In-vitro subculture device for ticks

Abstract

The utility model discloses a tick in-vitro subculture device, which is characterized in that a hanging basket is driven by rotating an operating platform to simulate the blood flow of a host, a heating sheet, a heat conductor and a temperature controller are combined to maintain the temperature of feeding liquid, and a tick accommodating area and a feeding liquid area are separated by a biological membrane, so that the in-vitro simulation of a natural blood sucking state of ticks is realized. The device is detachable in structure and easy and convenient to operate, and the success rate of in-vitro subculture of the ticks is remarkably increased.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to a tick in vitro passage culture device, belonging to the field of vector-borne organism breeding technology. Technical Background

[0002] Hard ticks are a group of obligate blood-sucking ectoparasites belonging to the order Parasitic mites in the class Arachnida, widely parasitizing vertebrates and prevalent worldwide. The life cycle of a tick includes egg, larva, nymph, and adult stages. The latter three stages require biting a host to feed on blood, and development to the next stage occurs only after molting. Besides causing injury and inflammation through blood-feeding, ticks can also act as vectors for pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, rickettsiae, and protozoa, posing a serious threat to human and animal health. Therefore, research on tick physiology and metabolism, interactions with pathogenic microorganisms, and the evaluation of the efficacy of tick repellents are extremely important, all of which involve tick culture and propagation.

[0003] Due to the complexity of their life cycle, ticks currently rely primarily on feeding and propagating through the blood of biting animals. However, the high cost and operational difficulty of animal experiments, coupled with significant individual differences among animals, the complexity of blood composition, and the inability to quantify and standardize these factors, have hindered research progress to some extent. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a device that can simulate biomimetic conditions for in vitro propagation of ticks. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a tick in vitro passage culture device to fill the current gap in tick in vitro feeding and passage, and to provide support for the research of tick control technology.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is as follows:

[0006] A tick in vitro passage culture device is characterized by comprising an operating platform rotatable along a horizontal axis and a basket for simulated feeding mounted on the operating platform. The basket is composed of a heating element, a heat conductor, a membrane fixator, a connecting ring, and a tick storage tube that are detachably connected in sequence. The heating element is fixed on the operating platform and electrically connected to a temperature controller located inside the operating platform. The membrane fixator is cylindrical and has rubber bands on its outer side for fixing the biofilm. The tick storage tube is connected to the membrane fixator.

[0007] The heat conductor is provided with an insertion hole, and the heating element is provided with a temperature sensing probe. One end of the temperature sensing probe is electrically connected to a temperature controller located inside the operating platform, and the other end is threadedly connected to the insertion hole on the heat conductor.

[0008] One end of the membrane fixator is connected to the heat conductor by a thread, and the heat conductor is provided with an extension, which is located inside the membrane fixator.

[0009] The tick storage tube is made of transparent material and has ventilation holes on its surface.

[0010] The connecting ring has an internal thread that mates with the external threads of the membrane holder and the tick collection tube, respectively, to achieve communication between the tick collection tube and the membrane holder.

[0011] The operating platform is equipped with at least one suspended basket.

[0012] The device also includes a motor housing, which contains a motor. The motor's shaft is fixedly connected to the operating table and is used to drive the operating table to rotate along the horizontal axis.

[0013] This utility model has the following advantages:

[0014] The biofilm on the membrane holder divides the inside of the basket into a tick storage area and a feeding liquid area. The simulated blood in the feeding liquid area provides nutrients to the ticks, while the biofilm simulates the ticks' natural blood-feeding state, improving the success rate of in vitro tick passage culture. The temperature and rotation speed of this invention are adjustable, further enhancing the realism of the simulated environment and preventing cell sedimentation. This invention also features easy disassembly and assembly, and simple operation. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a tick in vitro passage culture device.

[0016] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the disassembled structure of the suspended platform.

[0017] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the suspended platform.

[0018] In the diagram, 11-operating table; 12-hanging basket; 13-motor box; 1-tick storage tube; 2-heating plate; 3-temperature sensor probe; 4-heat conductor; 5-insertion hole; 6-membrane fixator; 7-rubber band; 8-connecting ring; 9-ventilation hole. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The technical solution of this utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0020] Example: See Figure 1A tick in vitro passage culture device comprises three parts: an operating platform 11, a hanging basket 12, and a motor housing 13. The motor housing 13 houses a motor, and the operating platform 11 is fixedly connected to the motor's shaft. Upon starting the motor, the operating platform 11 rotates along a horizontal axis. The hanging basket 12, mounted on the operating platform 11, is used to simulate an in vitro blood environment for feeding ticks. The hanging basket 12 contains a tick storage area and a feeding liquid area. Its axial rotation prevents blood cell sedimentation and simulates the flow of host blood, improving the success rate of tick feeding. In this embodiment, the operating platform 11 has four hanging baskets.

[0021] Further, see Figure 2 and Figure 3 The basket 12 consists of a heating element 2, a heat conductor 4, a membrane fixator 6, a connecting ring 8, and a tick storage tube 1, which are sequentially and detachably fixed together. The heating element 2 is fixed to the operating platform 1 and electrically connected to a temperature controller located inside the operating platform 1. It is used to heat the feeding solution inside the basket 12, maintaining the feeding solution within a simulated blood temperature range. The heating element 2 is equipped with a temperature sensing probe 3, one end of which is electrically connected to the temperature controller located inside the operating platform 1.

[0022] The heat conductor 4 is provided with a socket 5, and the other end of the temperature sensing probe 3 is threadedly connected to the socket 5 to fix the heat conductor 4 and attach it to the surface of the heating element 2 for heat conduction. The heat conductor 4 is provided with an extension for conducting heat to the feeding liquid.

[0023] The membrane fixator 6 is cylindrical and can be used to hold the feeding liquid. One end of the membrane fixator 6 is fixedly connected to the external thread on the heat conductor 4 through the internal thread, so that the extension on the heat conductor 4 enters the interior through the port of the membrane fixator 6, so as to better and more effectively conduct heat to the feeding liquid. The other end of the membrane fixator 6 is provided with a rubber band 7, which is used to wrap the biomembrane simulating animal skin around the port of the membrane fixator 6.

[0024] The connecting ring 8 has an internal thread that can mate with the external threads on the membrane fixator 6 and the tick collection tube 1, thereby connecting the tick collection tube 1 to the port of the membrane fixator 6 and connecting the tick collection tube 9 to the membrane fixator 6.

[0025] The tick collection tube 6 is made of transparent acrylic material, which can prevent ticks from escaping and allow direct observation of tick bites. Ticks that have fallen off after sucking blood can be collected directly in the tick collection tube 6. The surface of the tick collection tube is provided with ventilation holes 9 to ensure air circulation inside and outside.

[0026] In use, first flatten the feeding membrane (biofilm or artificial membrane), wrap it around the lower port of the autoclaved and dried membrane holder 6, and secure it with a rubber band 7. Then, add an appropriate amount of feeding liquid above the membrane, ensuring that the liquid covers the lower edge of the extension of the heat conductor 4. At the same time, place the ticks to be passaged into the tick collection container 1. Next, follow the instructions... Figure 2 As shown, the heat conductor 4 is connected to the heating plate 2, and the heating plate 2, membrane fixator 6, connecting ring 8, and tick collection tube 1 are sequentially threaded together to complete the assembly of the basket 12. Due to the presence of the biofilm, the assembled basket 12 has two independent spaces: the area below the biofilm is the tick collection area, and the area above the biofilm is the feeding liquid area. The ticks in the tick collection tube 1 suck the feeding liquid above through the biofilm, thereby simulating the state of ticks naturally feeding on the host's blood and improving the success rate of tick in vitro subculture.

[0027] During the cultivation process, the temperature of the feeding solution is consistently maintained within the temperature range of the body's blood. The temperature is regulated by heating element 2 and heat conductor 4, and temperature sensor 3 transmits the data to the controller in real time, thus achieving automatic temperature regulation. Simultaneously, the motor speed is controlled to maintain a certain flow of the feeding solution, simulating blood.

Claims

1. A tick in vitro passage culture device, characterized in that: The device includes an operating table (11) that can rotate along a horizontal axis and a basket (12) on the operating table (11) for simulated feeding. The basket (12) is composed of a heating element (2), a heat conductor (4), a membrane fixator (6), a connecting ring (8), and a tick storage tube (1) that are detachably connected in sequence. The heating element (2) is fixed on the operating table (11) and electrically connected to a temperature controller located inside the operating table (11). The membrane fixator (6) is cylindrical and has a rubber band (7) on its outer side for fixing the biofilm. The tick storage tube (1) is connected to the membrane fixator (6).

2. The tick in vitro passage culture device as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The heat conductor (4) is provided with a socket (5), and the heating element (2) is provided with a temperature sensing probe (3). One end of the temperature sensing probe (3) is electrically connected to the temperature controller located inside the operating table (11), and the other end is threadedly connected to the socket (5) on the heat conductor (4).

3. The tick in vitro passage culture device as described in claim 1, characterized in that: One end of the membrane fixator (6) is connected to the heat conductor (4) by a thread. The heat conductor (4) is provided with an extension, which is located inside the membrane fixator (6).

4. The tick in vitro passage culture device as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The tick storage tube (1) is made of transparent material and has ventilation holes (9) on its surface.

5. The tick in vitro passage culture device as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The connecting ring (8) is provided with an internal thread, which is respectively engaged with the external threads of the membrane fixator (6) and the tick collection tube (1) to realize the connection between the tick collection tube (1) and the membrane fixator (6).

6. The tick in vitro passage culture device as described in claim 1, characterized in that: At least one basket (12) is provided on the operating table (11).

7. The tick in vitro passage culture device as described in claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a motor housing (13), which contains a motor. The motor shaft is fixedly connected to the operating table (11) and is used to drive the operating table (11) to rotate along the horizontal axis.

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