Cell Culture Membrane Coating Blocks Through-Holes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cells cultured on a polyurethane porous membrane with through-holes tend to migrate to the opposite surface, making it difficult to achieve monolayer culture instead of two-layer culture.
Innovation Solution
A cell culture membrane with a resin porous structure and a coating material applied to one surface that suppresses cells from passing through the through-holes, using materials like dried glycoproteins, protein gels, or polysaccharide gels to enhance adhesion and block the pores.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a polyurethane porous membrane with through-holes is used for cell culture, then two-layer culture of different cell types is enabled, but cells can migrate through the through-holes to the opposite surface making monolayer culture difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a coating material to one surface of the porous membrane that selectively blocks through-holes. This creates local quality differentiation where the coated surface prevents cell migration while the uncoated surface maintains cell culture functionality, enabling monolayer culture on the coated side while preserving two-layer culture capability when both surfaces are used
Solution Approach 2:
The coating material acts as an intermediary substance that modifies the through-holes. It fills and blocks the through-holes to prevent cell passage while maintaining the overall membrane structure. The coating material serves as a mediator between the porous membrane structure and the cell culture requirements, enabling control over cell migration behavior
2Productivity
If the number and diameter of through-holes are increased to improve cell passage, then more cells can pass through for two-layer culture, but cell migration to the opposite surface increases making monolayer culture even more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The coating material is applied locally to block through-holes on one surface while leaving the other surface uncoated. This local quality approach allows the membrane to simultaneously support high cell passage (when uncoated) and prevent cell migration (when coated), resolving the contradiction between productivity and harmful effects
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 coating material effectively blocks through-holes, preventing cell nuclei and pseudopods from migrating to the opposite surface, allowing for successful monolayer culture by increasing adhesive strength and maintaining membrane adhesion.
Implementation Method 1
a coating material that is applied to any one surface of the resin porous membrane and suppresses cells from passing through the through-holes
Data Source
AI summary
A cell culture membrane includes a resin porous membrane formed of a resin and having a plurality of pores that is open on at least one surface, in which at least some of the pores are through-holes that penetrate in a membrane thickness direction, and a solid coating material that is applied to any one surface of the resin porous membrane and suppresses cells from passing through the through-holes.