Container for biological material, container kit for biological material, and implement-containing container

Abstract

To provide a container for biological material capable of effectively preventing the intrusion of foreign matter into the space containing the biological material when the space is opened.SOLUTION: A biological material container 10 includes a container body member 20 having a bottom and a side wall 24, and a cover member 30 configured to cover the opening of the container body member 20. Sealing is established between the outer surface 24S1 of the side wall 24 of the container body member 20 and the cover member 30.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a biological material container, a biological material container kit, and a container with instruments. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, a cell culture vessel is required to close the cell culture space located therein to isolate the cell culture space from bacteria that may affect the cells. Also, as disclosed in Patent Document 2, a cell culture vessel may be used in a closed cell culture system with the cell culture space located therein closed to isolate the cell culture space from bacteria that may affect the cells. On the other hand, for example, after cell culture is completed, the cell culture vessel is cut or divided to open the cell culture space for the purpose of taking out the cultured cells. At this time, it is expected that foreign matter will be generated due to the cutting or division. And, if this foreign matter falls into the cell culture space, it is expected that the foreign matter will harm the cells.

[0003] It should be noted that isolation from bacteria is required not only for cells, but also for general biological materials including, for example, secretory substances secreted from cells. When opening the biological material storage space that stores the biological material, foreign matter is expected to be generated due to cutting or division. If this foreign matter falls into the internal space, it may harm the biological material. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-33318 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2018-61519 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above points, and aims to effectively prevent foreign matter from entering a space containing a biological material when the space is opened. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A first biological material container according to the present disclosure includes: a container body member having a bottom and a sidewall; a cover member for covering an opening of the container body member, A seal is formed between the outer surface of the side wall portion of the container body member and the cover member.

[0007] In the first biological material container according to the present disclosure, the cover member may include a separating portion located between the sealed point between the side wall portion and a position facing an edge portion of the side wall portion spaced from the bottom, the separating portion having a configuration that makes the cover member easy to separate.

[0008] A first biological material container according to the present disclosure includes: a tubular member connected to the container body member and forming a passageway leading to a space between the container body member and the cover member; The container body member may have a guide portion that guides liquid within the container body member to the tubular member.

[0009] In the first biological material container according to the present disclosure, the induction portion may be provided between the connection point of the tubular member to the side wall portion and the bottom portion, and may include an inclined surface inclined relative to the bottom portion.

[0010] A first biological material container according to the present disclosure includes: a tubular member connected to the container body member or the cover member and forming a passageway leading to a space between the container body member and the cover member; At least one of the container body member and the cover member may have a guide portion that guides the liquid supplied from the tubular member to the bottom of the container body member.

[0011] In the first biological material container according to the present disclosure, the induction portion may have a rod-shaped portion, a plate-shaped portion or a tubular portion provided between the bottom and the connection point of the tubular member to the container body member or the cover member.

[0012] A first biological material container according to the present disclosure includes: a tubular member connected to the container body member or the cover member and forming a passageway leading to a space between the container body member and the cover member; At least one of the container body member and the cover member may have a shielding portion that covers a connection port of the passage to the container body member or the cover member.

[0013] The first biological material container according to the present disclosure may further include a tubular member connected to a position of the cover member between the sealed point between the side wall portion and a position facing the edge portion of the side wall portion spaced from the bottom, forming a passage leading to the space between the container body member and the cover member.

[0014] A first biological material container according to the present disclosure includes: The container further includes a sealing material provided between the side wall portion of the container body member and the cover member, the sealing material sealing the gap between the side wall portion and the cover member, At least one of the container body member and the cover member may have a shielding portion that covers a gap between the cover member and an edge portion of the side wall portion opposite the bottom portion.

[0015] In the first biological material container according to the present disclosure, the cover member may have a plate-shaped lid top portion covering the opening of the container body member, and a lid side wall portion connected to the lid top portion to seal between the lid top portion and the side wall portion.

[0016] In the first biological material container according to the present disclosure, the cover member may have a flexible bag material.

[0017] The first biological material container according to the present disclosure may further include a tubular member that penetrates the bag material and is inserted into the space between the cover member and the container body member.

[0018] In the first biological material container according to the present disclosure, the bag material may have a starting portion in an area that can be positioned in a position that does not face the opening of the container body member, the starting portion being configured to serve as a position at which cutting of the bag material begins.

[0019] In the first biological material container according to the present disclosure, the bag material may have a cutting portion in an area that can be positioned in a position that does not face the opening of the container body member, the cutting portion having a configuration that makes it easier to cut the bag material.

[0020] In a first biological material container according to the present disclosure, The bag material has a closed internal space, The container body member may be disposed in the internal space of the bag material.

[0021] In the first biological material container according to the present disclosure, the bag material may include a first film material facing the bottom, and a second film material connected to the first film material at a peripheral portion and facing the opening.

[0022] A first biological material container according to the present disclosure includes: The container further includes a lid member disposed in a space between the container body member and the bag material and fixed to the bag material, The lid material may have a plate-shaped lid top portion and a lid side wall portion connected to the lid top portion.

[0023] A first biological material container according to the present disclosure includes: The container further includes a lid material disposed in a space between the container body member and the bag material and fixed to the second film material, The lid material may have a plate-shaped lid top portion and a lid side wall portion connected to the lid top portion.

[0024] In the first biological material container according to the present disclosure, the lid top may be overlapped with the bag material.

[0025] In a first biological material container according to the present disclosure, The bag material has a first bag portion that covers the opening of the container body member and a second bag portion that communicates with the first bag portion, An instrument may be provided within the second pouch, the instrument being at least partially insertable into the first pouch.

[0026] In a first biological material container according to the present disclosure, The bag material has a connecting bag portion that connects the first bag portion and the second bag portion, The instrument may be insertable through the connecting pouch into the first pouch.

[0027] The first biological material container according to the present disclosure may further include a pressing member that presses the bag material against the outer surface of the side wall portion of the container body member.

[0028] A first biological material container kit according to the present disclosure includes: A kit for the first biological material container according to the present disclosure, The container comprises the container body member and the cover member.

[0029] A second biological material container according to the present disclosure comprises: a container body member having a bottom and a sidewall; A flexible bag material that covers the opening of the container body member; and a pressing member for pressing the bag material against the outer surface of the side wall portion of the container body member.

[0030] A third biological material container according to the present disclosure comprises: a container body member having a bottom and a sidewall; a flexible bag material having an internal space for accommodating the container body member; and a pressing member that presses the bag material against the outer surface of the side wall portion of the container body member.

[0031] A second biological material container kit according to the present disclosure includes: A kit for the second or third biological material container according to the present disclosure, The container comprises the container body member, the bag material, and the pressing member.

[0032] The container with the instrument according to the present disclosure comprises: A bag material having an internal space; A tubular member inserted into the internal space through the bag material; and an instrument housed in the interior space. Effect of the Invention

[0033] According to the present disclosure, when the internal space of a biological material container is opened, it is possible to effectively prevent foreign matter from entering the internal space. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0034] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an embodiment of the present disclosure, and is a perspective view showing a first specific example of a biological material container. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a container body member of the biological material container of FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a cover member of the biological material container of FIG. [Figure 4] Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view showing the biological material container of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 shows the cover member upside down compared to Fig. 4. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of a method for removing the cover member of the biological material container of FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating another example of the method for removing the cover member of the biological material container of FIG. [Figure 7A]FIG. 7A is a view corresponding to FIG. 4 and is a vertical sectional view showing a modified example of the biological material container. [Figure 7B] FIG. 7B is a view corresponding to FIG. 4 and is a vertical sectional view showing another modified example of the biological material container. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a view corresponding to FIG. 4 and is a vertical sectional view showing still another modified example of the biological material container. [Figure 9A] FIG. 9A is a view corresponding to FIG. 4 and is a vertical sectional view showing still another modified example of the biological material container. [Figure 9B] FIG. 9B is a view corresponding to FIG. 4 and is a vertical sectional view showing still another modified example of the biological material container. [Figure 9C] FIG. 9C is a view corresponding to FIG. 4 and is a vertical sectional view showing still another modified example of the biological material container. [Figure 10A] FIG. 10A is a view corresponding to FIG. 4 and is a vertical sectional view showing still another modified example of the biological material container. [Figure 10B] FIG. 10B is a view corresponding to FIG. 4 and is a vertical sectional view showing still another modified example of the biological material container. [Figure 10C] FIG. 10C is a view corresponding to FIG. 4 and is a vertical sectional view showing still another modified example of the biological material container. [Figure 10D] FIG. 10D is a plan view showing an example of a container body member of the biological material container of FIG. 10A. [Figure 10E] FIG. 10E is a plan view showing another example of the container body member of the biological material container of FIG. 10A. [Figure 10F] FIG. 10F is a plan view showing still another example of the container body member of the biological material container of FIG. 10A. [Figure 10G] FIG. 10G is a plan view showing an example of a container body member of the biological material container of FIG. 10B. [Figure 10H] FIG. 10H is a plan view showing another example of the container body member of the biological material container of FIG. 10B. [Figure 10I] FIG. 10I is a plan view showing still another example of a container body member of the biological material container of FIG. 10B. [Figure 10J] FIG. 10J is a plan view showing an example of a cover member for the biological material container of FIG. 10C. [Figure 10K] FIG. 10K is a plan view showing another example of the cover member for the biological material container of FIG. 10C. [Figure 10L] FIG. 10L is a plan view showing still another example of the cover member for the biological material container in FIG. 10C. [Figure 10M] FIG. 10M is a view corresponding to FIG. 4 and is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the biological material container of FIG. 10A. [Figure 10N] FIG. 10N is a view corresponding to FIG. 4, and is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the biological material container of FIGS. 10B and 10C. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a view corresponding to FIG. 4 and is a vertical sectional view showing still another modified example of the biological material container. [Figure 12A] FIG. 12A is a view corresponding to FIG. 4 and is a vertical sectional view showing still another modified example of the biological material container. [Figure 12B] FIG. 12B is a view corresponding to FIG. 4, and is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the biological material container of FIG. 12A. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a view corresponding to FIG. 4 and is a vertical sectional view showing still another modified example of the biological material container. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining an embodiment of the present disclosure, and is a perspective view showing a second specific example of a biological material container. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing a cover member for the biological material container of FIG. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a diagram for explaining an embodiment of the present disclosure, and is a vertical sectional view showing a third specific example of a biological material container. [Figure 17] 17 is a perspective view showing a container body member and a bag material included in the biological material container of FIG. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a view corresponding to FIG. 16 and is a vertical sectional view showing still another modified example of the biological material container. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a view corresponding to FIG. 16 and is a vertical sectional view showing still another modified example of the biological material container. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a top view of the biological material container of FIG. [Figure 21] FIG. 21 is a view corresponding to FIG. 19 and is a view for explaining a method of using the biological material containers in FIGS. [Figure 22] FIG. 22 is a diagram for explaining one embodiment of the present disclosure, and is a plan view showing a container containing an instrument. [Diagram 23] FIG. 23 is a plan view showing the container with instruments of FIG. 22 in another state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0035] An embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings attached to this specification, the scale and the aspect ratio are appropriately changed and exaggerated from those of the actual objects for the convenience of illustration and understanding.

[0036] 1 to 21 are diagrams for explaining an embodiment of the present disclosure. Among these, Figs. 1 to 13 are diagrams for explaining a first specific example and a modified example thereof. Figs. 14 and 15 are diagrams for explaining a second specific example, and Figs. 16 to 21 are diagrams for explaining a third specific example. Note that a modified example of any of the specific examples can be appropriately applied as a modified example of the other specific examples.

[0037] First, one embodiment will be described with reference to a specific example and its modified examples shown in Fig. 1 to Fig. 13. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a biological material container 10. As shown in Fig. 1, the biological material container 10 has a container body member 20 and a cover member 30. Figs. 2 and 3 are perspective views showing the container body member 20 and the cover member 30, respectively. Also, Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the biological material container 10.

[0038] The biological material container 10 is a container for biological material, and has a biological material storage space CS for storing the biological material. The biological material is a material that can be present inside the body of an organism, and examples of such materials include cells and secretory substances secreted from cells. Specific examples of the biological material stored in the biological material container 10 include cultured cells such as cell tissues, and cell suspensions containing cells before culture. The biological material container 10 is used for storing and processing the biological material stored in the biological material storage space CS. Specific examples of the processing performed in the biological material storage space CS of the biological material container 10 include a culture operation, a weighting operation, a centrifugation operation, and a freezing operation.

[0039] The processing of the biological material in the biological material container 10 is carried out in a closed environment to prevent the intrusion of bacteria that may adversely affect the biological material. However, in order to enable the supply of the biological material into the biological material container 10, for example, seeding of cells for a culture operation, the container body member 20 and the cover member 30 of the biological material container 10 are handled as separate, separate members before processing such as culture. On the other hand, when processing the biological material using the biological material container 10, for example, when culturing cells, the gap between the container body member 20 and the cover member 30 is sealed. That is, the term "sealed" used here means that the gap between the container body member 20 and the cover member 30 is sealed to an extent that the intrusion of bacteria that may be harmful to the biological material contained therein can be prevented. Therefore, after the biological material is contained in the biological material container 10, for example after cells are seeded, the cover member 30 is attached to the container body member 20, and the gap between the cover member 30 and the container body member 20 is sealed.

[0040] The biological material container 10 can be used as a container included in a closed biological material processing system. For example, the biological material container 10 can be used as a container, particularly a cell culture container, included in a closed cell culture system as described in Patent Document 2. In the biological material processing system, the biological material contained in the biological material storage space CS in the biological material container 10 can be processed using an instrument connected to the biological material container 10 or by transferring a liquid or the like from the instrument to the biological material container 10. When the processing of the biological material is completed, the processed biological material is removed from the biological material container 10. For example, the cover member 30 is removed from the container body member 20, or the cover member 30 is cut and removed to expose the biological material storage space CS in the container body member 20, and the processed biological material is removed.

[0041] However, it is conceivable that foreign matter may be generated when the cover member 30 is removed or cut and removed. If foreign matter is generated and falls into the biological material storage space CS, it is expected that the foreign matter may harm the biological material. Meanwhile, in this embodiment, a measure is taken to effectively prevent foreign matter from entering the biological material storage space CS when the biological material storage space CS is opened. More specifically, as described in detail below, the sealed portion SP between the container body member 20 and the cover member 30 is located on the outer surface 24S1 of the side wall portion 24 of the container body member 20.

[0042] It should be noted that the term "liquid" used in this specification is not limited to strictly liquids, but also includes suspensions in which cells, proteins, other biological materials, particles, etc. are dispersed in a solvent.

[0043] A first specific example of the biological material container 10 shown in Figs. 1 to 13 will be described below. As described above, the biological material container 10 has a container body member 20 and a cover member 30. In the following, an example will be described in which the biological material container 10 is used as a cell culture container for culturing cells seeded in a biological material storage space CS that functions as a cell culture space. However, as already described, the biological material container 10 can also be used for purposes other than as a cell culture container.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 2, the container body member 20 has a bottom 22 and a side wall 24. That is, the container body member 20 is a dish-shaped member. The bottom 22 has a bottom surface 22S on which cells are seeded and the seeded cells are cultured. The side wall 24 rises upward from the bottom 22. The side wall 24 may rise from the bottom 22 in a direction perpendicular to the bottom surface 22S, or may rise from the bottom 22 in a direction inclined to the bottom surface 22S. When the side wall 24 rises from the bottom 22 in a direction inclined to the bottom surface 22S, the side wall 24 may taper as it moves away from the bottom 22, or may become wider as it moves away from the bottom 22. The illustrated side wall 24 is formed in a tubular shape, particularly a cylindrical shape. The bottom 22 closes an opening below the tubular side wall 24. On the other hand, the cylindrical side wall portion 24 is open on the side opposite to the bottom portion 22. That is, the container body member 20 including the cylindrical side wall portion 24 has an opening OP and is open upward.

[0045] The space surrounded by the bottom 22 and the side wall 24 forms a biological material containing space CS. The biological material containing space CS is defined by a bottom surface 22S of the bottom 22 and an inner surface 24S2 of the side wall 24. In the illustrated example, the bottom surface 22S of the bottom 22 is a flat surface, but is not limited to this example, and may be provided with a recess or the like for stably holding seeded cells or the like.

[0046] Furthermore, a culture carrier to which cells can adhere may be provided inside the container body member 20, for example on the bottom surface 22S, and various surface treatments may be performed. Examples of various surface treatments include hydrophilic treatments such as plasma treatment and corona treatment, hydrophobic treatments, and coating with functional polymers. These treatments can control the ease of cell adhesion inside the container and the ease of introducing and removing liquid into and from the container.

[0047] The container body member 20 may be produced by, for example, resin molding. There is no particular limitation on the material used for the container body member 20 as long as it allows the biological material, liquid, etc. to be aseptically contained in the biological material storage space CS. However, it is preferable that the material is transparent enough to allow the biological material storage space CS to be visually recognized from the outside of the container body member 20. Specific examples of materials that can be suitably used for the container body member 20 include polyolefin resins such as polyethylene and polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer resin, C-FLEX, polystyrene, etc. Furthermore, other specific examples of materials that can be used for the container body member 20 include inorganic materials such as metals, glass, and silicon, and organic materials such as polystyrene resin, polyester resin, polyethylene resin, polypropylene resin, ABS resin, nylon, acrylic resin, fluororesin, polycarbonate resin, polyurethane resin, methylpentene resin, phenol resin, melamine resin, epoxy resin, and vinyl chloride resin. In addition, the container body member 20 can be produced using a method known to those skilled in the art. For example, when producing the container body member 20 using a plastic material, the container body member 20 can be produced by injection molding.

[0048] Next, the cover member 30 will be described. The cover member 30 covers the opening OP located opposite the bottom 22 of the container body member 20. The cover member 30 is sealed against the container body member 20. In particular, in this embodiment, the cover member 30 is sealed against the outer surface 24S1 of the side wall portion 24 of the container body member 20. The cover member 30 is sealed against the container body member 20, thereby closing the biological material storage space CS of the container body member 20. A closed processing space, more specifically, a closed space for culturing cells, is formed between the container body member 20 and the cover member 30.

[0049] The illustrated cover member 30, as shown in FIG. 3, is formed as a lid material and has a lid top portion 32 and a lid side wall portion 34. The lid top portion 32 is arranged to face the opening OP of the container body member 20 as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4. The lid top portion 32 is formed in a plate shape, particularly a disk shape. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, the lid side wall portion 34 hangs down from the lid top portion 32. The lid side wall portion 34 may hang down from the lid top portion 32 in a direction perpendicular to the lid top portion 32, or may hang down from the lid top portion 32 in a direction inclined to the lid top portion 32. When the lid side wall portion 34 hangs down from the lid top portion 32 in a direction inclined to the lid top portion 32, the lid side wall portion 34 may taper as it moves away from the lid top portion 32, or may be widened as it moves away from the lid top portion 32. The lid side wall portion 34 is formed in a tubular shape, particularly a cylindrical shape. As shown in FIG. 4, the lid sidewall 34 is disposed at a position facing the outer surface 24S1 of the sidewall 24 of the container body member 20. The outer surface 24S1 of the sidewall 24 is the surface of the sidewall 24 facing the opposite side to the biological material storage space CS. The outer surface 24S1 of the sidewall 24 faces the inner surface 24S2 of the sidewall 24. In particular, the lid sidewall 34 faces the outer surface 24S1 of the sidewall 24 from the outside. Here, the outer side refers to the side away from the biological material storage space CS, and is the opposite side to the inner side close to the biological material storage space CS. In the illustrated example, the inner surface of the lid sidewall 34 and the outer surface 24S1 of the sidewall 24 are circumferentially sealed.

[0050] Although the cover member 30 may simply be sealed between itself and the container body member 20, it is preferable that the cover member 30 is fixed to the container body member 20 in order to further improve workability using the biological material container 10. In particular, it is preferable that the container body member 20 and the cover member 30 are fixed to each other at a sealing point SP between the container body member 20 and the cover member 30. However, the sealing point SP only ensures sealing, and the fixation of the container body member 20 and the cover member 30 may be ensured at a point other than the sealing point SP.

[0051] In the illustrated example, sealing between the container body member 20 and the cover member 30 at the sealing point SP is achieved by interposing a sealing material 15. If the sealing material 15 is, for example, a bonding material having adhesiveness or cohesiveness, the container body member 20 and the cover member 30 are fixed to each other by the sealing material 15. However, this is not limited to this example, and the container body member 20 and the cover member 30 may be sealed by heat sealing or ultrasonic bonding without using the sealing material 15.

[0052] The cover member 30 as a lid material may be produced by, for example, resin molding. The material used for the cover member 30 is not particularly limited as long as it enables cells, liquids, etc. to be aseptically contained in the biological material containing space CS. However, it is preferable that the cover member 30 is transparent enough to allow the biological material containing space CS to be visually recognized from the outside of the cover member 30. In addition, from the viewpoint of ensuring visibility, the cover member 30, particularly the lid top portion 32 of the cover member 30, may be provided with an anti-fogging layer or may be subjected to an anti-fogging treatment. Furthermore, if the cover member 30 is made of a material that can be welded to the container body member 20, the container body member 20 and the cover member 30 may be sealed by heat welding or ultrasonic bonding without using the sealing material 15, unlike the above-mentioned example. As a specific example of the material for the cover member 30, the same material as the above-mentioned container body member 20 may be used. As a material for the sealing material 15, for example, oxime condensation type silicone rubber, acetic acid condensation type silicone rubber, addition reaction type silicone rubber, and other adhesives for medical devices may be used. More specifically, the following materials can be used for the sealing material 15: an oxime condensation type silicone rubber adhesive available from Shin-Etsu Silicones under the product name KE-45T, an acetic acid condensation type silicone rubber adhesive available from Shin-Etsu Silicones under the product name KE-42T, an addition reaction type silicone rubber adhesive available from Shin-Etsu Silicones under the product name KE-106, and a silicone rubber adhesive available from MOMENTIVE under the product name RTV118.

[0053] As shown in FIG. 4, the biological material container 10 is provided with a passage P that communicates with the space S between the container body member 20 and the cover member 30. In the illustrated example, the biological material container 10 has a cylindrical member 61 that forms the passage P. In the illustrated example, two cylindrical members 61 are connected to the container body member 20. Each cylindrical member 61 is connected to the outer surface 24S1 of the side wall portion 24. The connection point JP where the cylindrical member 61 is connected to the side wall portion 24 is a part of the side wall portion 24 that is exposed when the cover member 30 is attached to the container body member 20. In other words, the connection point JP where the cylindrical member 61 is connected to the side wall portion 24 is located at a position of the side wall portion 24 that is not covered by the cover member 30. The passage P formed by the cylindrical member 61 communicates with the biological material storage space CS via the connection port J.

[0054] In the biological material container 10 shown in FIG. 4, the cylindrical member 61 is molded integrally with the container body member 20. However, without being limited to this example, the cylindrical member 61 may not be molded integrally with the container body member 20, and may be fixed to the container body member 20 as a separate body by welding or using a bonding material. Also, unlike the illustrated example, one or more cylindrical members 61 may be connected to the cover member 30. As the material of the cylindrical member 61, the materials exemplified as the material of the container body member 20 described above can be used. However, it is preferable that the material of the cylindrical member 61 has transparency to such an extent that the passage P can be visually confirmed.

[0055] It is preferable that the space S between the container body member 20 and the cover member 30 of the biological material container 10 is closed before the biological material container 10 is used, or even while the biological material container 10 is being distributed or stored. By performing a sterilization process while the space S between the container body member 20 and the cover member 30 of the biological material container 10 is closed, the biological material container 10 can be started to be used without performing any special process. As the sterilization process, a general sterilization method such as EOG sterilization, gamma ray sterilization, or electron beam sterilization can be used.

[0056] For example, when the cylindrical member 61 is made of a material having a relatively high flexibility, the end of the cylindrical member 61 that is remote from the biological material container 10 may be sealed, and when used, a sterile connection device may be used to aseptically connect the cylindrical member 61 to a tube material or the like. As the sterile connection device used for aseptic connection to the cylindrical member 61, various sterile connection devices may be used without any particular limitation, and for example, TSCD-II (manufactured by Terumo), SCDIIB (manufactured by Terumo), HOTNAVI (manufactured by JMS), BioWelder (manufactured by Sartorius), etc. may be used. Alternatively, as in the example shown in FIG. 14 etc. to be referred to later, a sterile connection port may be provided at the end of the cylindrical member 61 that is remote from the biological material container 10, so that the cylindrical member 61 can be aseptically connected to a tube material or the like when used. The sterile connection port may have a plurality of connection ports so as to be connectable to a plurality of instruments.

[0057] In addition, when a relatively hard cylindrical member 61 is used, the biological material container 10 may further include a tube material 69 connected to the cylindrical member 61, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 1. The tube material 69 is connected to the cylindrical member 61 in an aseptic manner. That is, the space between the tube material 69 and the cylindrical member 61 is sealed. The tube material 69 and the cylindrical member 61 can be connected using a sterile joining device. The material of the tube material 69 is preferably transparent enough to visually confirm the passage P. In addition, the tube material 69 is preferably made of a material that has a low melting temperature and is highly flexible so that the end of the tube material 69 can be easily heat-sealed. As a specific example, the material of the tube material 69 can be polyolefin resin such as polyethylene or polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer resin, C-FLEX, etc.

[0058] The biological material container 10 having the above-mentioned configuration can be aseptically connected to other instruments, etc., to create a closed culture environment. The biological material container 10 can be used to process the biological material, for example, to culture cells, in the biological material storage space CS in a sterile state. When the biological material processing, for example, cell culture, is completed, the cover member 30 is removed from the container body member 20, for example, to open the biological material container 10. Then, the biological material storage space CS in the container body member 20 is accessed, and the biological material, such as cultured cells as cellular tissue, is taken out from the biological material storage space CS.

[0059] Here, Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 show a method of opening the biological material container 10. In the example shown in Fig. 5, the sealed portion SP is broken, and the sealing material 15 is cut using a cutting tool such as a cutter, or the cover member 30 and the container body member 20 are twisted open to remove the cover member 30 from the container body member 20. In the example shown in Fig. 6, the cover member 30 is removed from the container body member 20 by cutting and dividing the lid side wall portion 34 of the container body member 20 using a cutting tool such as a cutter or an ultrasonic cutter. In the example shown in Fig. 6, the cut portion of the cover member 30 is located between the sealed portion SP between the side wall portion 24 and a position facing the edge portion 24E of the side wall portion 24 away from the bottom portion 22. That is, the cut portion of the cover member 30 is located at a position facing the outer surface 24S1 of the side wall portion 24 of the container body member 20 from the outside.

[0060] A foreign object FM consisting of a part of the lid sidewall 34 or the sealing material 15 may be generated by the destruction of the sealing portion SP or the division of the lid sidewall 34. However, according to the present embodiment, the sealing portion SP is located on the outer surface 24S1 of the sidewall 24 of the container body member 20, and therefore the destruction of the sealing portion SP and the division of the lid sidewall 34 can be performed at a position facing the outer surface 24S1 of the sidewall 24. That is, the destruction of the sealing portion SP and the division of the lid sidewall 34 can be performed below the opening OP of the container body member 20. Therefore, it is possible to effectively prevent the foreign object FM from falling into the biological material storage space CS through the opening OP. This makes it possible to take out biological material such as cultured cells without being harmed by the foreign object FM.

[0061] The biological material container 10 described as the first specific example may be distributed or otherwise handled in a state in which the gap between the cover member 30 and the container body member 20 is not sealed before use. That is, it may be distributed or otherwise handled as a biological material container kit K including the container body member 20 and the cover member 30. A user may store a biological material in the biological material storage space CS of the container body member 20, and then seal the gap between the container body member 20 and the cover member 30.

[0062] Although the first specific example in one embodiment has been described above, various modifications are possible to the first specific example described above. An example of the modification will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description and the drawings used in the following description, the same reference numerals as those used for the corresponding parts in the above specific example are used for parts that can be configured in the same way as the above specific example, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted.

[0063] 7A and 7B, the cover member 30 may include a separation portion 41 having a configuration that makes it easy to separate the cover member 30. As shown in Fig. 7A and 7B, the separation portion 41 is provided at a position between the sealed portion SP between the cover member 30 and the side wall portion 24 and a position facing the edge portion 24E spaced from the bottom portion 22 of the side wall portion 24. As described above, by dividing the cover member 30 at the dividing portion 41 arranged in this manner, it is possible to effectively prevent the intrusion of foreign matter FM into the biological material storage space CS. Examples of configurations that promote division of the cover member 30 forming the dividing portion 41 include the thin portion shown in Fig. 7A and the notch or cutout shown in Fig. 7B.

[0064] For example, by providing a dividing portion 41 formed as a circumferential cut portion or a circumferential thin portion, it is possible to facilitate dividing the cover member 30 into two at a position facing a position of the side wall portion 24 between the sealed portion SP of the cover member 30 and the edge portion 24E that defines the opening OP. According to such a dividing portion 41 of the cover member 30, since the dividing portion 41 faces the outer surface 24S1 of the side wall portion 24, it is possible to easily divide the cover member 30 while effectively preventing foreign matter FM and the like from falling into the inside of the container body member 20 through the opening OP during division. In addition, the user can visually grasp the division operation.

[0065] Next, as shown in FIG. 8, the container body member 20 may have a guide portion 42 that guides the liquid L in the container body member 20 to the cylindrical member 61A. For the purpose of replacing the liquid such as the cell suspension and the culture medium, the liquid L held in the container body member 20 may be sent out from the cylindrical member 61A. By providing the sending-out guide portion 42, the liquid L such as the cell suspension and the culture medium in the container body member 20 can be stably guided to the cylindrical member 61. This allows the liquid L in the container body member to be sent out through the cylindrical member 61A while suppressing disturbance of the liquid L, for example, while suppressing bubbling of the liquid L. By suppressing bubbling of the liquid L, it becomes easier to observe the inside of the biological material container 10, and also, damage to the biological material can be suppressed. Furthermore, the liquid L can be quickly sent out from the biological material container 10, and residual liquid is less likely to remain in the biological material container 10.

[0066] In particular, in the example shown in FIG. 8, the delivery guide portion 42 is provided between the connection point JP of the cylindrical member 61A to the side wall portion 24 and the bottom portion 22. The delivery guide portion 42 includes an inclined surface 42S inclined with respect to the bottom portion 22. More specifically, the inclined surface 42S is connected to the bottom surface 22S of the bottom portion 22 and the inner surface 24S2 of the side wall portion 24, and is inclined with respect to the bottom surface 22S and the inner surface 24S2. In addition, one end of the delivery guide portion 42 is connected to or adjacent to the connection port J of the passage P. The delivery guide portion 42 as the inclined surface 42S can stably guide the liquid L, such as the cell suspension or culture medium, in the container body member 20 to the cylindrical member 61A without significantly tilting the biological material container 10. This allows the liquid L in the container body member 20 to be delivered through the cylindrical member 61A while suppressing disturbance of the liquid L, for example, while suppressing bubbling of the liquid L.

[0067] Next, as shown in FIG. 9A to FIG. 9C, at least one of the container body member 20 and the cover member 30 may have a guide portion 43 that guides the liquid supplied from the cylindrical member 61B to the bottom 22 of the container body member 20. For the purpose of supplying or replenishing liquid such as a cell suspension or a culture medium, liquid may be supplied from the cylindrical member 61B to the biological material storage space CS in the container body member 20. By providing the supply guide portion 43, the liquid such as the cell suspension or the culture medium supplied from the cylindrical member 61B can be stably supplied to the bottom 22 of the container body member 20. This effectively prevents the liquid in the container body member 20 from being disturbed, for example, effectively prevents the liquid from bubbling. In addition, unintended adhesion of the liquid to the cover member 30 or the side wall portion 24 can be effectively avoided, improving the utilization efficiency of expensive liquid.

[0068] 9A to 9C, the supply guide portion 43 is provided between a connection point JP of the cylindrical member 61B to the container body member 20 or the cover member 30 and the bottom portion 22. In the illustrated example in particular, the supply guide portion 43 extends between the connection point JP of the cylindrical member 61B and the bottom portion 22. Furthermore, one end of the supply guide portion 43 may be adjacent to or in contact with the connection point JP of the cylindrical member 61B, and the other end may be adjacent to or in contact with the bottom portion 22.

[0069] 9A, the cylindrical member 61B is connected to the side wall portion 24. The supply guide portion 43 is formed as a cylindrical portion 43A. One end of the supply guide portion 43 as a cylindrical portion is connected to the inner surface 24S2 of the side wall portion 24 so as to surround the connection port J of the passage P. The other end of the supply guide portion 43 is adjacent to the bottom surface 22S of the bottom portion 22 or in contact with the bottom portion 22.

[0070] 9B, the cylindrical member 61B is connected to the side wall portion 24. The supply guide portion 43 is formed as a rod-shaped portion 43B or a plate-shaped portion 43C. One end of the supply guide portion 43 as a rod-shaped portion or a plate-shaped portion is connected to the inner surface 24S2 of the side wall portion 24 below the connection port J of the passage P. The other end of the supply guide portion 43 is adjacent to or in contact with the bottom portion 22 of the bottom portion 22.

[0071] 9C, the cylindrical member 61B is connected to the lid top portion 32 of the cover member 30. The supply guide portion 43 is formed as a cylindrical portion 43A. One end of the supply guide portion 43 as a cylindrical portion is connected to the inner surface of the lid top portion 32 so as to surround the connection port J of the passage P. In addition, the other end of the supply guide portion 43 is adjacent to or in contact with the bottom portion 22 of the bottom portion 22.

[0072] 9A to 9C, the supply guide portion 43 can be a rod-shaped portion 43B, a plate-shaped portion 43C, or a cylindrical portion 43A provided between the connection point JP of the cylindrical member 61B to the container body member 20 or the cover member 30 and the bottom portion 22. By using the supply guide portion 43 as the rod-shaped portion 43B, the plate-shaped portion 43C, or the cylindrical portion 43A, it is possible to effectively prevent the liquid supplied to the biological material container 10 from dropping to the bottom portion 22 from a position far away from the bottom portion 22. This effectively prevents the liquid in the container body member 20 from being disturbed, and effectively prevents, for example, bubbling of the liquid.

[0073] 9A to 9C, the supply guide unit 43 is connected to one of the container body member 20 and the cover member 30 to which the tubular member 61B to which the liquid to be guided is supplied is connected. This allows the liquid supplied from the tubular member 61B to be stably transferred to the biological material-containing space CS. However, this is not limited to the example, and the tubular member 61B may be connected to one of the container body member 20 and the cover member 30, and the supply guide unit 43 may be supported by the other of the container body member 20 and the cover member 30.

[0074] Next, as shown in FIG. 10A to FIG. 10C, at least one of the container body member 20 and the cover member 30 may have a shielding portion 44 that covers the connection port J of the passage P to the container body member 20 or the cover member 30. A cylindrical member 61C for ventilation may be connected to the biological material storage space CS. The shielding portion 44 covers the connection port J of the passage P formed by the cylindrical member 61C to the biological material container 10, and shields the connection port J from the bottom portion 22 that holds liquid such as a cell suspension and a culture solution. This shielding portion 44 can effectively prevent the liquid in the container body member 20 from entering the passage P. For example, even if the liquid in the container body member 20 is shaken and splashed up by moving the biological material container 10, ventilation through this passage P can be stably ensured. In addition, it is also possible to effectively prevent the liquid from being unintentionally discharged through this passage P. That is, expensive liquid such as a cell suspension and a culture solution can be used efficiently and effectively.

[0075] In the example shown in FIG. 10A, the cylindrical member 61C is connected to the side wall 24 of the container body member 20. The connection port J of the passage P formed by the cylindrical member 61C is located on the inner surface 24S2 of the side wall 24 and is exposed in the biological material storage space CS. The shielding portion 44 has a shielding plate 44A that extends from a position lower than the connection port J on the inner surface 24S2 of the side wall 24 and extends to the vicinity of the lid top portion 32 of the cover member 30. Here, FIG. 10D, FIG. 10E, and FIG. 10F are plan views showing the container body member 20 that can be applied to the example shown in FIG. 10A from the bottom surface 22S side. In the example shown in FIG. 10D, the shielding plate 44A has a bottom plate 44A1 that is approximately fan-shaped in plan view, particularly approximately semicircular, and a wall plate 44A2 that rises from the edge of the bottom plate. In the example shown in Fig. 10E, the shielding plate 44A has a bottom plate 44A1 that is substantially quadrangular in plan view, particularly substantially square, and a wall plate 44A2 that rises from the edge of the bottom plate. In the example shown in Fig. 10F, the shielding plate 44A has a bottom plate 44A1 that is substantially triangular in plan view, particularly equilateral triangular, and a wall plate 44A2 that rises from the edge of the bottom plate. In the examples shown in Figs. 10D to 10F, the bottom plate 44A1 and the wall plate 44A2 surround the connection port J of the passage P formed by the cylindrical member 61C.

[0076] 10B, the cylindrical member 61C is connected to the top lid 32 of the cover member 30. The connection port J of the passage P formed by the cylindrical member 61C is located on the inner surface of the top lid 32 and is exposed to the biological material storage space CS. The shielding portion 44 has a shielding plate 44A that extends from the inner surface 24S2 of the side wall portion 24 and extends to the vicinity of the top lid 32.

[0077] Here, Fig. 10G, Fig. 10H and Fig. 10I are plan views showing the container body member 20 applicable to the example shown in Fig. 10B from the bottom surface 22S side. In Fig. 10G, Fig. 10H and Fig. 10I, the cylindrical member 61C is shown by dotted lines. In the example shown in Fig. 10G, the shielding plate 44A has a bottom plate 44A1 that is substantially fan-shaped in plan view, particularly substantially semicircular, and a wall plate 44A2 that rises from the edge of the bottom plate. In the example shown in Fig. 10H, the shielding plate 44A has a bottom plate 44A1 that is substantially quadrangular in plan view, particularly substantially square, and a wall plate 44A2 that rises from the edge of the bottom plate. In the example shown in Fig. 10I, the shielding plate 44A has a bottom plate 44A1 that is substantially triangular in plan view, particularly equilateral triangular, and a wall plate 44A2 that rises from the edge of the bottom plate. In the example shown in FIGS. 10G to 10I, a connection port J of a passage P formed by a cylindrical member 61C is surrounded by a bottom plate 44A1 and a wall plate 44A2.

[0078] 10C, the cylindrical member 61C is connected to the top lid 32 of the cover member 30. The connection port J of the passage P formed by the cylindrical member 61C is located on the inner surface of the top lid 32 and is exposed to the biological material storage space CS. The shielding portion 44 has a shielding plate 44A that extends from the inner surface of the top lid 32 and extends to the vicinity of the inner surface 24S2 of the side wall portion 24.

[0079] Here, Fig. 10J, Fig. 10K, and Fig. 10L are plan views showing the cover member 30 applicable to the example shown in Fig. 10C from the inner surface side. In the example shown in Fig. 10J, the shielding plate 44A has a bottom plate 44A1 that is substantially fan-shaped in plan view, particularly substantially semicircular, and a wall plate 44A2 that hangs down from the top lid portion 32 and connects to the edge of the bottom plate. In the example shown in Fig. 10K, the shielding plate 44A has a bottom plate 44A1 that is substantially quadrangular in plan view, particularly substantially square, and a wall plate 44A2 that hangs down from the top lid portion 32 and connects to the edge of the bottom plate. In the example shown in Fig. 10L, the shielding plate 44A has a bottom plate 44A1 that is substantially triangular in plan view, particularly an equilateral triangular shape, and a wall plate 44A2 that hangs down from the lid top portion 32 and connects to the edge of the bottom plate. In the example shown in Figs. 10J to 10L, the bottom plate 44A1 and the wall plate 44A2 surround the connection port J of the passage P formed by the tubular member 61C.

[0080] 10A to 10L, a shielding plate 44A of the shielding part 44 shields the connection port J of the passage P from the biological material-containing space CS. This effectively prevents the liquid in the biological material-containing space CS from entering the passage P, ensuring stable ventilation. Furthermore, it effectively prevents expensive liquid in the biological material-containing space CS from being trapped in the passage P, allowing the liquid to be used efficiently.

[0081] 11, the biological material container 10 may have a tubular member 61D connected to the lid side wall 34 at a position facing the side wall 24 of the container body member 20. This tubular member 61D is connected to the cover member 30 at a position between the sealed portion SP between the side wall 24 and a position facing the edge portion 24E spaced from the bottom 22 of the side wall 24. This tubular member 61D may form a passage P for ventilation.

[0082] In the example shown in FIG. 11, a cylindrical member 61D forming a passage P leading to the space between the container body member 20 and the cover member 30 is connected to the cover member 30 at a position facing the outer surface 24S1 of the side wall portion 24 of the container body member 20. That is, the connection port J of the passage P formed by the cylindrical member 61D is covered by the side wall portion 24 of the container body member 20 from the biological material storage space CS of the container body member 20. This makes it possible to effectively prevent the liquid in the container body member 20 from entering the passage by the side wall portion 24. For example, even if the liquid in the container body member 20 is shaken and splashed up by moving the biological material container 10, it is possible to stably ensure ventilation through this passage P. In addition, it is possible to effectively prevent liquid such as a cell suspension or a culture medium from being unintentionally discharged through this passage P.

[0083] 12A, one of the container body member 20 and the cover member 30 may have a shielding portion 45 that covers a gap G between the edge portion 24E of the side wall portion 24 opposite the bottom portion 22 and the cover member 30. This gap G is connected to the sealing material 15 that seals the gap between the side wall portion 24 and the lid side wall portion 34. If the sealing material 15 comes into contact with a liquid, it is possible that components of the sealing material 15 will flow into the liquid. If this liquid flows into the biological material storage space CS, the biological material may be contaminated.

[0084] On the other hand, the shielding portion 45 covers the gap G and shields the gap G from the bottom portion 22 that holds liquid such as a cell suspension or a culture medium. The illustrated shielding portion 45 has a shielding plate 45A that extends from the inner surface 24S2 of the side wall portion 24 and extends to the vicinity of the inner surface of the lid top portion 32. Corresponding to the gap G and the sealing material 15 that are formed in an annular shape, the shielding plate 45A is also formed in an annular shape. That is, the shielding plate 45A is formed in an annular shape along the annular inner surface 24S2 of the side wall portion 24. Therefore, even if the liquid in the container body member 20 shakes and splashes up due to, for example, moving the biological material container 10, the shielding portion 45 can effectively prevent the liquid in the container body member 20 from reaching the sealing material 15. This effectively prevents the biological material such as cells from contacting the sealing material 15, and effectively avoids contamination and damage to the cells.

[0085] The installation positions of the dividing portion 41, the delivery guide portion 42, the supply guide portion 43, the shielding portion 44, the shielding portion 45, and the cylindrical members 61, 61A, 61B, 61C, 61D, etc., described above, can be changed as appropriate. For example, in the example shown in Fig. 10A to Fig. 10C, the shielding portion 44 extends from the side wall portion 24 or the cover member 30, but is not limited to this, and the shielding portion 44 may extend from the bottom portion 22 as shown in Fig. 10M and Fig. 10N. In the example shown in Fig. 12A, the shielding portion 45 extends from the side wall portion 24, but is not limited to this, and the shielding portion 45 may extend from the cover member 30, for example, from the top portion 32 of 30, as shown in Fig. 12B.

[0086] Although several modified examples of the first specific example have been described above, it is of course possible to apply a suitable combination of multiple modified examples. For example, as shown in Fig. 13, the cylindrical member 61D described with reference to Fig. 11 and the shielding part 45 described with reference to Fig. 12A can be applied to one biological material container 10.

[0087] Next, a second specific example will be described with reference to Figures 14 to 16. The second specific example differs from the first specific example in the configuration of the cover member 30, but otherwise can adopt the same configuration as the first specific example and the modified example of the first specific example. In the following description and the drawings used in the following description, the same reference numerals as those used for the corresponding parts in the above specific example are used for parts that can be configured in the same way as the above examples, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted.

[0088] As shown in Fig. 14, in the biological material container 10 in the second specific example, the cover member 30 has a flexible bag material 51. The material used for the bag material 51 is not particularly limited as long as it can aseptically accommodate biological materials such as cells in the biological material accommodation space CS, but can typically be a resin film. However, it is preferable that the bag material 51 is transparent enough to allow the biological material accommodation space CS to be visually recognized from the outside. As specific examples, polyolefin resins such as polyethylene and polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer resin, C-FLEX, polystyrene, etc. can be suitably used as the material for the bag material 51, and the bag material 51 can also be formed of a laminate or composite of two or more of the above materials.

[0089] 15 shows the bag material 51 before being fixed to the container body member 20. The illustrated bag material 51 has a first film material 51A and a second film material 51B that are laminated together. The two film materials 51A and 51B have a rectangular shape in a plan view. However, this is not limited to the example, and the two film materials 51A and 51B may have a circular shape, a semicircular shape, a shape that is a part of a circle, an elliptical shape, a semi-elliptical shape, a shape that is a part of an ellipse, a triangular shape, a pentagonal shape, a hexagonal shape, or a shape with seven or more sides in a plan view.

[0090] The two film materials 51A, 51B are open on one side and connected to each other on the other peripheral portion. In the illustrated example, the two film materials 51A, 51B are connected to each other on three sides of the peripheral portion. The two film materials 51A, 51B are connected to each other on the three sides by, for example, heat welding, and the gap between them is sealed.

[0091] 14 and 15 can also be produced by sealing one opening of a tubular film material obtained by inflation bag making. Also, the bag material 51 shown in Figs. 14 and 15 can also be produced by folding back a sheet of film material and welding two sides of it.

[0092] As shown in FIG. 15, the container body member 20 is placed in the opening 51OP of the bag material 51. An edge portion defining the opening 51OP of the bag material 51 or a region adjacent thereto faces the side wall portion 24 of the container body member 20 from the outside. The bag material 51 is then sealed between itself and the outer surface 24S1 of the side wall portion 24. This closes the space S between the bag material 51 and the container body member 20, and the biological material can be processed, for example, cultured in the biological material storage space CS inside the container body member 20.

[0093] The sealing between the bag material 51 and the container body member 20 may be performed using the sealing material 15, or by thermal welding or ultrasonic bonding, as in the first specific example. Also, the bag material 51 may be fixed to the container body member 20 at the sealed portion SP, or the bag material 51 may be fixed to the container body member 20 using a separate method or means separately from the sealed portion SP.

[0094] In the example shown in FIG. 14, the biological material container 10 has a pressing member (pressing member, contact member) 70. The pressing member 70 contacts the bag material 51 from the outside and presses the bag material 51 toward the container body member 20. That is, the pressing member 70 contacts the surface of the bag material 51 opposite to the surface facing the container body member 20 and presses the bag material 51 toward the side wall portion 24 of the container body member 20. The pressing member 70 then makes the bag material 51 contact the outer surface 24S1 of the side wall portion 24 of the container body member 20. Furthermore, the pressing member 70 can seal the gap between the bag material 51 and the outer surface 24S1 of the side wall portion 24. The pressing member 70 can be a tube clamp, an insulok, a cable tie, a ring-shaped elastic material such as rubber, or a ring-shaped member whose circumference can be adjusted. Since the pressing member 70 is disposed outside the space S formed between the bag material 51 and the container body member 20, it is possible to effectively suppress the generation of foreign matter FM in the space S formed between the bag material 51 and the container body member 20. In addition, since the pressing member 70 is disposed outside the space S formed between the bag material 51 and the container body member 20, it is possible to effectively improve the handleability of the pressing member 70.

[0095] In the biological material container 10 using the bag material 51 as the cover member 30, the flexible bag material 51 deforms as material such as liquid is supplied to or discharged from the container body member 20, and the volume of the space formed between the bag material 51 and the container body member 20 can be changed. This eliminates the need for pressure adjustment accompanying supply of material to or discharge of material from the container body member 20.

[0096] The illustrated biological material container 10 also has a cylindrical member 61E extending through the bag material 51 forming the cover member 30. The cylindrical member 61E can be the cylindrical member 61 or the tube material 69 of the first specific example described above. In the example shown in Figs. 14 and 15, the cylindrical member 61E passes between the two film materials 51A and 51B forming the bag material 51. The film materials 51A and 51B are heat-sealed to the cylindrical member 61E at the periphery of the film materials 51A and 51B. A sterile connection port 62 is provided at the outer end of the cylindrical member 61E. The position of the inner end of the cylindrical member 61E can be moved within the space S between the cover member 30 and the container body member 20 by deforming the flexible bag material 51. Therefore, loss or waste when supplying liquids such as cell suspensions and culture media to the biological material storage space CS in the container body member 20 or when recovering them from the biological material storage space CS can be minimized, allowing the liquids to be used effectively.

[0097] In the biological material container 10 according to the second specific example, when biological material such as cultured cells is to be collected, the bag material 51 constituting the cover member 30 can be removed from the container body member 20 by removing the pressing member 70 or by cutting the bag material 51 at a position facing the outer surface 24S1 of the side wall portion 24 from the outside. It is possible to effectively prevent foreign matter FM generated when the cover member 30 is removed from falling into the biological material storage space CS through the opening OP. In the first place, the amount of foreign matter FM generated when the cover member 30 is removed can be significantly reduced. This makes it possible to take out biological material such as cultured cells without being damaged by the foreign matter FM.

[0098] The bag material 51 shown in Figs. 14 and 15 has a start portion 46 having a configuration that is a start position for cutting the bag material. The start portion 46 is configured as a slit or a cut. In the illustrated example, the start portion 46 is formed in a heat-sealed region located at the peripheral portion of the film materials 51A and 51B that form the bag material 51. The start portion 46 can be arranged at a position that does not face the opening OP of the container body member 20 by deforming the flexible bag material 51. Therefore, by cutting the bag material 51 from the start portion 46 that has been moved to a position that does not face the opening OP, it is possible to easily and stably open the bag material 51 while preventing the foreign matter FM from entering the biological material storage space CS. In addition, by cutting the bag material 51, the amount of foreign matter FM generated when opening the cover member 30 can be significantly reduced.

[0099] Furthermore, the illustrated bag material 51 has a cut portion 47 having a configuration that makes it easy to cut the bag material 51, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 14. The cut portion 47 can be configured by a notch or cut that does not penetrate the thickness of the thin portion, film material 51A, 51B, as in the case of the dividing portion 41 of the first specific example described above. The cut portion 47 can be arranged at a position that does not face the opening OP of the container body member 20 by deforming the flexible bag material 51. In the illustrated example, the end of the cut portion 47 is arranged at a position that faces the start portion 46. For example, by providing the cut portion 47 formed as a cut or a thin portion, the bag material 51 can be stably and easily opened. During this cutting, it is encouraged to position the cut portion at a position that does not face the opening OP of the container body member 20. Therefore, it is possible to effectively prevent the foreign matter FM from entering the biological material storage space CS. In addition, by cutting the bag material 51, the amount of foreign matter generated when opening the cover member 30 can be significantly reduced.

[0100] The biological material container 10 described as the second specific example may be distributed or otherwise handled in a state in which the bag material 51 constituting the cover member 30, the container body member 20, and the pressing member 70 are not assembled before use. That is, it may be distributed or otherwise handled as a biological material container kit K including the bag material 51, the container body member 20, and the pressing member 70. After supplying a biological material to the biological material storage space CS of the container body member 20, for example by seeding cells, the user can use the pressing member 70 to hermetically fix the bag material 51 to the container body member 20.

[0101] Moreover, the modified examples explained in the first specific example above can also be applied to the second specific example, either alone or in appropriate combination.

[0102] Next, a third specific example will be described with reference to Figures 16 to 21. In the third specific example, the configuration of the cover member 30 is different from that of the first and second specific examples described above, but otherwise the same configuration as the first specific example and the modified version of the first specific example, the second specific example and the modified version of the second specific example can be adopted. In the following description and the drawings used in the following description, the same reference numerals as those used for the corresponding parts in the above specific examples are used for parts that can be configured in the same way as the above examples, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted.

[0103] As shown in FIG. 17, in the biological material container 10 in the third specific example, the cover member 30 has a flexible bag material 51. The material used for the bag material 51 can be the same as the material of the bag material described in the second specific example. In other words, the material used for the bag material 51 is not particularly limited as long as it can aseptically accommodate biological materials such as cells in the biological material accommodation space CS, but can typically be a resin film. However, it is preferable that the material is transparent enough to visually recognize the biological material accommodation space CS from the outside of the bag material 51. As specific examples, polyolefin resins such as polyethylene and polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer resin, C-FLEX, polystyrene, etc. can be suitably used as the material for the bag material 51, and the bag material 51 can also be formed of a laminate or composite of two or more of the above materials.

[0104] However, in the third specific example, the bag material 51 has a closed internal space IS. That is, bacteria that may be harmful to the biological material contained in the biological material container 10 are prevented from entering the internal space IS. As an example of the bag material 51 having such an internal space IS, a culture bag CulitiLife215 manufactured by Takara Bio or a cryopreservation bag cryoMACS Freezing Bag 1000 manufactured by Miltenyi Biotec can be used.

[0105] The material of the culture bag CulitiLife215 manufactured by Takara Bio is polyethylene, and the material of the cryoMACS Freezing Bag 1000 manufactured by Miltenyi Biotec is ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer. Since the culture bag CulitiLife215 manufactured by Takara Bio has high gas permeability, when cells are cultured in a biological material container 10 using the culture bag CulitiLife215 manufactured by Takara Bio as the bag material 51, the CO2 concentration in the biological material culture space CS can be adjusted through the bag material 51. On the other hand, the cryoMACS Freezing Bag 1000 manufactured by Miltenyi Biotec is capable of cryopreservation. Therefore, when cells are cultured in a biological material container 10 using the cryoMACS Freezing Bag 1000 manufactured by Miltenyi Biotec as the bag material 51, the biological material container 10 can be cryopreserved as it is. However, since the cryoMACS Freezing Bag 1000 manufactured by Miltenyi Biotec has low gas permeability, it is necessary to adjust the CO2 concentration by connecting a sterile filter to the biological material container 10, for example.

[0106] Other examples of bag material 51 include culture bags made of low density polyethylene, ultra-low density polyethylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer, nylon, and other polyolefins, or formed from a laminate or composite of two or more of the above materials.

[0107] In the third specific example, the container body member 20 is disposed in the internal space IS of the bag material 51. Since the container body member 20 is disposed in the internal space IS of the closed bag material 51, the risk of contamination is significantly reduced, and it is possible to use the container body member 20 to process biological materials, for example, to culture cells. The container body member 20 can be the same as the container body members of the first and second specific examples described above, and as an example, a 10 cm petri dish manufactured by ThermoFisher can be used. The material of the 10 cm petri dish manufactured by ThermoFisher is polystyrene. As another example of the container body member 20, a petri dish made of a general plastic resin such as cycloolefin polymer, cycloolefin copolymer, polypropylene, or polyethylene can be used.

[0108] 17 shows the biological material container 10 before the container body member 20 and the bag material 51 are fixed together. The illustrated bag material 51 has a first film material 51A and a second film material 51B that are laminated together. The bag material 51 includes the first film material 51A that has flexibility and faces the bottom 22 of the container body member 20, and the second film material 51B that is connected to the first film material 51A at its periphery and faces the opening OP of the container body member 20. Use of such a bag material 51 can improve the ease of handling, particularly when combined with a container body member 20 having a flattened outer contour. The bag material 51 may be made using a tubular film material obtained by inflation bag making, and the bag material 51 is obtained by closing both openings of the tubular film by welding. The bag material 51 can also be made by folding back a sheet of film and welding it from three sides.

[0109] In the example shown in FIG. 17, the two film materials 51A and 51B have a rectangular shape in a plan view. However, the two film materials 51A and 51B may have a circular shape, a semicircular shape, a shape that is a part of a circle, an elliptical shape, a semi-elliptical shape, a shape that is a part of an ellipse, a triangular shape, a pentagonal shape, a hexagonal shape, or a shape with seven or more sides in a plan view. The two film materials 51A and 51B are connected to each other at the four peripheries. The two film materials 51A and 51B are connected to each other at their peripheries by, for example, heat welding, and the space between them is sealed. This closes the space S between the bag material 51 and the container body member 20, and the biological material can be processed in the biological material storage space CS inside the container body member 20.

[0110] The bag material 51 may be sealed between the side wall portion 24 of the container body member 20, as in the second specific example. That is, the bag material 51 and the outer surface 24S1 of the side wall portion 24 may be sealed via a sealing portion SP by thermal welding, ultrasonic bonding, or the like. In addition, the bag material 51 may be fixed to the container body member 20 at the sealing portion SP, or the bag material 51 may be fixed to the container body member 20 separately from the sealing portion SP by using a separate method or means.

[0111] When using a prefabricated bag such as a culture bag CulitiLife 215 manufactured by Takara Bio or a cryopreservation bag cryoMACS Freezing Bag 1000 manufactured by Miltenyi Biotec as the bag material 51, the bag is first cut open and the container body member 20 is placed in the bag. After that, the bag is resealed by welding.

[0112] In the example shown in FIG. 16, the biological material container 10 has a pressing member (pressing member, contact member) 70, as in the second specific example. The pressing member 70 is located outside the bag material 51. The pressing member 70 contacts the bag material 51 from the outside and presses the bag material 51 toward the container body member 20. That is, the pressing member 70 contacts the surface of the bag material 51 opposite to the surface facing the container body member 20 and presses the bag material 51 toward the side wall portion 24 of the container body member 20. The pressing member 70 then makes the bag material 51 contact the outer surface 24S1 of the side wall portion 24 of the container body member 20. Furthermore, the pressing member 70 can seal the gap between the bag material 51 and the outer surface 24S1 of the side wall portion 24. The pressing member 70 can be a tube clamp, an insulok, a cable tie, a ring-shaped elastic material such as rubber, or a ring-shaped member whose circumference can be adjusted.

[0113] In the third specific example, the container body member 20 forming the biological material storage space CS is disposed in a closed space within the bag material 51. Therefore, it is not necessary to seal the space between the bag material 51 and the outer surface 24S1 of the side wall portion 24 of the container body member 20 to maintain sterility. In the third specific example, the pressing member 70 may function as a member that presses the bag material 51 against the outer surface 24S1 of the side wall portion 24 of the container body member 20.

[0114] However, it is desirable that the bag material 51 is at least partially pressed against the outer surface 24S1 of the side wall portion 24 of the container body member 20, and it is more desirable that the gap between the bag material 51 and the outer surface 24S1 of the side wall portion 24 of the container body member 20 is sealed. With such a configuration, it is possible to effectively prevent valuable liquid such as cell fluid from entering between the outer surface of the container body member 20 and the bag material 51. The present inventors produced a biological material container 10 similar to the third specific example shown in Figures 16 and 17, and when DMEM culture medium was put in and taken out through the cylindrical member 61, the culture medium was hardly trapped on the outer surface of the container body member 20.

[0115] The sterilization treatment of the biological material container 10 may be performed after the assembly of the biological material container 10, but it is also possible to use a sterilized bag material 51 and container body member 20. When a sterilized bag material 51 and container body member 20 are used, the assembled biological material container 10 may be sterilized again. Alternatively, it is also preferable to assemble the sterilized bag material 51 and container body member 20 to the biological material container 10 in a grade A environment such as an isolator or CPC, and this example makes it possible to eliminate the need for sterilization treatment after the assembly of the biological material container 10.

[0116] In the biological material container 10 using the bag material 51 as the cover member 30, similar to the biological material container exemplified in the second specific example, pressure adjustment accompanying supply and discharge of material into and from the container body member 20 is not required. Also, similar to the biological material container exemplified in the second specific example, the biological material container 10 shown in Fig. 17 has a tubular member 61E extending through the bag material 51 forming the cover member 30. With this tubular member 61E, as explained in the second specific example, by deforming the flexible bag material 51, liquid such as a cell suspension or culture medium can be stably and easily supplied to the biological material accommodation space CS in the container body member 20 fixed to the bag material 51 via the pressing member 70.

[0117] In the biological material container 10 according to the third specific example, the container body member 20 is disposed within the internal space IS of the bag material 51. Since the container body member 20 is disposed within the internal space IS of the closed bag material 51, it is possible to process the biological material, for example, to culture cells, using the container body member 20 while significantly reducing the risk of contamination.

[0118] Furthermore, in the biological material container 10 according to the third specific example, when collecting biological materials such as cultured cells, the bag material 51 constituting the cover member 30 can be opened by simply cutting the flexible bag material 51. The amount of foreign matter FM generated when the bag material 51 is cut is small, and it is possible to effectively prevent the foreign matter FM from falling into the biological material storage space CS through the opening OP when the cover member 30 is opened. Furthermore, by deforming the flexible bag material 51, the cutting position of the bag material 51 can be shifted from above the opening OP of the container body member 20. This makes it possible to more effectively prevent the foreign matter FM from falling into the biological material storage space CS through the opening OP when the cover member 30 is opened.

[0119] 17 has starting portion 46 and cutting portion 47 like the bag material exemplified in the second specific example, and can achieve the effects attributable to starting portion 46 and cutting portion 47 described in the second specific example. That is, bag material 51 constituting cover member 30 can be smoothly opened, and the cutting position of bag material 51 can be stably shifted from above opening OP of container body member 20.

[0120] As in the second specific example, the biological material container 10 described as the third specific example may be distributed or otherwise handled before use in a state in which the bag material 51 constituting the cover member 30, the container body member 20, and the pressing member 70 are not assembled. In other words, the biological material container 10 may be distributed or otherwise handled as a biological material container kit K including the bag material 51, the container body member 20, and the pressing member 70.

[0121] Also, the modified examples described in the first and second specific examples can be applied to the third specific example alone or in appropriate combination. Furthermore, the following modified examples can be applied to the third specific example.

[0122] First, as shown in FIG. 18, the biological material container 10 may have a lid material 31 disposed in a bag material 51 forming a cover member 30. The lid material 31 may be configured similarly to the lid material described in the first specific example. For example, the lid material 31 disposed in the bag material 51 may have a plate-shaped lid top portion 32 and a lid side wall portion 34. The biological material container 10 shown in FIG. 18 further has a second pressing member 71 for fixing the lid material 31 to the bag material 51. The second pressing member 71 presses the bag material 51 toward the lid side wall portion 34 of the lid material 31 from the outside of the bag material 51. Then, the second pressing member 71 brings the bag material 51 into close contact with the outer surface 34S1 of the lid side wall portion 34 of the lid material 31. Furthermore, the second pressing member 71 can seal the gap between the bag material 51 and the outer surface 34S1 of the lid side wall portion 34. The second pressing member 71 can be configured in the same manner as the pressing member 70. That is, as the second pressing member 71, a tube clamp, an insulation lock, a cable tie, a ring-shaped elastic material such as rubber, or a ring-shaped member whose circumferential length is adjustable can be used.

[0123] 18, the lid top part 32 of the lid member 31 can be positioned to face the opening OP of the container body member 20. The space S between the cover member 30 and the container body member 20 can be observed with high visibility through the lid top part 32 of the lid member 31. In addition, the lid member 31 imparts appropriate rigidity to the bag material 51, improving the handleability of the biological material container 10.

[0124] 18, in particular, the lid top portion 32 of the lid member 31 overlaps the bag material 51. The lid top portion 32 of the lid member 31 preferably contacts the bag material 51 on its surface, and more preferably is in close contact with the bag material 51 over its entire area. According to such an example, the visibility of the space S between the cover member 30 and the container body member 20 can be significantly improved.

[0125] As another modified example, as shown in Figs. 19 to 21, the bag material 51 has a first bag portion 56 having flexibility to cover the opening OP of the container body member 20, and a second bag portion 57 having flexibility that communicates with the first bag portion 56. The first bag portion 56 and the second bag portion 57 form a closed space. An instrument T used for cell culture is provided in the second bag portion 57. Examples of the instrument T include a scraper, a spreader, a pipette, a syringe, a three-way stopcock, an extension tube, a centrifuge tube, a pipette tip, a syringe needle, a needle, a nozzle, and the like, and a plurality of instruments T among these may be housed in the second bag portion 57. Since the bag material 51 including the first bag portion 56 and the second bag portion 57 has flexibility, by deforming the bag material 51, the tip of the instrument T in the second bag portion 57 can be moved into the first bag portion 56 and further into the biological material storage space CS. That is, a culture operation using the tool T can be carried out in the internal space IS of the bag material 51 that is maintained in a sterile state.

[0126] In addition, the plurality of instruments T housed in the second bag portion 57 may be connectable and disconnectable to each other. Furthermore, a cylindrical member 61 may be inserted into the second bag portion 57, and the instrument T housed in the second bag portion 57, for example, a syringe, may be connectable and disconnectable to the cylindrical member 61. By adopting such a configuration, for example, a liquid containing a biological material in the container body member 20 can be sucked by a syringe as the instrument T housed in the second bag portion 57, and then the syringe can be inserted and connected to the cylindrical member 61, and the liquid in the syringe can be delivered, for example, by a fixed amount, to the outside of the biological material container 10 via the cylindrical member 61. Since such a syringe operation can be performed from the outside of the flexible second bag portion 57, adhesion of bacteria to the liquid can be effectively avoided.

[0127] In particular, in the illustrated example, the bag material 51 further has a connecting bag portion 58 between the first bag portion 56 and the second bag portion 57. The connecting bag portion 58 forms a closed space together with the first bag portion 56 and the second bag portion 57. The connecting bag portion 58 has a width narrower than the first bag portion 56 and the second bag portion 57. The instrument T is inserted into the first bag portion 56 through the connecting bag portion 58. By providing the narrow connecting bag portion 58, it is possible to effectively prevent the instrument T from unintentionally entering the biological material storage space CS.

[0128] The modified example of disposing the lid member 31 in the bag member 51 described with reference to Fig. 18 can also be applied to the bag member of the second specific example. That is, in the second specific example shown in Figs. 14 and 15, the lid member 31 may be disposed in the bag member 51 fixed to the container body member 20. The modified example of the bag member 51 described with reference to Figs. 19 to 21 can also be applied to the bag member of the second specific example. That is, in the second specific example shown in Figs. 14 and 15, the second bag portion 57 in which the instrument T is accommodated may be connected to the bag member 51 fixed to the container body member 20, or the second bag portion 57 in which the instrument T is accommodated may be connected via the connecting bag portion 58.

[0129] An embodiment has been described above with reference to a number of specific examples and modified examples. In this embodiment, the biological material container 10 has a container body member 20 having a bottom portion 22 and a side wall portion 24, and a cover member 30 covering the opening OP of the container body member 20. The outer surface 24S1 of the side wall portion 24 of the container body member 20 and the cover member 30 are sealed. As a result, the space S between the container body member 20 and the cover member 30 is closed, and the biological material storage space CS in the container body member 20 is closed accordingly. According to this embodiment, when the cover member 30 is removed or peeled off from the container body member 20 at the sealed position SP to open the biological material storage space CS, or when the cover member 30 is cut at a position shifted from the sealed position SP to the opening OP side of the container body member 20, it is possible to effectively prevent a foreign matter FM generated by the removal or cutting from falling into the inside of the container body member 20, i.e., the biological material storage space CS, through the opening OP. This makes it possible to extract biological materials such as cultured cells without being harmed by foreign matter FM.

[0130] Although one embodiment has been described using a number of specific examples, these specific examples are not intended to limit the one embodiment. The one embodiment described above can be embodied in various other specific examples, and various omissions, substitutions, changes, additions, etc. can be made without departing from the spirit of the embodiment.

[0131] An example of the modification will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description and the drawings used in the following description, parts that can be configured similarly to the above-mentioned specific example will be designated by the same reference numerals as those used for the corresponding parts in the above-mentioned specific example, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted.

[0132] For example, a container with an instrument 80 shown in Figs. 22 and 23 may be used together with the biological material container 10 described above. The container with an instrument 80 has a bag material 51 having a sealed internal space IS, a tubular member 61 attached to the bag material 51, and an instrument T accommodated in the bag material 51. The bag material 51 may be any of the bag materials 51 described in the second and third specific examples. In the example shown in Figs. 22 and 23, the bag material 51 has flexibility to such an extent that the instrument T accommodated inside the bag material 51 can be operated from the outside of the bag material 51. The tubular member 61 may be any of the tubular members 61 described in the first to third specific examples. The number of tubular members 61 attached to the bag material 51 is not particularly limited.

[0133] Moreover, the instrument T may be any one or more of the instruments T described in the third specific example. Specifically, examples of the instrument T include a pipette, a syringe, an extension tube, a pipette tip, an injection needle, a needle, a nozzle, and the like, and a plurality of the instruments T may be housed in the bag material 51 of the instrument-containing container 80. The plurality of instruments T housed in the bag material 51 may be connectable and disconnectable to each other. Since the bag material 51 is flexible, it is possible to operate the instrument T in the bag material 51 by deforming the bag material 51, and to act on a member connected to the instrument-containing container 80 via the tubular member 61, for example, to process the biological material in the biological material container 10.

[0134] In particular, in the illustrated example, a syringe TS is contained as an instrument in the bag material 51. The tip of the syringe TS is connectable to a cylindrical member 61 as shown in Fig. 23. In the illustrated example, by inserting the tip of the syringe TS into the cylindrical member 61, the syringe TS is connected to the cylindrical member 61, and it becomes possible to suck into the syringe TS via the cylindrical member 61. Note that a connector may be contained as the instrument T in the bag material 51, and the syringe TS may be connected to the cylindrical member 61 via the connector.

[0135] 22 and 23, the container with instrument 80 can aspirate liquid containing a biological material from the container body member 20 of the biological material container 10 connected via the tubular member 61. After the liquid is collected in the syringe of the container with instrument 80, the bag material 51 can be opened and the syringe TS can be removed from the bag material 51. The liquid in the syringe TS can then be delivered or infused into a subject such as a living organism.

[0136] In order to facilitate the operation of the syringe TS in the bag material 51, the cylinder portion TSS of the syringe TS may be fixed within the bag material 51. For example, by using the pressing member 70 in the second and third specific examples, the cylinder portion TSS of the syringe TS can be removably fixed to the bag material 51. By fixing the cylinder portion TSS to the bag material 51, the piston portion TSP of the syringe TS can be easily moved relative to the cylinder portion TSS.

[0137] The syringe TS may also be provided with a display TSX that indicates the amount of liquid drawn in. By providing this display TSX, it is possible to easily draw in and dispense a predetermined amount of liquid.

[0138] Furthermore, a plurality of syringes TS may be housed in the bag material 51, and the syringe TS connected to the cylindrical member 61 may be changeable. The plurality of syringes TS may have different uses or capacities. [Explanation of symbols]

[0139] 10 Container for biological materials 15 Sealing material 20 Container body member 22 Bottom 22S bottom 24 Side wall 24S1 External surface 24S2 Inside 24E Edge 30 Cover member 31 Lid material 32 Lid top 34 Lid side wall 34S1 External surface 41 Divided part 42 Sending guide section 42S Slope 43 Supply guide section 43A Cylindrical section 43B Rod-shaped part 43C Plate-shaped part 44 Shield part 44A Shielding plate 45 Shielding part 45A shielding plate 46 Start part 47 Cut section 51 Bag material 51OP opening 51A First Film Material 51B Second film material 56 1st bag section 57 2nd bag section 58 Connecting bag section 61 Cylindrical member 61A Cylindrical member 61B Cylindrical member 61C Cylindrical member 61D Cylindrical member 61E Cylindrical member 62 Sterile connection port 69 Tube material 70 Pressing member 71 Second pressing member 80 Container with utensils SP Sealing point JP connection point P aisle J Connection port G Gap OP Opening CS Biological Material Containment Space S space IS interior space FM foreign object K Biological Material Container Kit T-equipment TS Syringe TSS Cylinder section TSP piston part TSX display L liquid

Claims

[Claim 1] A bag material having an internal space; A tubular member inserted into the internal space through the bag material; and an instrument contained in the interior space.

Images