Cell Culture Insert With Permeable Mesh for Spheroid Trapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cell culture systems face challenges in exchanging media without aspirating or damaging spheroids, as cells cultured in three dimensions interact with each other rather than attaching to a substrate, making it difficult to maintain in-vivo like functionality.
Innovation Solution
The development of cell culture inserts with a fluid-permeable mesh and a frame that allows media exchange while trapping spheroids, preventing them from passing through the mesh, allowing individual cells to pass but keeping spheroid clusters contained.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cells are cultured in three dimensions as spheroids in suspension, then in-vivo like functionality is improved, but media exchange becomes difficult without aspirating or damaging the spheroids
Solution Approach 1:
A mesh filter is introduced as an intermediary component between the spheroids and the external environment. The mesh allows media to pass through while physically blocking spheroids, enabling media exchange without direct contact or aspiration of the spheroids, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining spheroid integrity and enabling media exchange
Solution Approach 2:
The mesh filter utilizes porous material properties with specific pore sizes that permit fluid passage while blocking larger spheroid structures. This allows the system to maintain spheroid containment while enabling efficient media exchange through the porous structure, solving the media exchange problem without damaging spheroids
2Reliability
If a mesh with small pores is used to prevent spheroids from passing, then spheroid containment is improved, but individual cell passage is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The mesh filter is designed with optimally sized pores that create a size-selective barrier. The pore dimensions are specifically chosen to be larger than individual cells but smaller than spheroid clusters, allowing the system to simultaneously achieve spheroid containment and individual cell passage through the porous structure
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
Enables efficient media exchange without disturbing spheroids, maintaining their in-vivo like functionality and facilitating research, diagnostics, and drug testing by preventing spheroids from being aspirated or disrupted.
Implementation Method 1
The mesh defines pores having an average pore size in a range from 10 micrometers to 200 micrometers, e.g., 10, 20, 50, 100 or 200 micrometers, including ranges between any of the foregoing values. In embodiments, the pores are sized to allow individual cells to pass across or through the mesh, but to prevent spheroid cell clusters from passing.
Data Source
AI summary
A cell culture well insert may include a frame defining a first open end, a second open end, and at least one support extending therebetween. The cell culture well insert may also include a fluid permeable mesh coupled to the frame and disposed across the second open end. The mesh may define pores that have an average pore size in a range from 10 micrometers to 100 micrometers.