Microcell culture device, culture slide and microscope structure

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of miniature cell culture device, culture sliding table and microscope structure.Minisize cell culture device includes main plate, upper cover assembly and environment control component.Main plate is opened with open slot, for accommodating the multi-well plate component of sample bearing;Upper cover assembly is set on the surface of open slot, and upper cover assembly includes optical glass;Environment control component is set in main plate.Environment control component includes humidity sensor and CO2 sensor, humidity sensor is set on the outer wall of open slot, for monitoring the humidity in open slot;CO2 sensor is set on the outer wall of open slot, for monitoring the CO2 concentration in open slot.Minisize cell culture device is provided by opening open slot and setting environment control component, and provides the continuous, stable in-situ culture environment for cell on multi-well plate component, and can be observed in-situ through upper cover assembly, eliminates the experimental error introduced due to environmental fluctuation, ensures the authenticity, reliability and repeatability of live cell imaging data.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of biotechnology, specifically relating to a micro cell culture device, a culture slide, and a microscope assembly. Background Technology

[0002] Live-cell imaging and observation is one of the core technologies in modern life sciences, medicine, and drug development. It requires long-term, high-frequency microscopic observation of cells during research to obtain dynamic data on cell growth, differentiation, interactions, and responses to external stimuli. Currently, the standard procedure for live-cell culture is as follows: cells are seeded in culture dishes, well plates, or other consumables and placed in a separate CO2 incubator for culture; when observation is needed, the cell consumables are removed from the incubator and placed on a standard slide of a microscope for brief observation. After observation, the cells are quickly returned to the incubator.

[0003] In conventional procedures, the critical environmental parameters of cells, such as temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide concentration, fluctuate drastically during the process of removing cells from the incubator and returning them, making it impossible to maintain a steady state. This not only affects the normal physiological state of cells, leading to distorted observation data, but can also cause irreversible damage to cells due to frequent environmental changes, even resulting in cell death, making real-time continuous observation impossible. Secondly, for experiments requiring long-term, multi-time-point observation, researchers need to repeatedly remove and return cell samples, greatly increasing their workload and making it impossible to perform automated timed imaging in unattended situations (such as at night). In addition, while some standalone "live cell culture dishes" or small "temperature-controlled chambers" exist on the market, they are usually expensive, have poor compatibility with microscope stages, and are difficult to simultaneously adapt to the wide variety of cell culture consumables available on the market.

[0004] The information disclosed in this background section is intended only to enhance the understanding of the overall background of this utility model and should not be construed as an admission or in any way implying that the information constitutes prior art known to those skilled in the art. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a micro cell culture device that can provide a continuous and stable in-situ culture environment and allows for direct observation.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, a specific embodiment of this utility model provides a micro cell culture device, which includes a main body plate, a top cover assembly, and an environmental control component. The main body plate has a perforated groove for accommodating a multi-well plate assembly carrying a sample; the top cover assembly is disposed on the surface of the perforated groove, and the top cover assembly includes optical glass; the environmental control component is disposed within the main body plate. The environmental control component includes a humidity sensor and a CO2 sensor. The humidity sensor is disposed on the outer wall of the perforated groove for monitoring the humidity within the perforated groove; the CO2 sensor is disposed on the outer wall of the perforated groove for monitoring the CO2 concentration within the perforated groove.

[0007] In one or more embodiments of this utility model, the environmental control component further includes a heating element, a temperature sensor, and a temperature protection module. The heating element is disposed along the circumference of the hollow groove on the outer wall of the hollow groove; the temperature sensor is connected to the heating element for monitoring the temperature inside the hollow groove; and the temperature protection module is connected to the heating element.

[0008] In one or more embodiments of this utility model, the main body plate is a thermally conductive metal main body plate.

[0009] In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the upper cover assembly further includes a cover body with an observation port, the optical glass being disposed at the observation port and closing the observation port; the cover body is disposed above the hollow groove and forms an accommodating space between the hollow groove and the hollow groove for accommodating the perforated plate assembly.

[0010] In one or more embodiments of this utility model, the side wall of the cover is provided with an air inlet for conveying mixed gas into the hollow groove.

[0011] In one or more embodiments of this utility model, a plurality of feeding holes are spaced apart on the side wall of the cover for feeding raw materials into the perforated plate assembly.

[0012] In one or more embodiments of this utility model, the bottom of the hollow groove is provided with a flange along its circumference that abuts against the perforated plate assembly, for supporting the perforated plate assembly.

[0013] In one or more embodiments of this utility model, guide slopes inclined toward the hollow groove are provided on both sides of the hollow groove.

[0014] Compared with existing technologies, this novel micro-cell culture device provides a continuous and stable in-situ culture environment for cells on the multi-well plate assembly within the perforated slots and environmental control components on the main body plate. Direct in-situ observation is possible through the top cover assembly, eliminating experimental errors introduced by environmental fluctuations caused by cell transfer in traditional methods. This ensures the authenticity, reliability, and reproducibility of live cell imaging data. The environmental control components, located on the main body plate, integrate temperature, gas, and humidity control functions, achieving control precision comparable to commercial incubators, far exceeding that of simple stage heating plates. Furthermore, the perforated slots are adaptable to various multi-well plate assemblies, providing better compatibility.

[0015] Another specific embodiment of this utility model provides a culture slide, which includes a slide base plate, a slide middle plate, a slide upper plate, and the micro cell culture device of any of the above embodiments. The slide middle plate is slidably disposed on the slide base plate and can move along the length direction of the slide base plate; the slide upper plate is slidably disposed on the slide middle plate and can move along the width direction of the slide base plate; the micro cell culture device is disposed on the slide upper plate and can move together with the slide upper plate.

[0016] Compared with existing technologies, the culture stage of this invention is equipped with a miniature cell culture device, integrating multiple functions such as temperature control, gas control, and humidity control required for cell culture, thus enabling direct cell culture. The middle plate and upper plate of the stage can move relative to the bottom plate, moving the miniature cell culture device to a designated position to achieve in-situ cell growth and observation. Furthermore, this culture stage can directly replace the standard stage of existing microscopes, eliminating the need for a dedicated live-cell imaging system and improving microscopic imaging capabilities at a lower cost.

[0017] Another specific embodiment of this utility model provides a microscope structure, which includes a base, the aforementioned culture slide, and a microscope. The culture slide is disposed on the base; the microscope is disposed above the base.

[0018] Compared with existing technologies, the culture stage of the microscope structure of this invention integrates multiple functions such as temperature control, gas control, and humidity control required for cell culture, enabling in situ cell growth. The culture stage can then be moved below the microscope for cell observation, avoiding experimental errors introduced by environmental fluctuations and ensuring the authenticity, reliability, and reproducibility of live cell imaging data. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model 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 recorded in this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a micro cell culture device in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of a micro cell culture device in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a culture slide in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the microscope structure in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Explanation of key figure labels:

[0025] 1-Main body plate, 11-Hollow groove, 111-Flange, 112-Guide slope, 2-Upper cover assembly, 21-Cover body, 211-Air inlet, 212-Feeding hole, 22-Optical glass, 3-Environmental control components, 31-Heating element, 32-Humidity sensor, 33-CO2 sensor, 4-Cultivation slide, 41-Slide base plate, 411-First guide rail, 412-First drive mechanism, 42-Slide middle plate, 421-Second guide rail, 422-Second drive mechanism, 43-Slide upper plate, 44-Miniature cell culture device, 5-Base, 51-Microscope. Detailed Implementation

[0026] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions in this disclosure, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this disclosure, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0027] like Figures 1-2As shown, a micro cell culture device according to one embodiment of this utility model includes a main body plate 1, a top cover assembly 2, and an environmental control component 3. The main body plate 1 has a perforated groove 11 for accommodating a multi-well plate assembly carrying samples for cell culture. The top cover assembly 2 is disposed on the surface of the perforated groove 11 and includes optical glass 22, providing an observation channel for cell observation. The environmental control component 3 is disposed within the main body plate 1 and is used to control the sample culture environment within the perforated groove 11. The environmental control component 3 includes a humidity sensor 32 and a CO2 sensor 33. The humidity sensor 32 is disposed on the outer wall of the perforated groove 11 to monitor the humidity within the perforated groove 11, facilitating timely acquisition, recording, and adjustment of humidity information by the experimenter. The CO2 sensor 33 is disposed on the outer wall of the perforated groove 11 to monitor the CO2 concentration within the perforated groove 11, facilitating timely acquisition, recording, and adjustment of CO2 concentration information by the experimenter.

[0028] Specifically, this micro cell culture device features a perforated groove 11 on the main plate 1 to accommodate different multi-well plate components, allowing direct cell culture on these components. The environmental control component 3 can control the culture environment within the perforated groove 11 in real time to ensure normal cell growth and biological activity. Furthermore, the top cover assembly 2 is equipped with an optical glass 22, allowing direct in-situ observation of cells through the glass. This eliminates experimental errors introduced by environmental fluctuations in traditional methods, ensuring the authenticity, reliability, and reproducibility of live cell imaging data.

[0029] In one embodiment, the environmental control component 3 further includes a heating element 31, a temperature sensor (not shown in the figure), and a temperature protection module (not shown in the figure). The heating element 31 is arranged circumferentially along the outer wall of the perforated groove 11, thereby uniformly heating the multi-well plate assembly within the perforated groove 11, ensuring uniform heat distribution to the cells and preventing localized overheating that could affect cell viability. The temperature sensor is connected to the heating element 31 and is used to monitor the temperature within the perforated groove 11, allowing real-time acquisition of the temperature at the multi-well plate assembly. This enables researchers to record the cell culture temperature and adjust it accordingly. The temperature protection module is connected to the heating element 31 and may be, for example, a bimetallic thermostat or an electronic temperature protection module with a control circuit and actuator. When the culture process requires overnight unattended operation, and the culture temperature at the multi-well plate assembly becomes too high, the temperature protection module automatically cuts off power, and the heating element 31 stops heating, effectively preventing overheating and cell inactivation.

[0030] Understandably, the aforementioned environmental control component 3 can be equipped with a corresponding control system. The control system allows for fully automated programming and control via software, enabling unattended experiments of the micro cell culture device across day and night, thereby improving the efficiency of cell culture and other related work.

[0031] Furthermore, in order to ensure that the cells can receive the heat required for growth evenly and efficiently during the culture process, in one embodiment, the main body plate 1 is a thermally conductive metal main body plate 1, such as an aluminum main body plate 1.

[0032] The main plate 1 has a perforated groove 11 and an environmental control component 3, enabling cell culture within the multi-well plate assembly. To avoid experimental errors introduced by environmental fluctuations and ensure the authenticity, reliability, and reproducibility of live cell imaging data, it is necessary to ensure in-situ observation of live cells. In one embodiment, the upper cover assembly 2 also includes a cover 21 with an observation port. An optical glass 22 is positioned at the observation port and seals it, preventing the cell culture from being affected by the external environment if the observation port is open. The cover 21 covers the perforated groove 11, forming a receiving space between it and the perforated groove 11 to accommodate the multi-well plate assembly. With this configuration, operators can directly observe cells in situ through the observation port without removing the cells from the culture device, thus avoiding experimental errors caused by environmental fluctuations during cell transfer.

[0033] Furthermore, since raw materials may need to be added during the culture process to provide the necessary environment for cell culture, an air inlet 211 is provided on the side wall of the cover 21 for supplying a mixed gas, such as a mixture of carbon dioxide and nitrogen with a certain humidity, into the perforated groove 11. It is understood that during cell culture, the mixed gas continuously enters through the air inlet 211 and then exits from the bottom of the perforated groove 11. Because the continuous input of the mixed gas creates positive pressure, external gases will not enter the perforated groove 11. This design allows the mixed gas to be supplied into the perforated groove 11 without opening the cover 21, avoiding interference from the external environment caused by opening the cover 21.

[0034] In one embodiment, a plurality of feeding holes 212 are spaced apart on the side wall of the cover 21 for feeding raw materials into the multi-well plate assembly. For example, when the multi-well plate assembly in the hollow slot 11 is an organ-on-a-chip, the feeding pipeline can directly feed materials into the multi-well plate assembly through the feeding holes 212 on the cover 21. The feeding holes 212 can avoid the influence of the external environment and enable the micro cell culture device to be adapted to more types of multi-well plates.

[0035] In one embodiment, the bottom of the perforated groove 11 is provided with a flange 111 along its circumference to abut against the multiwell plate assembly, which is used to support the multiwell plate assembly and prevent it from falling out of the perforated groove 11, especially to prevent it from falling out during the overall movement of the micro cell culture device. Guide slopes 112 inclined inwards are provided on both sides of the perforated groove 11 to facilitate the placement and removal of the multiwell plate assembly by the experimenter. In addition, positioning holes can be provided at the four corners of the perforated groove 11 for positioning the multiwell plate assembly during installation, thereby ensuring the repeatability and accuracy of the multiwell plate assembly placement and facilitating automated scanning.

[0036] In summary, this novel micro-cell culture device provides a continuous and stable in-situ culture environment for cells on the multi-well plate assembly within the perforated groove 11 and the environmental control component 3, through the perforated groove 11 and the environmental control component 3 on the main plate 1. Direct observation via the top cover assembly 2 eliminates experimental errors introduced by environmental fluctuations caused by cell transfer in traditional methods, ensuring the authenticity, reliability, and reproducibility of live cell imaging data. The environmental control component 3, located on the main plate 1, integrates temperature, gas, and humidity control functions, achieving control precision at the level of commercial incubators, far exceeding that of simple stage heating plates. Furthermore, the perforated groove 11 can accommodate various multi-well plate assemblies, providing better adaptability.

[0037] like Figure 3 As shown, another embodiment of the present invention provides a culture slide 4, which includes a slide base plate 41, a slide middle plate 42, a slide upper plate 43, and the micro-culture device described in any of the above embodiments. The slide middle plate 42 is slidably disposed on the slide base plate 41 and can move along the length direction of the slide base plate 41. The slide upper plate 43 is slidably disposed on the slide middle plate 42 and can move along the width direction of the slide base plate 41 on the slide middle plate 42. The micro-cell culture device 44 is disposed on the slide upper plate 43 and can move together with the slide upper plate 43.

[0038] Specifically, the slide base plate 41 may be provided with a first guide rail 411 extending along the length direction (i.e., the X-axis direction) of the slide base plate 41, and the bottom of the slide middle plate 42 may be provided with a pulley or slider that cooperates with the first guide rail 411. A first drive mechanism 412 capable of driving the slide middle plate 42 to move is also provided on one side of the slide base plate 41. The first drive mechanism 412 is, for example, a drive motor. The slide middle plate 42 can be driven by the first drive mechanism 412 to move along the first guide rail on the slide base plate 41 along the length direction of the slide base plate 41, and the slide upper plate 43 can be driven by the slide middle plate 42 and move together with it. Similarly, the slide middle plate 42 may be provided with a second guide rail 421 extending along the width direction (i.e., the Y-axis direction) of the slide base plate 41, and the bottom of the slide upper plate 43 is provided with a pulley or slider that cooperates with the second guide rail 421. A second drive mechanism 422 is provided on one side of the slide middle plate 42. The second drive mechanism 422 can be, for example, a drive motor, so that the upper slide plate 43 can be driven by the second drive mechanism 422 to move along the guide rail on the middle slide plate 42 in the width direction of the slide base plate 41. This configuration enables the microcell culture device 44 to move along the X-axis and Y-axis directions on a horizontal plane.

[0039] In summary, the culture stage 4 is equipped with a miniature cell culture device 44 that integrates multiple functions required for cell culture, such as temperature control, gas control, and humidity control, allowing for direct cell culture. The middle plate 42 and the upper plate 43 of the stage can move relative to the bottom plate 41, moving the miniature cell culture device 44 to a designated position, thereby simultaneously achieving in-situ cell growth and observation, avoiding environmental fluctuations caused by cell transfer. Furthermore, this culture stage 4 can directly replace the standard stage of an existing microscope, eliminating the need for a dedicated live-cell imaging system and improving microscopic imaging capabilities at a lower cost.

[0040] like Figure 4 As shown, in another embodiment of this utility model, a microscope structure includes a base 5, a culture slide 4 as described in the above embodiment, and a microscope 51. The culture slide 4 is disposed on the base 5, and cell culture can be performed directly on the culture slide 4. The microscope 51 is disposed above the base 5 for observing the cells on the culture slide 4.

[0041] The culture stage 4 of this microscope structure integrates multiple functions such as temperature control, gas control, and humidity control required for cell culture, enabling in situ cell growth. Furthermore, the culture stage 4 can be moved below the microscope 51 to directly observe the cells, avoiding experimental errors introduced by environmental fluctuations during cell transfer and ensuring the authenticity, reliability, and reproducibility of live cell imaging data.

[0042] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this disclosure is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that this disclosure can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered in all respects as exemplary and non-limiting, and the scope of this disclosure is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims are intended to be included within this disclosure. No reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

[0043] Furthermore, it should be understood that although this specification describes embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This narrative style is merely for clarity. Those skilled in the art should consider the specification as a whole, and the technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A micro cell culture device, characterized in that, include: The main plate has a hollowed-out groove for accommodating a multi-hole plate assembly that holds the sample; A top cover assembly is disposed on the surface of the hollowed-out groove, the top cover assembly including optical glass; and An environmental control component is disposed within the main body plate; the environmental control component includes a humidity sensor and a CO2 sensor, the humidity sensor being disposed on the outer wall of the hollow groove for monitoring the humidity inside the hollow groove; the CO2 sensor being disposed on the outer wall of the hollow groove for monitoring the CO2 concentration inside the hollow groove.

2. The micro cell culture device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The environmental control component also includes: A heating element is disposed on the outer wall of the hollowed-out groove along the circumference of the hollowed-out groove; A temperature sensor, connected to the heating element, is used to monitor the temperature within the hollowed-out groove; and A temperature protection module is connected to the heating element.

3. The cell culture apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main body plate is a thermally conductive metal main body plate.

4. The micro cell culture device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper cover assembly also includes a cover body with an observation port, the optical glass being disposed at the observation port and closing the observation port; the cover body covers the hollow groove and forms an accommodating space between the hollow groove and the hollow groove for accommodating the perforated plate assembly.

5. The micro cell culture device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The side wall of the cover is provided with an air inlet for conveying mixed gas into the hollow groove.

6. The micro cell culture device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The side wall of the cover is provided with multiple feeding holes at intervals for feeding raw materials into the perforated plate assembly.

7. The micro cell culture device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom of the hollow groove is provided with a flange along its circumference that abuts against the perforated plate assembly, and is used to support the perforated plate assembly.

8. The micro cell culture device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hollow groove has guide slopes on both sides that slope inwards into the hollow groove.

9. A culture slide, characterized in that, include: Slide base plate; The middle plate of the slide table is slidably disposed on the bottom plate of the slide table and can move along the length direction of the bottom plate of the slide table; The upper slide plate is slidably mounted on the middle slide plate and can move along the width direction of the bottom slide plate on the middle slide plate; and The micro cell culture device as described in any one of claims 1-8 is disposed on the upper plate of the slide and is movable together with the upper plate of the slide.

10. A microscope structure, characterized in that, include: Base; The culture slide as described in claim 9 is disposed on the base; and A microscope is positioned above the base.

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