Vertical Culture Slide Structure for Real-Time Side-Surface Observation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cell culture methods fail to allow real-time observation of side surfaces of cells or tissues, require cell fixation and sectioning for observation, and are cumbersome in replacing culture solutions, with existing devices prone to breakage and lacking an air-liquid interface.
Innovation Solution
An upright culture slide device with a pair of slides, a culture solution-accommodating gasket, and a cell-accommodating gasket, featuring a semipermeable membrane support layer, allows real-time observation and measurement of structural and physiological characteristics through a culture environment that supports layered tissue structures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional cell culture methods use a two-dimensional culture dish with cover glass, then cells can be cultured and upper/lower surfaces can be observed, but side surfaces cannot be observed and real-time observation requires cell fixation which kills the cells
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from conventional two-dimensional horizontal culture to three-dimensional vertical culture. The culture dish is oriented vertically with the culture solution chamber at the bottom and cells cultured on the inner wall of the chamber, enabling observation of side surfaces from multiple angles while maintaining cell viability during the culture process
2Measurement precision
If conventional methods require fixation and sectioning to observe side surfaces, then side surface structure can be analyzed, but the process is complex and cells are killed
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the observation function from post-culture processing and integrates it into the culture system itself. By designing the culture chamber with transparent walls and vertical orientation, side surfaces become directly observable during culture without requiring extraction through fixation and sectioning processes
3Measurement precision
If two glass slides are overlapped to culture cells for side surface observation, then side surfaces can be observed, but the method is inconvenient for separating chambers, fixing slides, and replacing culture solution
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the culture system into distinct modular components: a culture dish with culture solution chamber, separate gaskets for sealing, and independent cell culture areas. This segmentation allows easy separation of chambers, simple fixation of components, and convenient replacement of culture solution without compromising side surface observation capability
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional two-dimensional culture is used, then cells spread on a flat plane for simple culture, but air-liquid interface cannot be formed on top of cells
Solution Approach 1:
The vertical orientation of the culture chamber creates an air-liquid interface at the top opening where cells are exposed to both culture solution below and air above. This dimensional change maintains cultural simplicity while enabling air-liquid interface formation that supports specialized cell types requiring such conditions
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 real-time observation and measurement of structural and physiological changes in cultured tissues, allowing for minimization of growth time in layered tissues and supporting various biological cultures without cell fixation, with the ability to measure trans-epithelial electrical resistance for physical robustness.
Implementation Method 1
a semipermeable membrane support layer formed in the cell-accommodating gasket and allowing a culture solution accommodated in the culture solution-accommodating gasket to flow into the cell-accommodating gasket
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention provides an upright culture slide device for culturing tissues or cells by which a tissue development process, a drug response, a structural or physical change due to genetic mutation, and so on may be easily studied by forming a culture space where cells or tissues are cultured between a pair of slides having opposing surfaces facing each other with a corresponding gap, by providing a culture environment where cell division, growth, and differentiation patterns may be observed and recorded in real-time while culturing various tissues and organs having a layered structure, and by observing and measuring in real time the structural and physiological characteristics that appear during a culture process of cells, living tissues, organoids, artificial skin, and other biological cultures that form stratified layers.