the top ring. The width of the inner chamber columns is 1.4mm-1.6mm.

4. The tissue culture chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inner bottom has a thickness of 0.8mm-1mm and a height of 2mm-3mm. The diameter of the inner bottom is the inner diameter plus 1mm. The outer periphery of the inner bottom is also distributed with 6 grooves that mate with the inner column. The depth of the grooves is the inner bottom diameter minus 0.5mm-0.8mm.

5. The tissue culture chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inner bottom leakage holes are six fan-shaped holes evenly distributed around the outer periphery of the central hole. The connecting ribs between two adjacent inner bottom leakage holes are respectively opposite to each inner chamber column and are the same width as the inner chamber column.

6. The tissue culture chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer ring has a wall thickness of 0.8mm-1mm and a vertical thickness of 1mm-1.4mm. The outer diameter of the outer ring is 0.4mm-0.6mm smaller than the inner diameter of the cell culture plate or cell culture dish.

7. The tissue culture chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that: Both the inner chamber and the outer ring have rounded corners at their edges, with a diameter of 0.1mm-0.2mm.

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