Cell Culture Device with Bottom-to-Top Medium Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cell culture devices are not suitable for cultivating cells in suspension or on microcarriers in a fluidized bed, as they lead to cell accumulation and stress due to gravity, resulting in reduced survival rates and aggregation issues.
Innovation Solution
A culture device with multiple zones, including a cell culture zone where the medium circulates from bottom to top, reducing gravitational stress and preventing cell accumulation, and incorporating a magnetic centrifugal pump for medium circulation without external contamination risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the culture medium flows from top to bottom through the culture zone, then the device structure is simple, but cells accumulate in the bottom of the culture zone causing stress and reduced survival rates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional flow direction by making the culture medium flow from bottom to top through the culture zone instead of top to bottom. This reversal prevents cell accumulation at the bottom by creating upward buoyant force that counteracts gravitational settling, thereby maintaining cell viability while preserving structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The upward flow of culture medium creates a counterbalancing force against the downward gravitational force acting on cells. This anti-weight effect prevents cell sedimentation and accumulation, reducing mechanical stress on cells and improving survival rates without complicating the device structure.
2Ease of manufacture
If cells are cultured in suspension without carriers, then the culture method is simple, but cells aggregate due to cell-to-cell contact causing death through lack of oxygen and nutriment
Solution Approach 1:
The upward flow direction reverses the conventional sedimentation process, keeping cells in suspension rather than allowing them to settle and aggregate. This maintains the simplicity of suspension culture while preventing cell aggregation and associated viability issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The hydraulic flow of culture medium from bottom to top creates continuous movement that prevents cell aggregation. The fluid dynamics ensure cells remain dispersed in suspension, maintaining oxygen and nutrient access while preserving the simplicity of the culture method.
3Adaptability or versatility
If cells are cultured on non-immobilised carriers or microcarriers, then carrier flexibility is high, but cells are subjected to gravity and descending medium flow causing enormous stress
Solution Approach 1:
By inverting the flow direction to bottom-to-top, the patent counteracts the gravitational and flow-induced stresses on cells cultured on carriers. This maintains carrier flexibility while dramatically improving cell survival rates by reducing mechanical stress.
4Device complexity
If the culture medium is circulated externally through conduits, then the circulation system is simple, but there are risks of external contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent nests the culture medium circulation within the internal structure of the culture device, with conduits positioned inside the culture zone. This eliminates external contamination risks while maintaining circulation functionality, as the medium is circulated within a closed internal system rather than through external conduits.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device allows for the flexible cultivation of both suspension and anchorage-dependent cells on carriers or microcarriers with reduced stress and no cell accumulation, ensuring efficient oxygenation and nutrient distribution, thereby enhancing cell survival and culture efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the medium circulates from bottom to top in the culture zone... allowing a transfer of culture medium essentially free from cells
Implementation Method 2
reducing gravitational stress and preventing cell accumulation
Implementation Method 3
incorporating a magnetic centrifugal pump for medium circulation
Data Source
AI summary
Cell culture device (1) comprising a culture vessel (2) provided with a cover (19) in which there is a first zone (3) for transferring culture medium essentially free from cells internal to a second cell culture zone (5), a third (4) and a fourth zone (6) for transferring culture medium essentially free from cells. The third zone (4) is internal to the second zone (5) and external to the first zone (4) and the fourth zone (6) being a zone external to said second zone (5). All the zones are in medium communication. The device also comprises culture medium circulation means, allowing a circulation of the culture medium through the culture zone (5) from bottom to top.