Cell culture device and microgravity environment experimental device

Abstract

This application relates to the field of biological experimental technology, and provides a cell culture device and a microgravity environment experimental device. The cell culture device includes: a main body with a culture chamber inside and a first opening communicating with the culture chamber at the top; a top cover connected to the main body to close the first opening; an inoculation tube fixed to the outside of the main body and having an inner channel communicating with the culture chamber, the end of the inoculation tube away from the main body being an exhaust end, and a second opening forming on the end face of the exhaust end of the inner channel; multiple protrusions surrounding the second opening are provided on the end face of the exhaust end, the protrusions being used to support droplets protruding from the second opening; and a side cover with a mounting groove adapted to the exhaust end, the exhaust end being inserted into the mounting groove, and the protrusions abutting against the bottom of the mounting groove, causing droplets to contact the inner wall of the mounting groove to form a continuous liquid seal around the second opening. During the closing of the side cover, the droplets continuously seal the second opening, preventing air from entering the culture chamber and forming bubbles.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of biological experimental technology, and in particular to a cell culture device and a microgravity environment experimental device. Background Technology

[0002] In biological experiments that simulate the microgravity environment of space on Earth, researchers typically need to place cells in a culture dish, fill it with culture medium, cover it, and then place it in a rotating device to simulate a weightless environment.

[0003] However, conventional culture dishes have relatively large openings. When the lid is pressed down to secure it to the culture dish, a negative pressure can easily form between the lid and the dish, allowing air to enter between the liquid surface and the lid, forming bubbles. During the initial stage of microgravity simulation, these bubbles can split and move, interfering with normal cell activity. Furthermore, bubbles within the culture dish can affect researchers' observation of cell morphology, impacting the accuracy of biological experiments simulating the microgravity environment of space. Utility Model Content

[0004] In order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, or at least partially solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this application provides a cell culture device and a microgravity environment experimental device.

[0005] The first aspect of this application provides a cell culture apparatus, comprising:

[0006] The main body has a culture chamber inside and a first opening at the top that communicates with the culture chamber;

[0007] The top cover is connected to the main body to close the first opening;

[0008] An inoculation tube is fixed to the outside of the main body and has an inner channel communicating with the culture chamber. The end of the inoculation tube away from the main body is an exhaust end, and the inner channel forms a second opening on the end face of the exhaust end.

[0009] The end face of the exhaust end is provided with a plurality of protrusions surrounding the second opening, and the plurality of protrusions are used to support droplets that protrude outward from the second opening;

[0010] The side cover is provided with a mounting groove adapted to the exhaust end. The exhaust end is inserted into the mounting groove, and the protrusion abuts against the bottom of the mounting groove, so that the droplet contacts the inner wall of the mounting groove to form a continuous liquid seal around the second opening.

[0011] Optionally, the first opening is located on one side of the main body along a first direction, and the inoculation tube is located on one side of the main body along a second direction and extends along the second direction, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

[0012] Optionally, a support plane is formed on the main body, and the support plane and the inoculation tube are respectively disposed on both sides of the main body along the second direction, and the support plane and the inoculation tube are disposed opposite to each other along the second direction.

[0013] Optionally, the cross-sectional area of ​​the inner channel is smaller than the area of ​​the first opening, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the inner channel gradually decreases in the direction away from the main body.

[0014] Optionally, the dimension of the protrusion along the direction surrounding the second opening is the width dimension, and the width dimension of the protrusion gradually decreases in the direction away from the main body.

[0015] Optionally, a plurality of the bumps are arranged at circumferential intervals along the inoculation tube to form an extended channel between two adjacent bumps.

[0016] Optionally, at least a portion of the main body may be light-transmitting.

[0017] Optionally, the top cover includes a main cover body and a waterproof and breathable membrane that allows gas to pass through while blocking liquid from passing through;

[0018] The main cover is provided with multiple vent holes, and the waterproof and breathable membrane is installed on the main cover and covers the vent holes, so that the culture chamber can exchange gases with the outside through the vent holes and the waterproof and breathable membrane.

[0019] Optionally, the top cover is threaded to the main body to create a sealed connection between the top cover and the main body, and the side cover is threaded to the inoculation tube to create a sealed connection between the side cover and the inoculation tube.

[0020] A second aspect of this application provides a microgravity environment experimental apparatus, including a gyroscope and a cell culture apparatus as described in any of the preceding claims;

[0021] The main body is mounted on the rotary instrument.

[0022] The technical solution provided in this application has the following advantages compared with the prior art:

[0023] The cell culture apparatus provided in this application embodiment has an inoculation tube installed on the main body, an upper cover that can close a first opening, and a side cover that can close a second opening. The first opening allows the culture medium to enter the culture chamber, so that the culture medium can fill the culture chamber. Both liquid and cells to be cultured can be injected into the culture chamber through the inner channel. Continuous injection of liquid into the inner channel will cause droplets to form at the second opening. Multiple protrusions cooperate with the side cover to allow the liquid to expand under the pressure of the mounting groove, so that the droplets seal the space between the second opening and the inner wall of the mounting groove. Before the side cover is closed, the gas in the culture chamber can be discharged through the inner channel. During the closing process of the side cover, multiple protrusions support and fix the droplets, so that the droplets always keep the second opening sealed, preventing air from entering the culture chamber and preventing air bubbles from remaining in the culture chamber. This eliminates the influence of air bubbles on cell activity and cell observation, and improves the accuracy of biological experiments simulating the microgravity environment of space. Attached Figure Description

[0024] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application.

[0025] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, for those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0026] Figure 1 This is an exploded view of the cell culture apparatus described in the embodiments of this application;

[0027] Figure 2 This is an assembly diagram of the cell culture apparatus described in the embodiments of this application;

[0028] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A magnified schematic diagram of the structure at point A in the middle.

[0029] The components are as follows: 1. Main body; 11. Culture chamber; 12. First opening; 13. Support plane; 14. Support block; 2. Top cover; 21. Vent hole; 3. Inoculation tube; 31. Exhaust end; 32. Inner channel; 33. Second opening; 34. Protrusion; 4. Side cover. Detailed Implementation

[0030] To better understand the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application, the solution of this application will be further described below. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in these embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0031] Many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of this application, but this application may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein; obviously, the embodiments in the specification are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments.

[0032] Reference Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the first aspect of this application provides a cell culture device, including a main body 1, a top cover 2, an inoculation tube 3, and a side cover 4; the main body 1 has a culture chamber 11 formed inside, and a first opening 12 communicating with the culture chamber 11 is provided at the top; the top cover 2 is connected to the main body 1 to close the first opening 12; the inoculation tube 3 is fixed to the outside of the main body 1 and has an inner channel 32 communicating with the culture chamber 11, the end of the inoculation tube 3 away from the main body 1 is an exhaust end 31, and the inner channel 32 forms a second opening 33 on the end face of the exhaust end 31; the end face of the exhaust end 31 is provided with a plurality of protrusions 34 surrounding the second opening 33, and the plurality of protrusions 34 are used to support droplets protruding from the second opening 33; the side cover 4 is provided with a mounting groove adapted to the exhaust end 31, the exhaust end 31 is inserted into the mounting groove, and the protrusions 34 abut against the bottom of the mounting groove, so that the droplets contact the inner wall of the mounting groove to form a continuous liquid seal surrounding the second opening 33.

[0033] Specifically, the main body 1 can be a cylindrical culture dish, or a cubic or cuboid culture dish; the interior of the main body 1 is hollow, so that the space inside the main body 1 serves as a culture chamber 11. When the main body 1 is placed on a plane, a first opening 12 is formed on the side of the main body 1 away from the plane.

[0034] The shape of the upper cover 2 matches that of the main body 1. The side wall of the first opening 12 can be provided with threads, and the edge of the upper cover 2 is provided with threads and a sealing strip. The upper cover 2 is screwed into the first opening 12, so that the upper cover 2 and the first opening 12 are threadedly connected, and the sealing strip seals the gap between the upper cover 2 and the first opening 12, so that the liquid cannot flow out of the culture chamber 11 through the gap between the upper cover 2 and the first opening 12.

[0035] Alternatively, the main body 1 can be provided with a buckle on the side, and the top cover 2 can be recessed on one side to form a groove. One end of the main body 1 with the first opening 12 can be inserted into the groove, and the buckle is engaged with the inner wall of the groove. The bottom of the groove abuts against the side surface of the main body 1 with the first opening 12, so that the top cover 2 and the periphery of the first opening 12 are sealed together, so that the liquid cannot flow out of the culture chamber 11 through the gap between the top cover 2 and the first opening 12.

[0036] The inoculation tube 3 can be fixed to the outside of the main body 1 by welding, or the main body 1 and the inoculation tube 3 can be integrally formed by a single mold during manufacturing. The inoculation tube 3 can be set on the side of the main body 1, or it can be set on the side of the main body 1 with the first opening 12, as long as the gas in the culture chamber 11 can be discharged through the inner channel 32.

[0037] The aforementioned protrusion 34 can be a rectangular block, with multiple protrusions 34 spaced apart along the direction surrounding the second opening 33; alternatively, the protrusion 34 can be a conical block, with multiple protrusions 34 spaced apart along the direction surrounding the second opening 33, or multiple protrusions 34 can be fitted together along the direction surrounding the second opening 33.

[0038] Researchers continuously introduced culture medium into the inner channel 32. After the inner channel 32 was filled, droplets were dripped onto the second opening 33. Under the action of surface tension, the droplets protruded outward from the outer side of the second opening 33, and the droplets came into contact with multiple protrusions 34, which supported the droplets. Under the action of surface tension, the droplets maintained a hemispherical shape between the multiple protrusions 34. The multiple protrusions 34 provided support for the droplets and maintained their shape. Furthermore, the multiple protrusions increased the amount of droplets protruding outward from the second opening 33, ensuring that the droplets could form a continuous solid-liquid interface with the inner wall of the mounting groove to form a liquid seal.

[0039] One side of the aforementioned side cover 4 is recessed to form an installation groove, the shape of which matches the shape of the exhaust end 31. The bottom of the installation groove is flat. When the droplet is not in contact with the bottom of the installation groove, the droplet is hemispherical and protrudes from the end of the multiple protrusions 34 away from the main body 1. When the exhaust end 31 is inserted into the installation groove, the bottom of the installation groove presses down on the droplet, causing the droplet to deform and expand radially along the inoculation tube 3 and contact the side wall of the installation groove, thereby keeping the droplet in contact with the side wall and the bottom of the installation groove, and sealing the second opening 33.

[0040] During the process of inserting the exhaust end 31 into the installation groove, the droplet continuously seals the second opening 33, and during the process of connecting the side cover to the inoculation tube 3, the air in the installation groove cannot break through the droplet to enter the inner channel 32, thus preventing air from entering the culture chamber 11 during the installation of the side cover 4 into the inoculation tube 3.

[0041] The sidewall of the aforementioned mounting groove can have a gap between the inoculation tube 3 and the protrusion 34 in the radial direction. A snap fastener is provided on the sidewall of the mounting groove. After the vent end 31 is inserted into the mounting groove, the snap fastener engages with the inoculation tube 3, ensuring the inoculation tube 3 is stably inserted into the mounting groove. The droplet deforms and expands, allowing it to contact the sidewall of the mounting groove. During the insertion of the vent end 31 into the mounting groove, gas within the mounting groove can be discharged through the gap.

[0042] Alternatively, the size of the exhaust end 31 can be matched with the size of the mounting groove. After the exhaust end 31 is inserted into the mounting groove, the side wall of the mounting groove abuts against the inner wall of the inoculation tube 3, so that the inoculation tube 3 and the mounting groove are connected by friction.

[0043] In specific use of the cell culture device provided in this application embodiment, the exhaust end 31 is first inserted into the mounting groove. Even if the liquid in the culture chamber 11 enters the inner channel 32, it will form a liquid seal outside the second opening 33 and will not leak. First, culture medium is injected into the culture chamber 11 through the first opening 12. After the culture medium fills the culture chamber 11, the upper cover 2 is installed on the first opening 12. Rotate the main body 1 to make the inoculation tube 3 vertically set, separate the side cover 4 from the inoculation tube 3, so that the air bubbles in the culture chamber 11 can be discharged from the second opening 33 through the inoculation tube 3.

[0044] Researchers inject cells into the culture chamber 11 through the inoculation tube 3, and then inject culture medium into the inner channel 32 through the second opening 33. The culture medium fills the inner channel 32 and forms an outwardly convex droplet on the outside of the second opening 33. Multiple protrusions 34 support the droplet to keep the liquid in a hemispherical shape. The side cover 4 is fastened to the vent end 31. The droplet in the multiple protrusions 34 first contacts the bottom of the mounting groove. The bottom of the mounting groove compresses the droplet to deform and expand, so that the droplet contacts the bottom and side wall of the mounting groove, thereby sealing the second opening 33. The gas in the culture chamber 11 is discharged through the inoculation tube 3. The side cover 4 does not inject air into the culture chamber and form bubbles during the process of fastening to the inoculation tube 3, ensuring that no bubbles are generated in the culture chamber 11.

[0045] The cell culture apparatus provided in this application embodiment has an inoculation tube 3 installed on the main body 1, an upper cover 2 that can close the first opening 12, and a side cover 4 that can close the second opening 33. The first opening 12 allows the culture medium to enter the culture chamber 11, so that the culture medium can fill the culture chamber 11. Both liquid and cells to be cultured can be injected into the culture chamber 11 through the inner channel 32. Continuous injection of liquid into the inner channel 32 can form droplets at the second opening 33. Multiple protrusions 34 cooperate with the side cover 4 to expand the liquid under the pressure of the mounting groove, so that the droplets seal the space between the second opening 33 and the inner wall of the mounting groove. Before the side cover 4 is fastened, the gas in the culture chamber 11 can be discharged through the inner channel 32. During the fastening process of the side cover 4, multiple protrusions 34 support and fix the droplets, so that the droplets always keep the second opening 33 sealed, preventing air from entering the culture chamber 11, so that no air bubbles remain in the culture chamber 11, eliminating the influence of air bubbles on cell activity and cell observation, and improving the accuracy of biological experiments simulating the microgravity environment of space.

[0046] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, in some embodiments, the first opening 12 is disposed on one side of the main body 1 along the first direction, and the inoculation tube 3 is disposed on one side of the main body 1 along the second direction and extends along the second direction, with the first direction being perpendicular to the second direction.

[0047] With this configuration, the first opening 12 and the second opening 33 are located on two adjacent sides of the main body 1, preventing the inoculation tube 3 from interfering with researchers injecting culture medium into the culture chamber 11 through the first opening 12. The cell culture device as a whole is symmetrical about the axis of the inoculation tube 3. When the main body 1 rotates on the rotary instrument, the axis of rotation of the main body 1 is along the second direction b and coincides with the axis of the inoculation tube 3, reducing the dynamic imbalance when the cell culture device rotates and stabilizing the posture of the cell culture device when it rotates.

[0048] Specifically, the main body 1 can be a cylindrical structure, with the axial direction of the main body 1 as the first direction a and the radial direction of the main body 1 as the second direction b; or the main body 1 can be a cuboid structure, with the vertical direction as the first direction a and the horizontal direction as the second direction b when the main body 1 is placed on a horizontal surface.

[0049] The first opening 12 and the second opening 33 are located on two adjacent sides of the main body 1. After the top cover 2 is installed in the first opening 12, the main body 1 is rotated to make the inoculation tube 3 vertical, so that the air bubbles in the culture chamber 11 can be discharged from the inoculation tube 3.

[0050] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, a support plane 13 is formed on the main body 1, and the support plane 13 and the inoculation tube 3 are respectively disposed on both sides of the main body 1 along the second direction, and the support plane 13 and the inoculation tube 3 are disposed opposite to each other along the second direction.

[0051] With this configuration, the main body 1 can be placed on a table or other flat surface via the support plane 13. The support plane 13 is symmetrically arranged with the inoculation tube 3, so that when the support plane 13 is in contact with the table or other flat surface, the inoculation tube 3 is in a state perpendicular to the table or gas plane. Under the action of buoyancy, the air bubbles in the culture chamber 11 can be discharged through the inoculation tube 3, and it is convenient for researchers to inoculate cells into the culture chamber 11 through the second opening 33. When researchers pour liquid into the second opening 33, the liquid falls into the culture chamber 11 under its own gravity, and the direction of the gravity of the liquid outside the second opening 33 is consistent with the axis of the inoculation tube 3. The droplets will not move away from the second opening 33, ensuring that the droplets can be kept at the second opening 33.

[0052] Specifically, the support plane 13 can be a rectangular or other shaped plane, and an anti-slip adhesive layer can be provided on the support plane 13. The support plane 13 and the inoculation tube 3 are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the main body 1 along the second direction b, so that the main body 1 can remain stable when the support plane 13 is in contact with the table or horizontal surface, and the inoculation tube 3 can be set in the vertical direction to facilitate the exhaust of gas in the culture chamber 11 and to facilitate researchers to inject cells and liquid into the culture chamber 11 through the inner channel 32.

[0053] The cell culture apparatus also includes a support block 14, with an abutment surface formed on the top side of the support block 14. The abutment surface abuts against the support plane 13, allowing the main body 1 to be placed on the support block 14. When the main body 1 is a cylindrical structure, a portion of the abutment surface is a flat surface that abuts against the support plane 13, while the remaining portion is an arc-shaped surface that abuts against the outer wall of the main body 1 around the support plane 13, thereby stably placing the main body 1 on the support block 14.

[0054] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, the cross-sectional area of ​​the inner channel 32 is smaller than the area of ​​the first opening 12, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the inner channel 32 gradually decreases in the direction away from the main body 1.

[0055] With this configuration, the first opening 12 is used to inject a large amount of culture medium into the culture chamber 11, filling it completely. This requires the first opening 12 to have a large surface area so that the culture medium can be injected quickly into the culture chamber 11. The inner channel 32 is used for venting and cell seeding. Using an inner channel 32 with a smaller cross-sectional area reduces the possibility of foreign objects entering the inner channel 32. Furthermore, the smaller cross-sectional area of ​​the inner channel 32 results in a smaller volume, requiring less liquid to fill it, thus saving culture medium. The smaller volume of the inner channel 32 also results in a smaller area for the second opening 33, allowing less liquid to form droplets outside the second opening 33. The droplet's own weight has less influence on its shape, improving the stability of the droplets outside the second opening 33.

[0056] Specifically, the inner channel 32 can be a cylindrical channel, the first opening 12 can be a circular opening, the diameter of the inner channel 32 is smaller than the diameter of the first opening 12, and the diameter of the inner channel 32 is 1 / 20 to 1 / 10 of the diameter of the first opening 12.

[0057] Alternatively, a plane perpendicular to the extension direction of the inner channel 32 can be chosen as the cross-section. The area of ​​the region where the inner channel 32 intersects with the cross-section is the cross-sectional area. The cross-sectional area of ​​the inner channel 32 is smaller than the area of ​​the first opening 12, which can reduce the volume of the inoculation tube 3 and make it less likely for foreign objects to fall into the inner channel 32.

[0058] The inner channel 32 can be a tapered flow channel. The diameter of the end of the inner channel 32 near the main body 1 is larger than the diameter of the second opening 33. The diameter of the inner channel 32 near the main body 1 can be 1.5 to 2 times the diameter of the second opening 33.

[0059] The inoculation tube 3 can be a tapered tube. During the process of inserting the exhaust end 31 into the installation groove, there is a gap between the outer wall of the inoculation tube 3 and the side wall of the installation groove, so that the gas in the installation groove can be discharged from the installation groove through the gap.

[0060] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments, the dimension of the protrusion 34 along the direction surrounding the second opening 33 is the width dimension, and the width dimension of the protrusion 34 gradually decreases in the direction away from the main body 1.

[0061] With this configuration, the sidewalls of two adjacent bumps 34 are inclined to each other, increasing the contact area between the droplet and the bump 34, thus enabling the multiple bumps 34 to provide better support for the droplet.

[0062] Specifically, the protrusions 34 can be selected such that their opposite side walls are inclined relative to each other along the direction surrounding the second opening 33, and the distance between the side walls gradually decreases in the axial direction of the inoculation tube 3 and away from the main body 1. The side walls of two adjacent protrusions 34 are inclined relative to each other to form a trapezoidal groove or a V-shaped groove. The width of the trapezoidal groove or V-shaped groove gradually increases in the direction away from the main body 1. Compared with two parallel side walls, the contact area between the droplet and the two side walls of the trapezoidal groove is larger, so that the trapezoidal groove has a better support effect on the droplet.

[0063] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments, a plurality of protrusions 34 are arranged at circumferential intervals along the inoculation tube 3 so that an expansion channel is formed between two adjacent protrusions 34, the expansion channel being used for liquid expansion.

[0064] With this configuration, the space between adjacent protrusions 34 can accommodate droplets, and when the side cover 4 presses down on the droplets, the liquid expands radially along the inoculation tube 3 through the expansion channel and comes into contact with the side wall of the mounting groove.

[0065] Specifically, multiple protrusions 34 are evenly spaced along the circumference of the inoculation tube 3, so that the multiple protrusions 34 surround the second opening 33, and the end faces of two adjacent protrusions 34 and the exhaust end 31 can all contact the droplet. The protrusions 34 can be a cuboid structure, a trapezoidal block structure, or a conical block structure.

[0066] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments, at least a portion of the main body 1 is light-transmitting.

[0067] With this configuration, light can pass through the main body 1 and shine into the culture chamber 11, providing illumination for the cells in the culture chamber 11 and enabling the cells in the culture chamber 11 to move normally; and researchers can directly observe the cell morphology in the culture chamber 11 through the light-transmitting area on the main body 1.

[0068] Specifically, the main body 1 can be made of glass or transparent plastic to make the main body 1 completely transparent. Alternatively, the side of the main body 1 opposite to the first opening 12 can be made of glass or transparent plastic to make the main body 1 partially transparent.

[0069] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments, the top cover 2 includes a main cover body and a waterproof and breathable membrane that allows gas to pass through while blocking liquid from passing through; the main cover body is provided with a plurality of vent holes 21, and the waterproof and breathable membrane is installed on the main cover body and covers the vent holes 21, so that the culture chamber 11 can exchange gas with the outside through the vent holes 21 and the waterproof and breathable membrane.

[0070] Specifically, the top cover 2 has through holes as vents 21. These vents 21 can be arranged in a ring array or a matrix. A waterproof and breathable membrane can be adhered to the inside of the main cover, meaning the membrane is positioned on the side of the main cover facing the culture chamber, covering the multiple vents 21. Alternatively, the waterproof and breathable membrane can consist of multiple membrane sheets, each corresponding to one of the vents 21, thus covering the vents 21.

[0071] The aforementioned waterproof and breathable membrane can be made of polydimethylsiloxane (PMDS), whose breathability mechanism is mainly achieved through molecular-level dissolution and diffusion, rather than physical pores. The breathability of PMDS membranes enables them to maintain gas exchange and prevent bubble accumulation in cell culture in microfluidic chips, and they are also suitable for medical dressings, combining waterproofness and breathability.

[0072] Alternatively, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) membranes can be used. Their microporous structure combines waterproof, dustproof, and breathable functions. They are hydrophobic, oleophobic, chemically inert, can be sterilized at high temperatures, have high biocompatibility, and have high water resistance pressure.

[0073] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments, the upper cover 2 is threaded to the main body 1 to make the upper cover 2 and the main body 1 sealed together, and the side cover 4 is threaded to the inoculation tube 3 to make the side cover 4 and the inoculation tube 3 sealed together.

[0074] This design simplifies the threaded connection structure and facilitates disassembly, simplifying the connection between the top cover 2 and the main body 1, as well as the installation of the side cover 4 onto the inoculation tube 3. Furthermore, the interlocking threads achieve a sealing effect, allowing the top cover 2 to seal the first opening 12 and the side cover 4 to seal the second opening 33.

[0075] Specifically, the inner wall of the first opening 12 can be threaded, and the edge of the upper cover 2 can be threaded. The upper cover 2 is screwed into the first opening 12, so that the upper cover 2 and the first opening 12 are threadedly connected. The threads of the upper cover 2 and the threads of the first opening 12 are tightly fitted to achieve the effect of sealing the gap between the upper cover 2 and the first opening 12. Alternatively, one side of the upper cover 2 can be recessed to form a groove, and the side wall of the groove is threaded. The top surface of the main body 1 is provided with the first opening 12, and the side surface of the main body 1 is provided with threads. The main body 1 is inserted into the groove of the upper cover 2, so that the top surface of the main body 1 abuts against the bottom of the groove. The side wall of the groove is threadedly connected to the side surface of the main body 1. The top surface of the main body 1 and the bottom of the groove are tightly fitted to prevent liquid from flowing out of the first opening 12.

[0076] The outer wall of the inoculation tube 3 is threaded near the vent end 31, and the side wall of the mounting groove is threaded. After the vent end 31 is inserted into the mounting groove, the side cover 4 rotates relative to the inoculation tube 3, so that the side wall of the mounting groove is threadedly connected to the inoculation tube 3.

[0077] The second aspect of this application provides a microgravity environment experimental device, including a gyroscope and a cell culture device as described above; the main body 1 is mounted on the gyroscope.

[0078] Specifically, the rotary instrument has a rotating part driven by a high-precision servo motor. The main body 1 can be connected to the rotating part by means of an angle, or the rotating part can be equipped with a slot and a positioning buckle. The main body 1 is inserted into the slot, and the positioning buckle is connected to the main body 1 so that the main body 1 is stably held in the slot.

[0079] The drive unit drives the main body 1 to rotate, so that the culture medium and cells in the culture chamber 11 are in a microgravity state; when the cell culture device rotates, the rotation axis of the main body 1 coincides with the axis of the inoculation tube 3, so as to avoid the inoculation tube 3 affecting the rotation of the cell culture device.

[0080] By using the cell culture device described above, interference from air bubbles in the culture chamber 11 was avoided, thus improving the accuracy of the experimental structure of the microgravity environment experimental device.

[0081] In specific use, the cell culture device and microgravity environment experimental device provided in this application embodiment first inject culture medium into the culture chamber 11 through the first opening 12. After the culture medium fills the culture chamber 11, the upper cover 2 is installed on the first opening 12 to close the first opening 12. Then, the main body 1 is rotated to place the support plane 13 on the table or support block 14, so that the inoculation tube 3 is set vertically. The side cover 4 is separated from the inoculation tube 3, so that the air bubbles in the culture chamber 11 float up under the action of buoyancy, and the air bubbles can be discharged from the second opening 33 through the inoculation tube 3.

[0082] After the air bubbles are expelled from the inoculation tube 3, the inoculation tube 3 is kept vertical. The researchers inject cells into the culture chamber 11 through the inoculation tube 3, and then inject culture medium into the inner channel 32 through the second opening 33. After the culture medium fills the inner channel 32, a droplet is dripped at the second opening 33. The droplet is supported between multiple protrusions 34 to maintain a hemispherical shape, so that the droplet is higher than the end of the protrusions 34 away from the main body 1.

[0083] The side cover 4 is fastened to the exhaust end 31, and the side cover 4 is rotated to make the side cover 4 threadedly connected to the inoculation tube 3; the droplets in the multiple protrusions 34 first contact the bottom of the mounting groove, and the bottom of the mounting groove compresses the droplets to deform and expand, so that the droplets contact the bottom of the mounting groove and the side wall of the mounting groove, and the droplets seal the space between the second opening 33 and the inner wall of the mounting groove; the gas in the culture chamber 11 is discharged through the inoculation tube 3, and the side cover 4 will not inject air into the culture chamber and form bubbles during the process of fastening to the inoculation tube 3, thus ensuring that no bubbles are generated in the culture chamber 11.

[0084] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0085] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, enabling those skilled in the art to understand or implement this application. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this application. Therefore, this application is not to be limited to the embodiments described herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A cell culture device, characterized in that, include: The main body (1) has a culture chamber (11) inside and a first opening (12) communicating with the culture chamber (11) at the top; The top cover (2) is connected to the main body (1) to close the first opening (12); An inoculation tube (3) is fixed to the outside of the main body (1) and has an inner channel (32) communicating with the culture chamber (11). The end of the inoculation tube (3) away from the main body (1) is an exhaust end (31), and the inner channel (32) forms a second opening (33) on the end face of the exhaust end (31). The end face of the exhaust end (31) is provided with a plurality of protrusions (34) surrounding the second opening (33), and the plurality of protrusions (34) are used to support droplets that protrude outward from the second opening (33); The side cover (4) is provided with a mounting groove that is adapted to the exhaust end (31). The exhaust end (31) is inserted into the mounting groove, and the protrusion (34) abuts against the bottom of the mounting groove, so that the droplet contacts the inner wall of the mounting groove to form a continuous liquid seal around the second opening (33).

2. The cell culture apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first opening (12) is located on one side of the main body (1) along the first direction, and the inoculation tube (3) is located on one side of the main body (1) along the second direction and extends along the second direction. The first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

3. The cell culture apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, A support plane (13) is formed on the main body (1). The support plane (13) and the inoculation tube (3) are respectively disposed on both sides of the main body (1) along the second direction, and the support plane (13) and the inoculation tube (3) are disposed opposite to each other along the second direction.

4. The cell culture apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cross-sectional area of ​​the inner channel (32) is smaller than the area of ​​the first opening (12), and the cross-sectional area of ​​the inner channel (32) gradually decreases in the direction away from the main body (1).

5. The cell culture apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The protrusion (34) has a width dimension along the direction surrounding the second opening (33), and the width dimension of the protrusion (34) gradually decreases in the direction away from the main body (1).

6. The cell culture apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, Multiple protrusions (34) are arranged circumferentially along the inoculation tube (3) to form an extended channel between two adjacent protrusions (34).

7. The cell culture apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, At least a portion of the main body (1) is light-transmitting.

8. The cell culture apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top cover (2) includes a main cover body and a waterproof and breathable membrane that allows gas to pass through while blocking liquid from passing through; The main cover is provided with a plurality of vent holes (21), and the waterproof and breathable membrane is installed on the main cover and covers the vent holes (21) so that the culture chamber (11) can exchange gas with the outside through the vent holes (21) and the waterproof and breathable membrane.

9. The cell culture apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper cover (2) is threadedly connected to the main body (1) so that the upper cover (2) and the main body (1) are sealed together. The side cover (4) is threadedly connected to the inoculation tube (3) so that the side cover (4) and the inoculation tube (3) are sealed together.

10. A microgravity environment experimental device, characterized in that, Includes a rotary instrument and a cell culture apparatus as described in any one of claims 1 to 9; The main body (1) is mounted on the rotary instrument.

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