Variable Volume Cell Culture Container with Stimulus-Degradable Linkers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cell culture technologies face challenges in efficiently sorting, culturing, and processing cells without causing stress or damage, particularly when increasing cell density requires transferring cells from narrow to wide containers, and existing systems are complex and prone to cell loss during gene transfection and sorting processes.
Innovation Solution
A cell culture container with stimulus-degradable linkers immobilizing target cell-specific molecules, allowing for variable volume and space adaptation, integrated with a stimulus imparting device for controlled cell sorting, culturing, and processing in a single space, using photodegradable linkers and a system of feeders for solution management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If cells are cultured in a narrow container for gene transfection and sorting, then cell processing efficiency is improved, but cell density increases requiring transfer to a wide container which causes stress and damage
Solution Approach 1:
The container's culture space is made dynamically adjustable through a movable partition wall that can change the volume between narrow and wide configurations. This allows the same container to adapt to different cell density requirements without transferring cells, thereby maintaining cell processing efficiency while avoiding cell stress and damage from transfer operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the functions of narrow container (for gene transfection and sorting) and wide container (for high-density culture) into a single unified container system. By integrating both spatial configurations in one device, the system eliminates the need for cell transfer between separate containers, thus preventing cell stress and damage while maintaining high productivity.
2Volume of moving object
If cells are transferred from narrow to wide container when cell density increases, then cell culture space is improved, but time and effort are consumed and cells receive stress and damage
Solution Approach 1:
The movable partition wall enables dynamic adjustment of the culture space volume within the same container. When cell density increases, the partition can be moved to expand the available culture space, providing increased volume without requiring time-consuming and labor-intensive cell transfer operations between separate containers.
Solution Approach 2:
The single container is designed to perform multiple functions: it can operate in a narrow configuration for initial cell processing and in a wide configuration for expanded culture space. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate narrow and wide containers, saving time and effort that would otherwise be spent on cell transfer operations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a complex apparatus with multiple connected components is used for gene transfection and cell culture, then cell processing capability is improved, but cell loss occurs during movement through tubes
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges gene transfection, sorting, and culture functions into a single integrated container system. By eliminating the need for multiple connected components and tubes, the system maintains versatile cell processing capability while preventing cell loss that occurs during movement through connecting tubes.
Solution Approach 2:
The container is segmented into functional zones (processing zone and culture zone) that can be dynamically adjusted. This segmentation allows different processing steps to occur in optimized spatial configurations within the same continuous space, maintaining processing versatility while eliminating cell loss associated with transfer between separate apparatus components.
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
This approach reduces cell stress and damage during sorting, culturing, and processing, enabling efficient cell handling and gene transfection while maintaining high cell purity and recovery rates within a unified and adaptable cell culture environment.
Implementation Method 1
the first molecules being immobilized to the container via a stimulus degradable linker
Data Source
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AI summary
To provide a cell culture container and a cell culture system that can perform cell sorting, culturing, cell processing, and the like in one space and a volume of the space can be varied to suit respective steps. A cell culture container includes first molecules each bondable to target cells to be cultured, being immobilized to the container via a stimulus degradable linker, the container having a variable volume. A cell culture system included a cell culture container, including first molecules each bondable to target cells to be cultured, being immobilized to the container via a stimulus degradable linker, the container having a variable volume, and a stimulus imparting device that imparts a stimulus to the stimulus degradable linker