Enzyme Sensor Lifespan Tracking in Cell Culture Monitoring

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing enzyme sensors in cell culturing systems are unstable and have a short lifespan, making it difficult to distinguish between changes in culture medium conditions and cell expansion from sensor deterioration, which complicates the management of the culturing process.

Innovation Solution

A cell culturing system with an enzyme sensor and a sensor kit that includes a deterioration index calculation unit to determine the lifespan of the enzyme sensor based on detected concentration values and detection periods, using a thermoplastic tube for the sensor flow path, and a bioreactor to culture cells while monitoring the culture medium.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If an enzyme sensor is used to detect glucose concentration and lactic acid concentration in the culture medium, then measurement selectivity is improved, but the enzyme sensor lifespan decreases and measurement sensitivity decreases over time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemeasurement selectivityVSAvoidenzyme sensor lifespan

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of enzyme sensor lifespan by monitoring the relationship between detected concentration values and detection period before the sensor actually fails. This allows proactive replacement scheduling that prevents measurement errors while maintaining continuous culturing operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The control unit continuously monitors the enzyme sensor's detected concentration values and compares them against expected trends based on the detection period. When the sensor's performance deviates from expected patterns indicating lifespan expiration, the system provides feedback to trigger sensor replacement, maintaining measurement accuracy throughout the culturing process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Productivity

If the enzyme sensor is used continuously during cell culturing, then real-time monitoring of culture medium state is maintained, but it becomes difficult to distinguish between actual culture medium changes and sensor deterioration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereal-time monitoring capabilityVSAvoidmeasurement interpretation accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit continuously monitors the enzyme sensor's detected concentration values and compares them against expected trends based on the detection period. When the sensor's performance deviates from expected patterns indicating lifespan expiration, the system provides feedback to trigger sensor replacement, maintaining measurement accuracy throughout the culturing process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary detection of enzyme sensor lifespan by monitoring the relationship between detected concentration values and detection period before the sensor actually fails. This allows proactive replacement scheduling that prevents measurement errors while maintaining continuous culturing operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 accurate determination of enzyme sensor lifespan during cell culture, allowing for effective management of the culturing process by distinguishing between sensor deterioration and actual culture medium changes.

Implementation Method 1

an enzyme sensor configured to detect a concentration of a predetermined component of a culture medium

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEnzymatic reaction: Enzyme

Data Source

PatentUS12606790B2Cell culturing system, sensor kit, and method of determining lifespan of enzyme sensor

Publication Date: 2026.04.21 TERUMO KK

AI summary

A cell culturing system includes an enzyme sensor that detects a concentration of a predetermined component of a culture medium used for culturing of cells, a sensor flow path in which the enzyme sensor is disposed, and a bioreactor that performs culturing of cells while causing the culture medium to flow through the sensor flow path, and further includes a deterioration index calculation unit that determines a deterioration index of the enzyme sensor, based on a detected concentration value of the enzyme sensor, and a detection period during which the detected concentration value is detected, and a lifespan determination unit that detects whether or not an integrated value of the deterioration index has reached a threshold value, and thereby determines the lifespan of the enzyme sensor.