A cell scratch device and automated pipetting workstation

Abstract

This application discloses a cell scratching device and an automated pipetting workstation. The solution includes an adapter plate and a scratching assembly. The adapter plate includes a mounting portion and an adapter portion for installation on the automated pipetting workstation. The adapter portion has at least one row of adapter holes, with each row including at least two adapter holes. The sleeve portion of the scratching assembly is embedded in the adapter holes, and the stylus hangs within the sleeve hole under its own gravity. Because the stylus of the scratching assembly can slide freely in the sleeve hole along the direction of gravity, when the scratching portion of the scratching assembly contacts the cell culture plate, each stylus can independently slide in the direction of gravity for height compensation. Therefore, it can be ensured that when the automated pipetting workstation creates a scratch, after the Z-axis (direction of gravity) reaches a certain working height, each stylus can precisely contact the cell culture plate without individual adjustment, thereby improving experimental efficiency and ensuring the consistency of the scratch width.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of experimental equipment technology, and in particular to a cell scratching device and an automated pipetting workstation. Background Technology

[0002] The scratch healing assay is a commonly used in vitro method for studying cell migration ability, and is suitable for drug screening, gene function research, or tumor metastasis analysis.

[0003] Cell scratch assay procedure: Cells were seeded onto cell culture plates and allowed to confluence into a monolayer. A uniform scratch was then created vertically using a handheld pipette tip. Cells were washed with PBS to remove any detached cells, and initial images (0 h) were captured under a microscope. The cell culture plates were then placed in a 37°C, 5% CO2 incubator, and the scratch closure was recorded by photographing every 6-24 hours. During the experiment, the handheld pipette tip should be kept as vertical as possible during the translational movement. The width of the scratch created by the handheld pipette tip is directly related to the elastic deformation caused by the pressure applied to the tip. Manually operating the handheld pipette tip for scratching results in low experimental efficiency and inconsistent scratch widths. Inconsistent scratch widths between multiple wells significantly affect migration rate measurements and experimental reproducibility.

[0004] Therefore, how to improve experimental efficiency and the consistency of scratch width is a technical problem that needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Utility Model Content

[0005] In view of this, the first objective of this application is to provide a cell scratching device to improve experimental efficiency and the consistency of scratch width;

[0006] The second objective of this application is to provide an automated pipetting workstation.

[0007] To achieve the first objective mentioned above, this application provides the following technical solution:

[0008] This application provides a cell scratching device, including an adapter plate and a scratching assembly. The adapter plate includes a mounting part and an adapter part for installation in an automated pipetting workstation. The adapter part is provided with at least one row of adapter holes, and the row of adapter holes includes at least two adapter holes. The scratching assembly is embedded in the adapter holes, and the scratching needle is suspended in the adapter holes under its own gravity.

[0009] In some embodiments, the mounting portion includes a mating hole for mating with a pipette tip of an automated pipetting workstation.

[0010] In some embodiments, the number of mounting parts is at least two, and the at least two mounting parts are arranged at the corners of the adapter part; each mounting part is provided with at least two insertion holes, and each insertion hole is inserted and engaged with the pipette tip of an automated pipetting workstation.

[0011] In some embodiments, the adapter portion further includes a first limiting boss located in the middle of the adapter portion, and at least one row of adapter holes is arranged on the first limiting boss.

[0012] In some embodiments, the adapter further includes a second limiting boss, which is arranged opposite to the mounting part.

[0013] In some embodiments, the scratching assembly includes a sleeve and a scratching needle, the sleeve being embedded in an adapter hole, and the scratching needle being slidably mounted inside the sleeve along the direction of gravity.

[0014] In some embodiments, the sleeve includes a holding part, a sleeve part, and a sliding hole connected in sequence. The outer diameter of the holding part is larger than the diameter of the adapter hole, and the outer diameter of the sleeve part is equal to the diameter of the adapter hole. The sliding hole passes through the holding part and the sleeve part.

[0015] and / or

[0016] The scriber comprises an abutment part, a sliding rod part, and a scribe part connected in sequence. The outer diameter of the abutment part is larger than the diameter of the sliding hole, while the outer diameters of the sliding rod part and the scribe part are smaller than the diameter of the sliding hole.

[0017] In some embodiments, the scriber is made of plastic, ceramic, or metal.

[0018] and / or

[0019] The scratched area is a polishing needle.

[0020] In some embodiments, the cell scratching device includes a tray with a reservoir disposed on one or both sides of a storage tank for storing the processing fluid of the scratching needle assembly.

[0021] This application provides an automated pipetting workstation, including a host, a pipetting device, and a cell scratching device as described above. The mounting part of the cell scratching device is installed on the pipetting head of the pipetting device, and the pipetting device is movable relative to the host.

[0022] When the cell scratching device described in this application is used, the mounting part is installed on the pipette head of the pipetting device, and the cell culture plate is placed on the operating table of the automated pipetting workstation below the scratching component. The automated pipetting workstation drives the adapter plate to move, and the scratching component performs scratch creation operation on the cell culture plate, thereby realizing the automatic scratch creation operation of the cell scratching device, realizing the automation of scratching operation on the cell culture plate, and improving the scratching accuracy and efficiency.

[0023] Because the scratching needles of the scratching assembly are suspended in the sliding hole of the sleeve under their own gravity, when the scratching part of the scratching assembly comes into contact with the cell culture plate, each scratching assembly can slide independently in the direction of gravity for height compensation. Therefore, it can be ensured that when the automated pipetting workstation creates scratches, after the pipetting device's Z-axis (direction of gravity) drives the cell scratching device to a certain working height, each scratching assembly can make perfect contact with the cell culture plate without the need for individual adjustments. This improves experimental efficiency and ensures the consistency of scratch width.

[0024] In addition, for cell culture plates of different brands and models, even if there are slight height differences between the bottoms of different plates, the overall height can be compensated by the fact that the streaking part of each scratching component can slide in the direction of gravity, rather than relying solely on adjusting the height of the pipette tip of the automated pipetting workstation. Therefore, the scratching operation can still be perfect without changing the original parameters of the program. Attached Figure Description

[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, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0026] Figure 1 A perspective view of a cell scratching device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0027] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A top view of the cell scratching device shown;

[0028] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A bottom view of the cell scratching device shown;

[0029] Figure 4 for Figure 1 Front view of the cell scratching device shown;

[0030] Figure 5 for Figure 4 Sectional view of section AA;

[0031] Figure 6 An exploded view of a scratch-resistant component provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 7 A perspective view of a scratch-resistant component provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 8 for Figure 7The front view of the scratch component shown;

[0034] Figure 9 for Figure 8 Sectional view of section BB;

[0035] Figure 10 An exploded view of another cell scratching device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0036] Figure 11 A perspective view of another cell scratching device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0037] Figure 12 A schematic diagram of an automated pipetting workstation provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the cell state before the scratching operation disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0039] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of cell scratches after manual scratching operation of the cell scratching device disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0040] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of cell scratches after automated scratching operation of the cell scratching device disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0041] In the diagram: 1-Adapter plate; 2-Scratch assembly; 3-Pattern;

[0042] 11-Adaptor part; 111-Adaptor hole;

[0043] 12-Mounting part; 121-Connection hole;

[0044] 13-First limiting boss;

[0045] 14 - Second limiting boss;

[0046] 21-Sleeve; 211-Hanging part; 212-Sleeve part; Sliding hole-213;

[0047] 22-Scribing needle; 221-Abutting part; 222-Sliding rod part; 223-Scribing part;

[0048] 31-Storage tank; 32-Liquid storage tank;

[0049] 100-Main unit; 200-Pipette; 300-Base; 400-Operating table; 500-Cell culture plate; 600-Cell scratching device;

[0050] 210 - Pipette of automated pipetting workstation; 210a - Pipette tip. Detailed Implementation

[0051] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without novelty are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0052] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "upper," "lower," "top surface," "bottom surface," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the position or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0053] See Figures 1 to 9 This application provides a cell scratching device 600, including an adapter plate 1 and a scratching component 2. The adapter plate 1 includes a mounting part 12 and an adapter part 11 for installation in an automated pipetting workstation. The adapter part 11 is provided with at least one row of adapter holes 111, and the row of adapter holes 111 includes at least two adapter holes 111. The scratching component 2 is embedded in the adapter holes 111.

[0054] When the cell scratching device 600 described in this application is used, the mounting part 12 is installed on the pipette head of the automated pipetting workstation, and the cell culture plate 500 is placed on the automated pipetting workstation operating table 400 below the scratching component 2. The automated pipetting workstation pipetting device 200 drives the adapter plate 1 to move up and down, and the automated pipetting workstation operating table 400 carries the cell culture plate 500 to move horizontally. At this time, the scratching component 2 creates scratches on the cell culture plate 500, thereby realizing the efficient automatic scratching operation of the cell scratching device 600, realizing the automation of the scratching operation on the cell culture plate 500, and improving the scratching accuracy and efficiency.

[0055] Because the scratching component 2 is embedded in the adapter hole 111, when the scratching component 2 comes into contact with the cell culture plate 500, each scratching component 2 can slide independently in the direction of gravity for height compensation. Therefore, it can be ensured that when the automated pipetting workstation creates scratches, after the Z-axis (direction of gravity) of the pipetting device 200 drives the cell scratching device 600 to a certain working height, each scratching component 2 can make perfect contact with the cell culture plate 500 without individual adjustment, thereby improving experimental efficiency and ensuring the consistency of scratch width.

[0056] In addition, for cell culture plates 500 from multiple brands and models, even if there is a height difference at the bottom of the plate due to different specifications, the scratching needles 22 of the scratching component 2 can slide in the direction of gravity to compensate for the overall height, thus ensuring the perfection of the scratching operation.

[0057] It should be noted that, specifically, the scribing needle 22 hangs naturally under its own weight, and the diameter of the sliding rod 222 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the sliding hole 213 of the sleeve 21. The two fit together precisely, allowing the scribing needle 22 to slide smoothly up and down within the sleeve 21 (but without lateral swaying). Multiple adapter holes 111 are arranged in rows in the adapter part 11, and the distance between adjacent adapter holes 111 is consistent with the hole spacing of the cell culture plate 500. Specifically, there are multiple adapter holes 111; preferably, there are 16 adapter holes 111 arranged symmetrically in two rows in the adapter part 11. Specifically, the operator can select adapter plates 1 with different distances between adjacent adapter holes 111 according to the usage requirements to create scribing marks on cell culture plates 500 of different specifications.

[0058] The mounting portion 12 of the adapter plate 1 described above can be installed and mated with the pipette head 210a of an automated pipetting workstation. Specifically, the mounting portion 12 includes insertion holes 121 for mating with the pipette head 210a of the automated pipetting workstation. The illustration shows four insertion holes 121, but the number of insertion holes 121 can also be two or three. The insertion holes 121 can be mated with four adjacent pipette heads 210a, two pipette heads 210a, or three pipette heads 210a simultaneously. Of course, the number of insertion holes 121 can also be one.

[0059] In the diagram, there are four mounting parts 12, which are arranged at the corners of the adapter 11, avoiding the position of the adapter hole 111. In addition to four, two, three, etc. can also be arranged, that is, there are at least two mounting parts 12, and at least two mounting parts 12 are arranged at the corners of the adapter 11.

[0060] To optimize the above technical solution, the adapter plate 1 further includes a mounting portion 12, which has a insertion hole 121 that fits tightly with the pipette tip 210a of the automated pipetting workstation. In some embodiments of this application, the mounting portion 12 may be made of metal, and its diameter is the same as that of the pipette tip 210a. A magnetic suction element is arranged inside the insertion hole 121. The pipette tip 210a of the automated pipetting workstation is made of metal, and the magnetic suction element is used to hold the pipette tip 210a. In use, the automated pipetting workstation controls the pipette tip 210a to move downward until it is inserted into the insertion hole 121, and the magnetic suction element holds the pipette tip 210a to achieve a tight fit between the adapter plate 1 and the pipette tip 210a. This arrangement enables a tight fit between the adapter plate 1 and the pipette tip 210a, allowing the pipette tip 210a to drive the adapter plate 1 to move stably, thereby maintaining the stability of the scratching assembly 2 during scratching and further improving the accuracy of the scratching.

[0061] The side wall of the pipette head 210a has a groove, and the insertion hole 121 has a positioning pin arranged inside to lock the groove. When the pipette head 210a moves down until it is inserted into the insertion hole 121, the positioning pin is locked inside the groove to further fix the pipette head 210a and the mounting part 12.

[0062] The mounting part 12 can be an elastic element. Specifically, the mounting part 12 is made of a soft, elastic material, including but not limited to nylon, and the diameter of the insertion hole 121 can be slightly smaller than the diameter of the pipette tip 210a. In use, the automated pipetting workstation controls the pipette tip 210a to move downwards until it is inserted into the insertion hole 121. The mounting part 12 wraps around the pipette tip 210a to stabilize it, thereby achieving a tight fit between the adapter plate 1 and the pipette tip 210a. This arrangement allows for a tight fit between the adapter plate 1 and the pipette tip 210a, enabling the pipette tip 210a to drive the adapter plate 1 to move stably, maintaining the stability of the scratching assembly 2 during scratching, and further improving the accuracy of scratching.

[0063] Furthermore, the adapter plate 1 can also be made of nylon and machined by CNC machine tools. Nylon is readily available and has a low cost. This design can reduce the overall production cost of the cell scratching device 600 while ensuring the scratching effect of the cell scratching device 600, and improve the ease of production of the cell scratching device 600.

[0064] In the figure, the adapter 11 also includes a first limiting boss 13, which is located in the middle of the adapter 11. At least one row of adapter holes 111 are arranged on the first limiting boss 13. The first limiting boss 13 may protrude from the plate surface of the adapter 11 on a first end face, or from the plate surface of the adapter 11 on a second end face, or from both the first and second end faces. The first and second end faces are two opposite end faces, and the mounting part 12 is arranged on the first end face.

[0065] Furthermore, the adapter 11 also includes a second limiting boss 14, which is arranged opposite to the mounting part 12. The second limiting boss 14 is located on one side of the first limiting boss 13. When there are two second limiting bosses 14, the two second limiting bosses 14 are located on both sides of the first limiting boss 13.

[0066] Combination Figure 1 See Figures 6 to 9 The scratching component 2 includes a sleeve 21 and a scratching needle 22. The sleeve 21 is embedded in the adapter hole 111 along the direction of gravity, and the scratching needle 22 is slidably installed in the sleeve 21 along the direction of gravity. The adapter part 11 has multiple adapter holes 111. The operator can fix multiple scratching components 2 in the adapter holes 111 as needed, leaving multiple adapter holes 111 for installing sleeves 21 of different specifications, thereby adapting to scratching components 2 of other specifications, expanding the types of cell culture plates 500 that the cell scratching device 600 can adapt to, and improving the flexibility of the cell scratching device 600 in use.

[0067] Furthermore, the scriber 22 can also be arranged inside the sleeve 21 by means of magnetism, the elastic force of a spring, etc.

[0068] The sleeve 21 includes a hanging part 211, a sleeve part 212 and a sliding hole 213 connected in sequence. The outer diameter of the hanging part 211 is larger than the diameter of the adapter hole 111, and the outer diameter of the sleeve part 212 is equal to the diameter of the adapter hole 111. The sliding hole 213 penetrates the hanging part 211 and the sleeve part 212. The scriber 22 includes an abutting part 221, a sliding rod part 222 and a scratching part 223 connected in sequence. The outer diameter of the abutting part 221 is larger than the diameter of the sliding hole 213, and the outer diameters of the sliding rod part 222 and the scratching part 223 are both smaller than the diameter of the sliding hole 213.

[0069] The scratching needle 22 can be made of plastic, ceramic, or metal. Specifically, the scratching component 2 can be made of plastics such as Teflon, special ceramics, or metals such as titanium or tungsten. Specifically, this application preferably uses high corrosion-resistant mold steel for the scratching component 2; other materials are also within the scope of this application and will not be elaborated upon here. It should be noted that existing automated scratching instruments use a small robotic arm to move the scratching component 2 and automatically create scratches on the cell culture plate 500. The automated scratching instruments used in this method have limited functionality and are expensive. The scratching part 223 of the scratching component 2 is made of a single material (Teflon), and the scratching component 2 is small and delicate, easily deformed by external forces, resulting in uneven needle tips, uneven scratch width, and damage to the bottom of the consumable plate. This affects the accuracy of the scratching software's interpretation. Therefore, it must be replaced after any bump or contact with foreign objects, making it a consumable material and expensive (over ten thousand yuan for 8 needles). The cell scratching device 600 provided in this application is not limited by the material of the scratching component 2, which can greatly extend the service life of the scratching component 2 and significantly reduce the production cost.

[0070] The scratching part 223 is a polishing needle. Specifically, by performing mirror polishing on the scratching part 223 that contacts the cells, the scratching part 223 can be made smooth, so that the scratching part 2 will not scratch the cell culture plate 500 and the scratching part 223 will not be easily damaged. It can be used for a long time after a one-time investment, thus further extending the service life of the scratching part 2.

[0071] Combination Figure 1 See Figure 10 and Figure 11 The cell scratching device 600 may further include a tray 3, with a storage groove 31 in the center. The position of the storage groove 31 corresponds to the position of the first limiting boss 13. When the tray 3 is placed at the bottom of the adapter plate 1, the scratching component 2 is placed inside the storage groove 31. Specifically, the tray 3 is used to receive the adapter plate 1. During the scratching operation of the cell culture plate 500, the tray 3 and the adapter plate 1 are arranged separately. After the scratching operation of the cell culture plate 500 is completed, the adapter plate 1 can be removed from the pipette head 210a of the automated pipetting workstation (without affecting other operations of the automated pipetting workstation) and placed on the tray 3. At this time, the first limiting boss 13 is placed above the storage groove 31, and the scratching component 2 is placed inside the storage groove 31. This arrangement allows the cell scratching device 600 to be easily stored even when no scratching operation is being performed. This arrangement protects the scratched part 223, thereby extending the service life of the scratching assembly 2 and improving the accuracy of the scratches.

[0072] To optimize the above technical solution, the shape of the second limiting boss 14 of the adapter plate 1 is adapted to the shape of the liquid storage tank 32. When the tray 3 is placed at the bottom of the adapter plate 1, the second limiting boss 14 cooperates with the liquid storage tank 32. Specifically, when the tray 3 is placed at the bottom of the adapter plate 1, the first limiting boss 13 cooperates with the storage tank 31, and the second limiting boss 14 cooperates with the liquid storage tank 32, with the outer periphery of the second limiting boss 14 fitting against the tank wall of the liquid storage tank 32. Furthermore, one side of the second limiting boss 14 has a rounded chamfer, and the other side has a right-angle chamfer, to match the tray 3 and prevent reverse installation. This arrangement can further stabilize the tray 3 and the adapter plate 1, preventing relative sliding, thereby improving the stability of the cell scratching device 600 when stationary and extending the service life of the cell scratching device 600.

[0073] The scratching component 2 extends through the first limiting protrusion 13 to scratch the cell culture plate 500. The first limiting protrusion 13 is positioned close to the scratching portion 223 of the scratching component 2, and its shape is adapted to the shape of the storage groove 31. When the tray 3 is positioned at the bottom of the adapter plate 1, the first limiting protrusion 13 engages with the storage groove 31, and the outer periphery of the first limiting protrusion 13 fits against the hole wall of the storage groove 31. Simultaneously, the design of the first limiting protrusion 13 allows for thickening, facilitating the embedding of the scratching component 2 within the adapter hole 111. This arrangement stabilizes the tray 3 and the adapter plate 1, preventing relative slippage and thus improving the stability of the cell scratching device 600 during static placement, extending its service life.

[0074] In some embodiments, the tray 3 further includes a liquid storage tank 32, which is arranged on one or both sides of the storage tank 31 to store the treatment fluid for the scratching needle 22 assembly. Specifically, there is one or more liquid storage tanks 32, and the arrangement of the liquid storage tanks 32 is parallel to the arrangement of the storage tank 31. Specifically, the treatment fluid includes, but is not limited to, cleaning fluid, disinfectant, etc. The operator can select trays 3 with different numbers of liquid storage tanks 32 according to the needs of treating the scratching assembly 2. Taking a tray 3 comprising two reservoirs 32, with the cleaning solution and disinfectant solution stored inside the two reservoirs 32 respectively, as an example, during use, the automated pipetting workstation control panel 400 moves the tray 3 horizontally below the adapter plate 1. The pipette head 210a drives the adapter plate 1 downward, bringing the lower part of the streak 22 into the interior of one reservoir 32. The cleaning solution cleans the part of the streak 22 that is in contact with the cells and culture medium. Subsequently, the pipette head 210a drives the adapter plate 1 upward and moves the control panel 400 horizontally, moving the adapter plate 1 downward again to the interior of the other reservoir 32. The disinfectant solution disinfects the part of the streak 22 that is in contact with the cells and culture medium. The pipette head 210a again drives the adapter plate 1 upward and moves the control panel 400 horizontally to the storage tank 31. The streaking assembly 2 is then processed and placed inside the storage tank 31. Specifically, this application preferably includes a tray 3 comprising four reservoirs 32, symmetrically distributed on both sides of the storage tank 31. By arranging the liquid storage tank 32, the cleaning and disinfection of the scratch component 2 can be automated, thereby further protecting the scratch component 2 from contamination and improving the reliability of the scratch component 2 in scratching.

[0075] Combination Figure 10 and Figure 11 See Figure 12 This application provides an automated pipetting workstation, including a host 100, a pipetting device 200, and a cell scratching device 600 as described above. The mounting part 12 of the cell scratching device 600 is mounted on the pipetting head 210a of the pipetting device 200. The pipetting device 200 can move up and down relative to the host 100, and the operating table 400 can move left and right relative to the host 100. Since the cell scratching device 600 has the above-mentioned effects, the automated pipetting workstation including the cell scratching device 600 has corresponding effects, which will not be described in detail here.

[0076] It should be noted that the automated pipetting workstation and pipette tip 210a are existing technologies. In use, the operator can achieve fully automated marking simply by connecting the adapter plate 1 to the pipette tip 210a, making it very convenient to use. The aforementioned pipetting device 200 can reciprocate relative to the main unit 100 in the Z-axis direction (vertical direction), and the operating table 400 can reciprocate relative to the main unit 100 in the X-axis direction (horizontal direction). The pipette 210 of the automated pipetting workstation pipetting device with integrated pipette tip 210a is mounted on the pipetting device 200, is part of the automated pipetting workstation, and can move with the pipetting device 200 in the Z-axis direction.

[0077] The automated pipetting workstation shown in the diagram may also include a base 300 and an operating table 400, with the operating table 400 arranged on the base 300 to facilitate support of the cell culture plate 500.

[0078] The automated pipetting workstation may also include a controller that pre-stores operating programs. According to these operating programs, the pipetting device 200 and the operating table 400 can execute "cell scratch creation" instructions and control the pipetting device 200 and the operating table 400 to move in the vertical and horizontal directions to realize the processing of the scratch component 2 and the scratching operation of the scratch component 2.

[0079] Operators can adjust the movement trajectory of the pipetting device 200 and the operating table 400 of the automated pipetting workstation according to the scratching requirements of the cell culture plate 500, thereby improving the flexibility of the cell scratching device 600.

[0080] It should be noted that the cell scratching device 600 and automated pipetting workstation provided in this application can be used in the field of experimental equipment technology or other fields. Other fields refer to any field other than the field of experimental equipment technology. The above are merely examples and do not limit the application areas of the cell scratching device 600 and automated pipetting workstation provided in this application.

[0081] The cell scratching device 600 described in this application can be used not only in automated pipetting workstations but also for manual scratching operations. In use, simply fix the pipette tip 210a to the adapter plate 1 of the cell scratching device 600. At this time, the position of the scratching component 2 is fixed. Place the scratching component 2 inside the cell culture plate 500, and the operator can gently push the cell culture plate 500 to achieve scratching. In summary, the cell scratching device 600 disclosed in this application can achieve both fully automated and manual scratching, offering high flexibility in use.

[0082] This application also includes a method for scratching a cell culture plate 500, which involves adding a pre-made wound-healing insert to the cell culture plate 500 before culturing cells to create a "scratch" area of ​​a defined width. After cell seeding and adherent culture, the insert is removed and culture medium is added. However, such inserts are not reusable, and repeated operations have an uncontrollable impact on the bottom of the cell culture plate 500, potentially leading to contamination and affecting experimental reproducibility while significantly increasing experimental costs.

[0083] The cell scratching device 600 disclosed in this application achieves automated scratching, has high experimental repeatability, and the scratching component 2 made of special material also protects the bottom of the cell culture plate 500. It has high scratching accuracy and low operating cost.

[0084] See Figures 13 to 15 ,in, Figure 13 The diagram shown illustrates the cell state before the scratching operation; as follows: Figure 14 A schematic diagram of cell scratches after manual scratching operation of the Cell Scratching Device 600; Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of cell scratches after automatic scratching operation by the cell scratching device 600. Comparison shows that the cell scratching device 600 disclosed in this application can achieve both automatic and manual scratching methods, and the scratches are clearly visible, facilitating subsequent observation and analysis.

[0085] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use 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 shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

[0086] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "an embodiment," "example," "specific example," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0087] The preferred embodiments disclosed above are merely illustrative of this application. These preferred embodiments do not exhaustively describe all details, nor do they limit the application to any specific implementation. Clearly, many modifications and variations can be made based on the content of this specification. The selection and detailed description of these embodiments in this specification are intended to better explain the principles and practical applications of this application, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to better understand and utilize this application. This application is limited only by the claims and their full scope and equivalents.

Claims

1. A cell scratching device, characterized in that, The device includes an adapter plate and a scratching assembly. The adapter plate includes a mounting part and an adapter part for installation on an automated pipetting workstation. The adapter part is provided with at least one row of adapter holes, and the row of adapter holes includes at least two adapter holes. The scratching assembly is embedded in the adapter holes, and the scratching needle hangs in the adapter holes under its own weight.

2. The cell scratching device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The mounting section includes a insertion hole for engaging with the pipette tip of the automated pipetting workstation.

3. The cell scratching device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The number of mounting parts is at least two, and at least two mounting parts are arranged at the corners of the adapter; each mounting part is provided with at least two insertion holes, and each insertion hole is inserted into and engaged with one of the pipette tips.

4. The cell scratching device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The adapter also includes a first limiting boss, which is located in the middle of the adapter, and at least one row of adapter holes is arranged on the first limiting boss.

5. The cell scratching device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The adapter also includes a second limiting boss, which is arranged opposite to the mounting part.

6. The cell scratching device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The scratching assembly includes a sleeve and a scratching needle. The sleeve is embedded in the adapter hole, and the scratching needle is slidably mounted in the sliding hole of the sleeve along the direction of gravity.

7. The cell scratching device as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The sleeve includes a hanging part, a sleeve part, and a sliding hole connected in sequence. The outer diameter of the hanging part is larger than the diameter of the adapter hole, and the outer diameter of the sleeve part is equal to the diameter of the adapter hole. The sliding hole passes through the hanging part and the sleeve part. and / or The scriber includes an abutment portion, a sliding rod portion, and a scratching portion connected in sequence. The outer diameter of the abutment portion is larger than the diameter of the sliding hole, while the outer diameters of the sliding rod portion and the scratching portion are both smaller than the diameter of the sliding hole.

8. The cell scratching device as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The scriber is made of plastic, ceramic, or metal. and / or The scratched area is a polishing needle.

9. The cell scratching device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The cell scratching device includes a tray, which includes a liquid reservoir and a storage tank. The liquid reservoir is arranged on one or both sides of the storage tank and is used to store the treatment fluid of the scratching needle assembly.

10. An automated pipetting workstation, characterized in that, The device includes a main unit, a pipetting apparatus, and a cell scratching device as described in any one of claims 1-9, wherein the mounting portion of the cell scratching device is mounted on the pipetting head of the pipetting apparatus, and the pipetting apparatus is movable relative to the main unit.

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