Biological cell culture processing equipment

Abstract

The present invention relates to a biological cell culture treatment device arranged in a storage chamber (13) of a carrier (11), comprising a work deck (3) having one or more support spots (10) each supporting a carrier (11), with support areas of the support spots (10) corresponding to areas of the carrier (11), and nozzles (4, 5) for generating a gas flow in a space (2) above the work deck. To prevent droplets or cellular material from being carried from one storage chamber to another by the horizontal gas flow above the carrier during treatment, the nozzles (4, 5) are arranged outside and along the support areas (10) or within the support areas (10) to form a gas curtain around the carrier (11) or the storage chamber (13).

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates first to a treatment device for biological cell cultures arranged in a storage chamber of carriers, comprising a work deck having one or more support spots for supporting each carrier, the support areas of the support spots corresponding to the area of ​​the carriers, and a nozzle for generating a gas flow in the space above the work deck. [Background technology]

[0002] Processing devices for processing biological cells are known in the prior art, in particular from US Pat. Nos. 5,993,103, 5,104,105, 5,106,107, 5,108,111, 5,109,122 and 5,200,237. A common type of processing device has a housing that is substantially gas-tight with respect to the outside. Inside the housing, a working plate, for example a working deck with a plurality of support spots, on which individual carriers can be placed, is arranged. Those carriers are preferably standard microplates of the type described in US Pat. Nos. 5,993,103 and 5,200,243. A pipette mechanism or similar can be used to remove the cell cultures from the storage chambers of the carriers. A pipette mechanism can also be used to supply nutrients to the storage chambers. The nutrients can be stored in nutrient containers. The nutrient containers can have a layout that corresponds to the layout of the carriers. A clean gas flow is generated in the housing of the processing device by means of fans and filters, which flow as a laminar flow parallel to the working plate. During the processing of the cell cultures stored in the storage chambers, liquids are transported. Droplets, in particular microdroplets, are formed by the gas flow and are transported along with the gas flow. As a result, cells of a cell culture placed in a storage chamber may be transported into an adjacent storage chamber in which cells of a different cell culture are stored, and such accidental contamination of a foreign cell culture is undesirable.

[0003] Patent document 13 describes an air-conditioned cabinet with an entrance through which slides can be transported. The entrance has two side walls facing each other, and the side walls are provided with openings through which a gas flow can be generated to the entrance.

[0004] US Pat. No. 5,399,433 describes a gas-flushed space-wide cell culture carrier, which has a gas outlet located between adjacent storage chambers of the carrier.

[0005] US Pat. No. 5,399,633 shows a cabinet containing carriers with storage chambers for containing cell cultures. Holes for receiving the individual carriers are provided in the further support spots.

[0006] US Patent No. 5,399,633 describes a carrier comprising storage chambers for containing cell cultures, with perforations arranged between the storage chambers separating adjacent storage chambers.

[0007] US Pat. No. 5,399,633 describes a table for receiving carriers with cell cultures, the table having holes through which an optical path passes so that the cell cultures can be observed under a microscope. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] US Patent Application Publication No. 2018 / 0202908 [Patent Document 2] U.S. Patent No. 6,146,592 [Patent Document 3] European Patent Application Publication No. 33 229 028 [Patent Document 4] US Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0273242 [Patent Document 5] WO 03 / 008103 [Patent Document 6] International Publication No. 93 / 03891 [Patent Document 7] European Patent Application Publication No. 2 068 155 [Patent Document 8] International Publication No. 2011 / 047710 [Patent Document 9] US Patent Application Publication No. 2007 / 005920 [Patent Document 10] U.S. Patent No. 6,360,792 [Patent Document 11] US Patent Application Publication No. 2012 / 0178120 [Patent Document 12] U.S. Patent No. 6,143,250 [Patent Document 13] German Patent No. 10 303 736 [Patent Document 14] German Patent No. 3879 631 [Patent Document 15] U.S. Patent No. 5,525,512 [Patent Document 15] U.S. Patent No. 4,968,625 [Patent Document 16] International Publication No. 2007 / 043561 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] The aim of the present invention is to indicate means by which accidental contamination of exogenous cell cultures can at least be reduced and preferably prevented. In particular, the present invention relates to a further development of a working deck and a carrier, the carrier being a plate-like carrier, preferably in the form of a microplate, having a plurality of storage chambers. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] This object is achieved by the invention as set forth in the claims, the dependent claims being not only advantageous further developments of the invention as set forth in the dependent claims, but also independent solutions of this object.

[0011] Firstly and essentially, the invention relates to a processing device for processing biological cell cultures arranged in a storage chamber on one or more carriers. A work deck is provided with one or more support spots for supporting individual carriers. The support areas of the support spots have an area corresponding to the area of ​​the carriers. In particular, means are provided by which the carriers can be adjusted on the support areas, the carriers then assuming predefined positions on the work deck.

[0012] According to the invention, the nozzles are arranged outside and along the edge of the support area. The nozzles can be used to generate a gas flow with a direction perpendicular to the area extension of the support area or perpendicular to the area extension of the upper surface of the working deck. The gas flow generated by the nozzles preferably flows perpendicular to the laminar gas flow that flows parallel to the working deck inside the housing. The gas flow generated by the nozzles is used to generate a gas curtain that can surround the carrier and form a barrier that prevents droplets from being carried away from the carrier. In one alternative of the invention, the nozzles are arranged inside the support area. The carriers used in this alternative have one or more storage chambers for accommodating biological cell cultures, each with a layout or opening. One or more gas passage holes are arranged outside and along the edge of the layout or opening of the storage chamber. The gas passage holes can also be arranged in an annular manner around the layout or opening of the storage chamber. The gas passage holes form openings in the underside of the carrier, which are aligned with nozzles arranged in particular inside the support area of ​​the working deck, whereby the gas flow generated by the nozzles can flow through the gas passage holes. This alternative creates a gas curtain surrounding the storage chamber, thereby creating a barrier that can prevent droplets from being transported from the storage chamber, in particular to the neighboring storage chamber.

[0013] Further developments of the device according to the invention or the carrier according to the invention, both separately and in combination with one another, are described below. The support area is a rectangular area. However, it can also have a layout different from its shape, for example a polygonal or round area. The nozzles extend along a line running at a certain distance to the edge of the support area. The line can be straight, running parallel to the edge of the support area. However, the line can also be curved. The working deck can be circular. A number of support areas are arranged around the centre of the working deck. The support areas can be located at the same radial distance to the centre. The working deck can be rotatable around the centre. Means can be provided for generating a gas flow inside the housing, which is essentially or nearly gas-tight to the outside and has an integrated working deck. The gas flow flows through the housing and above the working deck. The means can have a filter and a fan. The preferably laminar gas flow generated by the fan has a direction perpendicular to the gas flow generated by the nozzle. The gas passage holes inside the carrier have a connecting channel between the lower surface of the carrier, which preferably rests flat on the support area, and the upper surface of the carrier, on which the opening of the storage chamber is located. The nozzles can be connected to each other by gas lines. The gas lines can be arranged in the working deck. A pump is connected to the gas lines to generate a negative pressure. The nozzle then operates as a suction nozzle and generates a gas flow directed towards the working deck. However, it is also possible for the gas flow generated by the second fan to leave the nozzle and enter the housing.

[0014] The carrier preferably consists of a carrier plate, particularly preferably a microplate with a layout of 127.76 mm x 85.48 mm. And a positioning flank can be provided for abutting it against the support spot. The carrier can have a positioning flank for abutting against the positioning flank of the support spot. The positioning flank can be formed by a side wall of the recess or a side wall of a rib or bar. The nozzle is preferably arranged directly adjacent to the positioning flank. The positioning flank of the support spot can here form a frame or a part of the frame. The nozzle is then preferably arranged directly adjacent to the framework. The nozzle is preferably arranged so as to generate a gas curtain which completely surrounds the carrier or the storage chamber and / or is uniform. The nozzle can consist of an elongated slit extending into the upper surface of the working deck. The openings of the gas passage holes opening into the upper surface of the carrier preferably likewise have an elongated shape. The openings of the nozzles or gas passage holes are so close to one another that they form a closed gas curtain. The storage chamber can preferably be circular. The gas passage holes can extend on an arc line around the opening of the feed chamber.

[0015] A variant of the invention provides that the supply chamber has a tubular wall, the wall having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface being the inner wall of the supply chamber, the outer surface being directly adjacent to the gas passage holes, thereby forming a gas flow along the outer surface of the wall. In a further development of the invention, the carrier with the storage chamber is the first carrier and a second carrier, preferably with the same area as the first carrier, carries the liquid or other processing means. In particular, the second carrier has a supply space for the nutrient liquid or for a bracket for holding a pipette tip. An advantage of the invention is that holes, which are basically known in the prior art, can be used to generate directional gas flows. It is particularly advantageous that these directional gas flows extend perpendicular to the laminar gas flow. A further advantage is that the actively generated gas flows form a gas curtain.

[0016] These and other aspects of the invention will now be described in more detail, purely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an apparatus according to the invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a working deck 13 having a plurality of support spots 10 taken along line II-II. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of cut-out portion III of FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a support spot 10 on the working deck 3. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a different design of the support spot 10 on the working deck 3. As shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a plan view of a carrier 11 with a number of storage containers 13. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 shows a cross-section of the carrier according to FIGS. 6 and 7, which is placed in the pocket of a support spot 10 of the working deck 3 formed by a locating flank 14. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of the carrier 11. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] 1 shows a housing 1, which shields a treatment space 2 arranged inside the housing 1 from the surrounding atmosphere. A fan 21 can be used to generate a gas flow, which is filtered by a filter 20. The gas flow generated by the fan 21 enters the treatment space 2 through an inlet 19 and exits the treatment space 2 again through an outlet 23 by flowing therethrough in a substantially horizontal direction.

[0019] Inside the treatment space 2 a working deck 3 with a circular top surface is arranged. The working deck 3 has a centre Z and can be rotated around said centre Z to various working positions. Inside the treatment space 2 a number of treatment means can be arranged. By way of example a pipetting mechanism 8 is shown which can be used to take liquid from a bottle 24 arranged on the carrier 12 by means of a pipette. The liquid can be transported to a supply chamber 13 of the carrier 11. A cell culture is arranged in the supply chamber 13.

[0020] A number of support spots 10 are arranged on the area of ​​the upwardly facing broad surface of the working deck 3. Figures 4 and 5 show different variants of the support spots 10. The support spots 10 are provided with positioning flanks 6, by means of which a carrier 11 having a number of storage chambers 13 or a carrier 12 carrying liquids or processing means can be reproducibly positioned thereon. The carrier 11 preferably has the layout of a microplate.

[0021] The support spot 10 defines a support area corresponding to the area of ​​the carriers 11, 12. The support area has an edge. A number of nozzles 4 extend outside the edge and can generate a gas flow that crosses the horizontal gas flow described above. The nozzles 4 thus generate a vertical gas flow. According to the invention, the nozzles are suction nozzles, but they can also be blowing nozzles. The nozzles 5 are connected to a gas line 9 inside or below the working deck 3. The nozzles 4 can be used to suck gas out of the horizontal gas flow, by the gas line 9 connecting the nozzles 5 to a pump 22 that generates a negative pressure.

[0022] The nozzles 4 are designed as elongated slit nozzles and are located at a uniform distance to the edge of the support spot 10. They are arranged close to each other to generate a substantially closed gas curtain around the support spot 10, which gas curtain extends along the edge of the support spot 10.

[0023] In the exemplary embodiment shown in Fig. 4, the support spot 10 is formed by a pocket, the side wall of which comprises a positioning flank, against which the end face of the carrier 11, 12 can abut. The nozzle 4 can directly adjoin the side wall of the carrier 11, 12.

[0024] In the exemplary embodiment of Fig. 5, the positioning flanks 6 are formed by bars 7. These may include angle bars 7 which may surround corner regions of the carrier 11. Parts of the side walls of the carrier 11 may abut against the inner surface of the bars 7. The nozzles 4 may directly adjoin the outer wall of the bars 7.

[0025] 4 and 5 show not only nozzles 4 arranged outside the support area of ​​the support spot 10, but also nozzles 5 arranged inside the support area. The nozzles 5 are likewise connected to a gas line 9, so that they can be used as blowing or suction nozzles. Preferably, they are used as suction nozzles.

[0026] 6 to 9 show a carrier shaped like a plate, in particular like a microplate. The microplate has the layout dimensions described above. The carrier 11 has a lower surface 16 resting on the support area 10. The carrier 11 has an upper surface 18 facing away from the lower surface 16, and into the upper surface 18 extends the opening of a trough-shaped storage chamber 13. The storage chamber 13 may be open. However, it may also be closable by a lid or cover. Gas passage holes 15 may be arranged along the edge of the opening of the storage chamber 13. The gas passage holes 15 form a flow channel between the upper surface 18 and the lower surface 16.

[0027] The nozzles 5 are positioned inside the support area of ​​the support spot 10 so as to align with the gas passage holes. Thus, the negative pressure generated by the nozzles generates a gas flow from the processing space 2 toward the gas passage holes 15 and generates a gas curtain around the storage chamber 13. The nozzles 5 are close together to form a continuous gas curtain around the storage chamber 13.

[0028] In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 9, the boundary walls of the storage chamber 13 consist of tubular structures. They form a wall 17 having an inner surface 17′ and an outer surface 17″. The gas passage holes 15 are arranged in an area directly adjacent to the outer surface 17″. They form a gas curtain extending along the outer surface 17″.

[0029] The horizontally flowing gas stream is used to generate a gas curtain that protects the upwardly open storage chambers 13, for example during processing with a pipette of the pipette mechanism 8. The gas streams generated by the nozzles 4, 5 flow perpendicularly thereto and can be used to generate a vertical gas curtain to prevent aerosols, for example occurring during processing in a pipette process, from being carried away from the horizontal gas stream, for example to other storage chambers. This prevents cross-contamination of different cell cultures arranged in different storage chambers 13. The arrangement of the nozzles 4, 5 or the gas passage holes 15 is selected to generate an image of the openings, where the openings are visible in a line arranged closely together. A continuous gas flow passes through the openings.

[0030] Further devices for processing the cell cultures are provided in the processing space 2, for example devices for opening bottles and a microscope.

[0031] The above description is intended to describe the invention(s) that are the subject of this application as a whole, each of which also independently advances the prior art by at least one combination of the following features, and it is possible to combine two, some or all of these combinations of features:

[0032] 10. A processing device, characterized in that the nozzles 4, 5 are arranged outside and along the edge of the support area 10 or inside the support area 10.

[0033] 1. A treatment device characterized in that the support area 10 is a rectangular area and the nozzles 4, 5 are located on a line extending parallel to the edges of the rectangular area, and / or the working deck 3 is circular and the support areas 10 are arranged around a center Z of the working deck 3, and / or the working deck 3 is rotatable around the center Z, and / or the working deck 3 is arranged in a housing 1 which is gas-tight to the outside and through which a gas flow 1 can pass, and / or there are provided means 20, 21 for generating a first filtered gas flow inside the housing flowing parallel to the working deck 3, and a second gas flow generated by the nozzles 4, 5 flows perpendicular to the first gas flow.

[0034] A processing device comprising one or more carriers 11 with one or more storage chambers 13 for accommodating biological cell cultures, the processing device being characterized in that, when the carrier 11 is placed on the support spot 10, the processing device has gas passage holes 15 arranged outside the layout of the storage chambers 13 or along the edges of the layout and aligned with the nozzles 5.

[0035] A carrier characterized in that the gas passage holes 15 are arranged outside the layout of the storage chambers 13 and along the edges of the layout.

[0036] 1. A processing device or carrier, characterized in that the carriers 11, 12 have a rectangular layout with a lower surface 16 extending in one plane and an upper surface 18 extending in a plane parallel thereto, the openings of the storage chambers 13 being located in the upper surface 18, gas passage holes 15 forming connecting channels between the lower surface 16 and the upper surface 18, and / or a pump 22 is provided for generating a negative pressure in a gas line 9 connecting the nozzles 4, 5 or multiple nozzles 4, 5 to one another.

[0037] A processing device or carrier, characterized in that the support spot has a first locating flank 6 for fixing a second locating flank 14 of the carrier 11 and / or that the support spot 10 forms a frame for adjusting the position of the carrier 11, 12 on the working deck 3, the nozzle 4 being directly adjacent to the frame or part of the frame.

[0038] a gas line 9 arranged below the upper surface of the working deck 3 forming the support spot 10 and in fluid communication with the nozzles 4, 5, the nozzles 4, 5 being either gas outlet nozzles generating a gas flow leaving the working deck 3 or suction nozzles generating a gas flow entering the working deck 3; and / or the gas flow generated by the nozzles 4, 5 forms a barrier in the form of a gas curtain between adjacent carriers 11, 12 and / or adjacent storage chambers 13, which barrier prevents liquid or cells from being transported from one storage chamber 13 to another storage chamber 13 during processing of biological cells; and / or the nozzles 4, 5 generate a gas curtain that completely surrounds and is uniform around the carriers 11, 12 or the storage chambers.

[0039] 1. A processing device or carrier, characterized in that the layout of the storage chamber 13 is circular and the gas passage holes 14 are arranged along an arc line of said layout, the support area 10 has nozzles 5 arranged on the arc line, and / or the storage chamber 13 has a wall 17 with an inner surface 17' facing inside the storage chamber and an outer surface 17" facing the opposite side, the gas passage holes 15 being directly adjacent to the outer surface 17".

[0040] A processing device or carrier characterized in that the first carrier 11 is a carrier plate and / or the first carrier 11 is a microplate having a layout of 127.76 mm x 85.48 mm, and / or the storage chamber 13 is a trough and / or the first carrier 11 has a plurality of storage chambers 13 each surrounded by an arrangement of a plurality of gas passage holes 15, and / or a second carrier 12 is provided, the layout of which is the same as that of the first carrier 11 and which stores a processing liquid or processing means, and / or the nozzles 4, 5 or the gas passage holes 15 have a vertical layout.

[0041] A method, characterized in that the nozzles (4,5) are used to generate a gas curtain surrounding the carrier (11) and / or the at least one storage chamber (13).

[0042] 1. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the method has a first gas flow parallel to the working deck (3) and perpendicular to a second gas flow generated by the nozzles (4,5).

[0043] All disclosed features are essential to the invention (both by themselves and in combination with one another). The disclosure of the present application includes in its entirety the disclosure content of the relevant / added priority documents (copies of the earlier application), also with a view to incorporating the features of these documents in the claims of the present application. The dependent claims are characterized by an independent, inventive further development of the prior art, even without the features of the cited claims, in particular in order to file a divisional application on the basis of these claims. The invention specified in each claim may additionally have one or more features specified in the preceding description, in particular those given reference signs and / or specified in the explanation of the signs. The present invention also relates in particular to design forms in which individual ones of the features mentioned in the preceding description are not implemented, insofar as they are obviously unnecessary for the respective intended use or can be replaced by other means having the same technical effect. [Explanation of symbols]

[0044] 1. Housing 2 Space 3 Work Deck 4 Nozzles 5 Nozzles 6 First Locating Flank 7. Bar 8 Pipette Mechanism 9. Gas Lines 10 Support Spots / Support Areas 11 Career 12. Career 13 Storage chamber 14 Second Locating Flank 15 Gas passage hole 16 Bottom side 17. Wall 17' Inside 17” Exterior 18 Top 19 Entrance 20 Means, Filters 21 Means, Fans 22 Pump 23 Exit 24 Bottles Z center

Claims

1. A processing device for processing biological cell cultures arranged in storage chambers (13) of carriers (11), the device having a working deck (3) with one or more support spots (10) for supporting individual carriers (11), the support area of ​​the support spots (10) corresponds to an area of ​​the carriers (11) on which the carriers (11) can be placed, and holes (4, 5) for passing a gas flow are arranged outside or inside the support area (10), 2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said holes (4, 5) are suction or blowing nozzles connected to a gas line (9) for generating a gas flow directed perpendicular to the plane of extension of said support area (10).

2. 2. The treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gas line (9) connected to the holes (4, 5) which are suction nozzles is connected to a pump (22) which generates a negative pressure.

3. A processing device as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the holes (4) arranged outside the support area (10) are formed as elongated slot nozzles and have a certain distance to the edge of the support spot (10), and the holes are arranged in close proximity to each other to generate a substantially closed gas curtain around the support spot (10), the gas curtain extending along the edge of the support spot (10).

4. 4. The treatment device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises one or more carriers (11) with one or more storage chambers (13) for accommodating biological cell cultures, the carriers (11) having gas passage holes (15) that align with the holes (5) arranged inside the support area (10) when the carrier (11) is placed on the support spot (10).

5. 5. The treatment apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for generating a first gas flow inside the housing, the first gas flow being parallel to the working deck (3), the second gas flow being generated by the holes (4, 5) being perpendicular to the first gas flow.

6. said support spot (10) having a first locating flank (6) for fixing a second locating flank (14) of said carrier (11); 6. Processing device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first positioning flank (6) is formed by a frame which can be used to adjust the position of the carrier (11, 12) on the working deck (3), and the hole (4) is either directly adjacent to the frame or the frame has parts spaced apart from one another and adjacent to the hole (4).

7. 7. The treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the gas line (9) is arranged below an upper surface of the working deck (3) forming the support spot (10) and is connected in fluid communication to the holes (4, 5), the holes (4, 5) being either blow nozzles generating a gas flow leaving the working deck (3) or suction nozzles generating a gas flow entering the working deck (3).

8. The treatment device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the working deck (3) is circular and a plurality of support areas (10) are arranged around a center (Z) of the working deck (3), and / or the working deck (3) is rotatable around the center (Z), and / or the working deck (3) is arranged in a housing (1) that is airtight with respect to the outside.

9. A carrier for use with a treatment device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising one or more storage chambers (13) for accommodating biological cell cultures, characterized in that one or more gas passage holes (15) are arranged outside the layout of at least one of the storage chambers (13) and extend along the edge of the storage chamber (13), the gas passage holes (15) forming a connecting channel between the lower surface (16) and the upper surface (18).

10. 10. The carrier according to claim 9, characterized in that the layout of the storage chamber (13) is circular and the gas passage holes (15) are arranged on an arc line around said layout.

11. 11. The carrier according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the storage chamber (13) has a wall (17) with an inner surface (17') facing into the storage chamber and an outer surface (17") facing opposite, and the gas passage holes (15) are directly adjacent to the outer surface (17").

12. The carrier according to any one of claims 9 to 11 or the processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the first carrier (11) is a carrier plate and / or that the first carrier (11) is a microplate with a layout of 127.76 mm x 85.48 mm and / or that the storage chamber (13) is a trough and / or that the storage chamber is open or closed towards the top ... and / or a second carrier (12) is provided having the same layout as the layout of the first carrier (11) and for storing a treatment liquid or treatment means, and / or the holes (4, 5) or gas passage holes (15) have a vertical layout, and / or a pump (22) is provided to generate a negative pressure in the hole (4, 5) or in the gas line (9) connecting the holes (4, 5) to one another.

13. A method for treating biological cell cultures arranged in a storage chamber (13) of a carrier (11) according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the carrier (11) is placed on a support spot (10) of a working deck (3) and a gas flow is generated by holes (4, 5), 13. A method of treatment according to claim 12, characterized in that the holes (4, 5) are used to generate a gas curtain surrounding the carrier (11) and / or at least one storage chamber (13) and oriented perpendicular to the plane of extension of the support area.

14. 14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that the gas flow generated by the holes (4, 5) forms a barrier in the form of a gas curtain between adjacent carriers (11, 12) and / or between adjacent storage chambers (13), which prevents liquid or cells from being transported from one storage chamber (13) to another storage chamber (13) during processing of biological cells.

15. 15. A method according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that a first gas flow is generated which flows parallel to the working deck (3) and that a second gas flow generated by the holes (4, 5) flows perpendicular to the first gas flow, the gas flow generated by the holes (4, 5) being a suction flow or a blowing flow.

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