Patent Application
20170327782
This application is based on Japanese Patent Applications No. 2015-020798 and No. 2015-145829, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to a cell-culturing apparatus for culturing cells in a cell-culturing vessel.
In recent years, in association with the development in research on regenerative medicine, bio-pharmaceuticals, and the like, there is a demand for preparing a large quantity of cells. Cells are normally cultured in an incubator (warm bath) in which it is possible to maintain an environment that is appropriate for growing them. In order to regularly observe the state of the cells and to allow the medium to be exchanged, it is necessary to perform such procedures by taking samples such as cells or the like out of the incubator (for example, see Patent Literature 1). When moving the samples such as cells or the like into and out of the incubator, the environment (temperature, humidity, CO2 concentration, and so forth) in the incubator is exposed to the external environment, which temporarily disturbs the steady state, and thus, the samples such as cells or the like in the incubator may experience stress.
On the other hand, the samples taken out of the incubator are also exposed to the external environment, which disturbs the steady state while performing procedures, and thus, the samples experience stress.
An aspect of the present invention is a cell-culturing apparatus including: a culturing unit in which a culturing vessel is placed; and an incubator in which a plurality of culturing units are placed in an interior thereof, and that can maintain the interior thereof at an environment that is appropriate for cell culturing, wherein the incubator includes openings that are provided for each of the plurality of culturing units and through which the culturing units can separately be moved into and out of the incubator, and closing means that are provided at the openings and that seal off the internal environment of the incubator from outside when the culturing units are taken out of the incubator.
Another aspect of the present invention is a cell-culturing apparatus including: a culturing unit in which a culturing vessel is placed; an incubator in which the culturing unit is placed in an interior thereof, and that can maintain the interior thereof at an environment that is appropriate for cell culturing; a work space in which the culturing unit taken out of the incubator is placed; a gas-adjusting means that adjusts at least one of gas composition, gas temperature, and gas humidity; and a gas-flowing means that makes a gas flow between the culturing unit placed in the work space and the gas-adjusting means.
A cell-culturing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
A cell-culturing apparatus 100 according to this embodiment is an apparatus configured as shown in
The culturing unit 1 has a casing structure in which a plurality of shelf portions 4 that are arrayed in the vertical direction with spacings therebetween are provided in the interior thereof. More specifically, the culturing unit 1 has a box-shaped casing having a bottom surface and a top surface, which are arranged so as to be substantially parallel to each other with a spacing therebetween, and side surfaces, which connect the bottom surface and the top surface, and is installed so that the bottom surface of the casing becomes level. Therefore, in this specification, the direction parallel to the bottom surface is the “horizontal direction”, and the direction orthogonal to the bottom surface is the “vertical direction”. The interior space in the casing is an open space, and is configured so as to be the same environment as the culturing environment (temperature, humidity, CO2 concentration, and so forth) outside the casing. The culturing vessels 3 can be placed on the shelf portions 4 in the casing interior.
With the incubator 2, it is possible to maintain the interior thereof at an environment that is appropriate for cell culturing, and it is possible to accommodate the plurality of culturing units 1 by arraying them in the horizontal direction.
By placing the culturing vessel 3 containing cells and a medium on the shelf portion 4 of the culturing unit 1 and by accommodating this culturing unit 1 in the incubator 2, it is possible to culture the cells in the culturing vessel 3.
The individual culturing units 1 can be moved into and out of the incubator 2 independently of each other. The incubator 2 is provided, in the side surface, with openings 5 through which the individual culturing units 1 can be moved into and out of the incubator 2, and the individual openings 5 are provided with closing means.
The closing means are configured so as to close the openings 5 in a state in which the culturing units 1 have been taken out of the incubator 2.
When accommodating the culturing units 1 in the incubator 2, the plate-like members 31 are subjected to forces that act toward the interior of the incubator 2 by the culturing units 1 and are pivoted about the rotating axes 32, thus moving into the interior of the incubator 2. The culturing units 1 are provided with sealing members 33. When the culturing units 1 are completely pushed into the interior of the incubator 2, the sealing members 33 seal up the openings 5, and thus, it is possible to seal off the space in the incubator 2. Although
The closing means described above are examples, and it suffices that the closing means are configured so as to be capable of sealing off the openings 5 in the state in which the culturing units 1 have been taken out of the incubator 2 and of maintaining the internal environment in the incubator 2.
As shown in
By doing so, the culturing units 1 can enter the interior of the incubator 2 along the rail members 41.
The incubator 2 may be provided, at the bottom surface that comes into contact with the culturing units 1 in the interior thereof, with movement facilitating means for making the movement of the culturing units 1 smooth. As shown in
Note that spherical members may be employed instead of the columnar members 43.
A cell-culturing system according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
A cell-culturing system 200 according to this embodiment is a system configured as shown in
As shown in
Doing so facilities moving the culturing units 1 into and out of the incubator 2, and the culturing units 1 can be freely moved outside the incubator 2.
Next, another form of unit-moving mechanisms 51 will be described by using
The rolling means 53 is provided with a wheel-like member 55, a support member 56, and a stopper 57. The support member 56 is joined with the housing 54 at a fulcrum 58, and, by being substantially rotated about this fulcrum 58, the support member 56 is configured so as to allow the rolling means 53 to be moved into and out of the housing 54 (the fulcrum 58 is not rotated). An end of the support member 56 opposite from the fulcrum 58 is joined with the wheel-like member 55. The stopper 57 is installed in the support member 56, and is a member that stops the rotation of the rolling means 53 about the fulcrum 58.
Here, the wheel-like members 55 may be ball-like members, and it suffices that the shape thereof allows the culturing units 1 to be moved in both of the horizontal directions.
In addition, the range in which the rolling means 53 can be rotated about the fulcrum 58 may be restricted. For example, as shown in
As shown in
As shown in
Regarding the method in which the stoppers secure the rolling means, although any method may be employed so long as the rolling means are secured so as not to allow rotation thereof about the fulcrums when the rolling means have reached the securing positions, the method may be configured as shown in, for example,
The stopper 57 is provided with a movable portion 57a and a secured portion 57b. The movable portion 57a is attached to the support member 56 via an elastic member (not shown), and is biased toward the fulcrum 58 by the elastic member. The movable portion 57a is configured to be movable in a direction d that connects the fulcrum 58 and the wheel-like member 55 against the elastic force of the elastic member when subjected to an external force. On the other hand, the secured portion 57b is secured to the fulcrum 58.
The movable portion 57a and the secured portion 57b can be placed in a state in which the movable portion 57a and the secured portion 57b are secured with each other depending on their mutual positional relationship. As shown in
In addition, the movable portion 57a is positioned on the support member 56 with the elastic member disposed therebetween, as described below. In the case in which external force in the direction away from the fulcrum 58 is acting on the movable portion 57a, the movable portion 57a is moved on the support member 56 away from the fulcrum 58 against the elastic force of the elastic member (state in
When the culturing units 1 are pulled out of the incubator 2, the rolling means 53 are rotated about the fulcrums 58 so as to follow arc-like tracks due to gravity exerted on the rolling means 53 themselves, thus being released from the housings 54. The rolling means 53 are substantially rotated about the fulcrums 58 until reaching predetermined positions (securing positions) at which the wheel-like members 55 reach the floor, and thus, the secured portions 57b of the stoppers 57 installed at the fulcrums 58 collide with the movable portions 57a. At this time, the movable portions 57a are subjected to forces from the secured portions 57b, and are moved on the support members 56 away from the fulcrums 58 against the elastic forces of the elastic members, the secured portions 57b fit into the depressions on the movable portions 57a, and thus, the rolling means 53 are secured at the securing positions. At this time, the depressions on the movable portions 57a are subjected to forces in the direction in which the movable portions 57a would be returned to the original positions due to the elastic forces of the elastic members.
With regard to the method of releasing securing of the rolling means by using the securing-releasing means 59, any method may be employed so long as securing by the stoppers is released when the securing-releasing means installed in the incubator come into contact with the stoppers; for example, the method may be configured as shown in
The incubator 2 is provided with the securing-releasing means 59 at positions where the movable portions 57a of the stoppers 57 come into contact therewith when the culturing units 1 are accommodated. When the culturing units 1 are pushed into the incubator 2, the movable portions 57a are subjected to the forces from the securing-releasing means 59 are moved on the support members 56 in the direction away from the fulcrums 56 against the elastic forces of the elastic members, and the depressions on the movable portions 57a and the secured portions 57b are separated, thus achieving a state in which securing of the rolling means 53 is released. When the culturing units 1 are pushed into the incubator 2 in this state, the rolling means 53 come into contact with the incubator 2, receive forces in the horizontal direction, and are pushed up while substantially rotating about the fulcrums 58, thus being accommodated in the housings 54.
In this embodiment, although an example in which the movable portions of the stoppers are attached to the support members of the rolling means and the secured portions of the stoppers are attached to the fulcrums with respect to the housings has been described, the movable portions of the stoppers may be attached to the fulcrums with respect to the housings and the secured portions of the stoppers may be attached to the support members of the rolling means.
In other words, the stopper is constituted of the movable portion and the secured portion; one of the movable portion and the secured portion is attached to the fulcrum with respect to the housing and the other is attached to the support member of the rolling means; and the two components have shapes with which it is possible to secure each other depending on the relative positions between each other, and have the shapes with which it is possible to release securing between each other when being at relative positions other than the relative positions at which securing therebetween is achieved. Here, when the movable portion and the secured portion are placed at the relative positions at which they are secured to each other, the wheel-like member of the rolling means is secured at the predetermined position at which the wheel-like member reaches the floor.
A cell-culturing system according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
A cell-culturing system 300 according to this embodiment is a system configured as shown in
The solution supplying means 61 is a means for supplying a medium to the culturing vessels 3 after holding the medium at a temperature that is appropriate for cell culturing (for example, 37° C.), and is provided with: a solution holding vessel 63 for holding the medium; tube-like members 64 that form medium flow channels that lead to the culturing vessels 3 from the solution holding vessel; and a supply-speed controlling means 65 for controlling the flow speed of the medium to be supplied to the culturing vessels 3.
The solution holding vessel 63 is provided with a discharge port 63a through which the medium is discharged, and this discharge port 63a is connected to the culturing vessels 3 via the tube-like members 64. As shown in
The tube-like members 64 may be made of a material having flexibility so that it is possible to change the direction of the flow channel; the tube-like members 64 may be made of a material having no flexibility with which the shape of the flow channel is fixed; or the tube-like members 64 may be formed by using a material having flexibility and a material having no flexibility in combination. One end of each tube-like member 64 is connected to the discharge port 63a of the solution holding vessel 63 and the other end thereof is connected to an opening (supply port 3a) in the culturing vessel 3.
The supply-speed controlling means 65 may be any means so long as it is possible to control the supply speed at which the medium is supplied to the culturing vessels 3. For example, the supply-speed controlling means 65 may be a feeding pump installed in the tube-like members 64, or may be a means for controlling the flow speed by adjusting the flow-channel diameter in the tube-like members 64. In the case in which the flow speed is controlled by adjusting the flow-channel diameter in the tube-like members 64, for example, it is permissible to employ a form in which the medium is made to flow in the tube-like members 64 due to gravity by disposing the solution holding vessel 63 above the culturing vessels 3 in the gravity direction or a form in which the medium is made to flow in the tube-like members 64 by a pressure exerted on the solution in the solution holding vessel 63.
The solution discharging means 62 is a means for discharging the medium from the culturing vessel 3 as a waste liquid, and is provided with a waste-liquid holding vessel 66 for holding the waste liquid; tube-like members 67 that form flow channels that connect the waste-liquid holding vessel 66 and the culturing vessels 3; and a discharge-speed controlling means 68 for controlling the flow speed of the waste liquid that flows through the tube-like members 67.
The waste-liquid holding vessel 66 is provided with a supply ports 66a that are connected to the tube-like members 67 and to which the waste liquid is supplied. As shown in
The tube-like members 67 may be made of a material having flexibility so that it is possible to change the direction of the flow channels; the tube-like members 67 may be made of a material having no flexibility with which the shapes of the flow channels are fixed; or the tube-like members 67 may be formed by using a material having flexibility and a material having no flexibility in combination. One end of each tube-like member 67 is connected to the supply port 66a in the waste-liquid holding vessel 66 and the other end thereof is connected to an opening (discharge port 3b) in the culturing vessel 3.
The discharge-speed controlling means 68 may be any means so long as it is possible to control the discharge speed at which the waste liquid is discharged from the culturing vessel 3 via the tube-like members 67. For example, the discharge-speed controlling means 68 may be a feeding pump installed in the tube-like members 67, or may be a means for exerting negative pressure to the waste-liquid holding vessel 66 and controlling the discharge speed by controlling the negative pressure.
In this embodiment, the solution supplying means 61, the solution discharging means 62, and the culturing vessel 3 are provided as a single unit in the culturing unit 1, and, by moving the culturing unit 1 into and out of the incubator 2, these components can be moved into and out of the incubator 2 as a single unit. Accordingly, when performing procedures such as replenishing the medium, discarding the waste liquid, etc. outside the incubator 2, these procedures can be efficiently performed by taking out the culturing medium 1.
In the individual embodiments described above, although the forms in which the culturing unit 1 is moved into and out of the incubator 2 from the side surface thereof have been described, for example, it is permissible to employ a form in which the culturing unit 1 is moved into and out of the incubator 2 from the bottom surface of the incubator 2, as shown in
As shown in
The worker may manually operate the driving means 6, or the worker may electrically operate the driving means 6 by turning ON/OFF a switch or the like.
Although
The work table 7 may be provided with rails (not shown) that guide the pulled-out culturing unit 1. In addition, the culturing unit 1 may be provided with casters at the bottom surface so that the culturing unit 1 can freely be moved in both of the horizontal directions.
Note that the arrangements of the driving means 6 shown in
A cell-culturing system according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. A cell-culturing system 400 according to this embodiment is a system configured as shown in
The individual culturing units 71 can be moved into and out of the incubator 72 independently of each other. The incubator 72 is provided with openings 73 through which the individual culturing units 71 can be moved into and out of the incubator 72, and the individual openings 73 are provided with closing means.
The closing means are configured so as to close the openings 73 in a state in which the culturing units 71 have been taken out of the incubator 72.
In
The plate-like members 77 are configured so as to be disposed at positions at which the openings 73 are closed off by the plate-like members 77 in a state in which no external force is acting thereon. In the state in which the culturing units 71 have been pulled out of the interior of the incubator 72, the openings 73 are blocked by the plate-like members 77, and thus, it is possible to seal off the space in the incubator 72. When accommodating the culturing units 71 in the incubator 72, the plate-like members 77 are subjected to forces that act toward the interior of the incubator 72 by the culturing units 71 and are rotated about the rotating axes 76, thus moving into the interior of the incubator 72.
The culturing units 71 are provided with sealing members 78. When the culturing units 71 are completely pushed into the interior of the incubator 72, the sealing members 78 seal up the openings 73, and thus, it is possible to seal off the space in the incubator 72.
Although
The sealing means described above are examples, and it suffices that the closing means are configured so as to be capable of sealing off the openings 73 in the state in which the culturing units 71 have been taken out of the incubator 72 and of maintaining the internal environment of the incubator 72.
As shown in
The worker may manually operate the driving means 10, or the worker may electrically operate the driving means 10 by turning ON/OFF a switch or the like.
The work table 11 may be provided with rails that guide the pulled-out culturing unit 71. In addition, the culturing unit 71 may be provided with casters at the bottom surface so that the culturing unit 71 can freely be moved in both of the horizontal directions.
Note that the arrangements of the driving means 10 shown in
In the individual embodiments described above, the incubator 2 may have a structure in which the culturing unit 1 is the only component a plurality of which are accommodated in the interior thereof, as shown in
A cell-culturing system according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
A cell-culturing apparatus 500 according to this embodiment is an apparatus configured as shown in
The culturing unit 91 has a casing structure that can accommodate the culturing vessels 3 in the interior thereof. The interior space of the casing is an open space, and is configured so as to have the same environment as the culturing environment (temperature, humidity, CO2 concentration, and so forth) outside the casing.
With the incubator 92, it is possible to maintain the interior thereof at an environment that is appropriate for cell culturing, and it is possible to accommodate the plurality of culturing units 91 by placing them next to each other in the vertical direction.
By placing the culturing vessels 3 containing cells and a medium in the culturing unit 91 and by accommodating this culturing unit 91 in the incubator 92, it is possible to culture the cells in the culturing vessels 3.
The individual culturing units 91 can be moved into and out of the incubator 92 independently of each other. The incubator 92 is provided with openings 95 through which the individual culturing units 91 can be moved into and out of the incubator 92, and the individual openings 95 are provided with closing means.
The closing means are configured so as to close the openings 95 in a state in which the culturing units 91 have been taken out of the incubator 92.
When accommodating the culturing units 91 in the incubator 92, the plate-like members 98a are subjected to forces that act toward the interior of the incubator 92 by the culturing units 91 and are rotated about the rotating axes 108, thus moving into the interior of the incubator; the culturing units 91 are provided with sealing members 99; and, when the culturing units 91 are completely pushed into the interior of the incubator 92, the sealing members 99 seal up the openings 95, and thus, it is possible to seal off the space in the incubator 92.
Although
The closing means described above are examples, and it suffices that the closing means are configured so as to be capable of sealing off the openings 95 in the state in which the culturing units 91 have been taken out of the incubator 92 and of maintaining the internal environment of the incubator 92.
The driving means 93 is a means for moving the incubator 92 in a vertical direction p, and is a means for moving the individual openings 95 corresponding to the individual culturing units 91 to the height at which the work table 94 is positioned. The worker may manually operate the driving means 93, or the worker may electrically operate the driving means 93 by turning on/off a switch or the like.
It is preferable to provide a mechanism with which it is possible to perform positioning of the incubator 92 when the individual openings 95 of the incubator 92 have reached the height at which the work table 94 is positioned.
In the case in which the worker manually performs the operation, this mechanism may be configured so that, for example, resistance is applied to the hand of the worker operating the driving means 93 (sensation of clicking is transmitted to the hand, or the like) each time the individual openings 95 reach the height at which the work table 94 is positioned.
In the case in which the operation is electrically performed, this mechanism may be configured such that, for example, the closest opening 95 is positioned and stopped at the height at which the work table 94 is positioned when the worker turns on a switch, the next opening 95 is positioned at the height at which the work table 94 is positioned when the switch is turned on again, and the openings 95 are sequentially positioned at the height at which the work table 94 is positioned each time the worker turns on the switch. The mechanism may be configured such that a plurality of switches corresponding to the individual openings 95 are provided, and, when a switch corresponding to a desired opening 95 is turned on, the corresponding opening 95 is positioned at the height at which the work table 94 is positioned.
As shown in
Alternatively, as shown in
The incubator 92 may be provided with shelves 105 for placing the culturing units 91 thereon, as shown in
In this case, movement facilitating means for making the movements of the culturing units 91 smooth may be provided on surfaces of the shelves 105 or the rails 106 that come into contact with the culturing units 91. Examples of the movement facilitating means include a means in which a plurality of columnar members or spherical members are arrayed so as to be parallel to each other in the direction in which the culturing units 91 are moved. By doing so, the columnar members or the spherical members are rotated in association with the movements of the culturing units 91, and thus, it is possible to smoothly move the culturing units 91.
In this embodiment, although a form in which the incubator is moved in the vertical direction with respect to the work table by means of the driving means has been described, it suffices that the incubator and the work table are moved relative to each other, and the driving means may move the work table in the vertical direction or the driving means may move the incubator and the work table together.
In the individual embodiments described above, as shown in
In the individual embodiments described above, the operation of moving the culturing units into and out of the incubator may be manually performed by the worker or electrically performed by means of a driving means (not shown).
A cell-culturing system according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
A cell-culturing apparatus 600 according to this embodiment is an apparatus configured as shown in
As shown in
When the culturing unit 201 is placed in the incubator 202, by setting the interior of the culturing unit 201 to be an open space by setting a state in which the opening 201c is open, it is possible to set the interior of the culturing unit 201 to be the same environment as that in the incubator 202.
When taking the culturing unit 201 out of the incubator 202, by setting the interior of the culturing unit 201 to be a closed space by setting a state in which the opening 201c is closed by the shutter 201d, it is possible to maintain the interior of the culturing unit 201 to be the same environment as that in the incubator 202.
The culturing unit 201 taken out of the incubator 202 is placed in the work space 204, and the worker performs various procedures. Examples of the work space 204 include an isolator, a clean bench, and so forth.
The gas-flowing means 205 is provided with: a main unit 205a; a gas supply pipe 205b; and a gas recovery pipe 205c.
The gas supply pipe 205b can be connected to the supply port 201a of the culturing unit 201, and can supply gas that has been adjusted by the gas-adjusting means 206 to the culturing unit 201 via the main unit 205a.
The gas recovery pipe 205c can be connected to the discharge port 201b of the culturing unit 201, and can feed the gas in the culturing unit 201 into the gas-adjusting means 206 via the main unit 205a.
The main unit 205a is a means for generating a flow of the gas so that the gas flows between the culturing unit 201 and the gas-adjusting means 206. The main unit 205a may be provided with, for example, a gas-discharging means for discharging the gas into the gas supply pipe 205b or a gas-sucking means for sucking out the gas from the gas recovery pipe 205c, or the main unit 205a may be provided with both of the gas-discharging means and the gas-sucking means.
The gas-adjusting means 206 is a means for adjusting composition, temperature, or the like of the gas, and is provided with a gas mixing means 206a and a temperature controlling means 206b, as shown in
The gas mixing means 206a is connected to a CO2 canister 205f, an O2 canister 205d, and an N2 canister 205e via tube-like members, and is a means for preparing a gas having a desired composition (for example, 5% CO2) by mixing appropriate amounts of gases from the respective canisters.
The temperature controlling means 206b can adjust the gas mixed by the gas mixing means 206a so as to reach a desired temperature (for example, 37° C.).
The thus-adjusted gas is supplied into the culturing unit 201 by the gas-flowing means 205 via the gas supply pipe 205b.
By repeating this step, it is possible to maintain a steady gas environment in the culturing unit 201 by circulating the gas between the culturing unit 201 and the gas-adjusting means 206.
Here, the temperature controlling means 206b of the gas-adjusting means 206 may be provided with a temperature sensor, a heater, and a controlling means, and the controlling means may control the heater while detecting the temperature by using the temperature sensor. Furthermore, the temperature controlling means 206b may be provided with a cooler, and, by controlling the heater and the cooler by using the controlling means, it is possible to perform control so as to more quickly achieve a desired temperature. PID control may be employed as the temperature control method.
The gas mixing means 206a of the gas-adjusting means 206 may be provided with a gas flowmeter and a controlling means, and the controlling means may control the gas mixing ratio while detecting flow volumes of the individual gases by using the gas flowmeter. Alternatively, with the gas mixing means 206a, the controlling means may control the gas mixing ratio by using gas cylinders. PID control may be employed as the gas-composition control method.
The gas-adjusting means 206 may be additionally provided with a means for adjusting the humidity of the gas (humidity controlling means). The humidity controlling means may be provided with a humidity sensor, a humidifier, and a controlling means, and the controlling means may control the humidifier while detecting the humidity by using the humidity sensor.
Next, example procedures of culturing cells by using the cell-culturing apparatus 600 according to this embodiment will be described.
The worker takes out the culturing unit 201 to the work space 204 after setting the opening 201c of the culturing unit 201 placed in the incubator 202 to a state in which the opening 201c is closed by the shutter 201d.
Next, in the work space 204, the worker connects the supply port 201a and the discharge port 201b of the culturing unit 201 to the gas supply pipe 205b and the gas recovery pipe 205c, respectively. Here, it is preferable that the supply port 201a and the discharge port 201b have structures that keep them in a closed state in a state in which the gas supply pipe 205b and the gas recovery pipe 205c are not connected thereto, and that open them when the gas supply pipe 205b and the gas recovery pipe 205c are connected thereto. By doing so, the gas is circulated between the culturing unit 201 and the gas-adjusting means 206, and thus, it is possible to maintain the environment in the culturing unit 201 in a desired state.
In this state, the worker performs procedures by moving a desired culturing vessel 203 into and out of the culturing unit 201 at a desired timing.
After completing the procedures, the gas supply pipe 205b and the gas recovery pipe 205c are removed from the supply port 201a and the discharge port 201b of the culturing unit 201, respectively. The culturing unit 201 is accommodated in the incubator 202, and the shutter 201d is retracted from the opening 201c of the culturing unit 201, thus setting the culturing unit 201 to be an open space.
Although the positions at which the supply port 201a and the discharge port 201b are installed in the culturing unit 201 are arbitrary, gas exchange efficiency is improved by installing them away from each other.
As the gas-adjusting means 206, a form in which only the CO2 canister 205f is provided and the O2 concentration and the N2 concentration are not adjusted may be employed.
In addition, as the gas-adjusting means 206, a form in which the gas composition is not adjusted and only the gas temperature is adjusted may be employed.
In this embodiment, in the case in which the gas-adjusting means 206 adjusts the internal environment of the culturing unit 201 so as to be the same gas environment as that in the incubator 202 (for example, temperature of 37° C., 5% CO2 concentration, and 95% humidity), the incubator 202 may be omitted. In this case, the supply port 201a and the discharge port 201b of the culturing unit 201 should be continuously connected to the gas supply pipe 205b and the gas recovery pipe 205c, respectively.
As the culturing unit 201 of this embodiment, it is possible to employ the culturing units of the first to fifth embodiments. When doing so, the respective culturing units may be configured such that it is possible to form a closed space provided with a supply port for supplying gas to the interior thereof and a discharge port for discharging the gas to the outside, and that it is possible to set the interior thereof to be an open space or a closed space by means of a shutter.
Here, it is preferable that the supply port and the discharge port have structures that keep them in a closed state in a state in which the gas supply pipe and the gas recovery pipe are not connected thereto, and that open them when the gas supply pipe and the gas recovery pipe are connected thereto.
In this embodiment, although a form in which gas is circulated between the culturing unit 201 and the gas-adjusting means 206 by means of the gas-flowing means 205 has been described, it is permissible that the gas-flowing means 205 is not provided with the gas recovery pipe 205c and just supplies the culturing unit 201 with the gas adjusted by the gas-adjusting means 206. In this case, excess gas in the culturing unit 201 may be discharged, for example, from the discharge port 201b of the culturing unit 201.
A cell-culturing system according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
A cell-culturing apparatus 700 according to this embodiment is an apparatus configured as shown in
The gas-flowing means 207 is a means that is communicated with the space in the incubator 202 and that is for making gas in the incubator 202 flow between the culturing unit 201 and the incubator 202. The gas-flowing means 207 is provided with: a main unit 207a; a gas supply pipe 207b; and a gas recovery pipe 207c.
The gas supply pipe 207b can be connected to the supply port 201a of the culturing unit 201, and can supply the gas in the incubator 202 to the culturing unit 201 via the main unit 207a.
The gas recovery pipe 207c can be connected to the discharge port 201b of the culturing unit 201, and can feed the gas in the culturing unit 201 into the incubator 202 via the main unit 207a.
The main unit 207a is a means for generating a gas flow so that the gas flows between the culturing unit 201 and the incubator 202. The main unit 207a may be provided with, for example, a gas-discharging means for discharging the gas into the gas supply pipe 207b or a gas-sucking means for sucking out the gas from the gas recovery pipe 207c, or the main unit 207a may be provided with both of the gas-discharging means and the gas-sucking means.
The procedures of culturing cells by using the cell-culturing apparatus 700 according to this embodiment are the same as those of the sixth embodiment.
As the culturing unit 201 of this embodiment, it is possible to employ the culturing units of the first to fifth embodiments. When doing so, the respective culturing units may be configured such that it is possible to form a closed space provided with a supply port for supplying gas to the interior thereof and a discharge port for discharging the gas to the outside, and that it is possible to set the interior thereof to be an open space or a closed space by means of a shutter.
Here, it is preferable that the supply port and the discharge port have structures that keep them in a closed state in a state in which the gas supply pipe and the gas recovery pipe are not connected thereto, and that open them when the gas supply pipe and the gas recovery pipe are connected thereto.
In this embodiment, although a form in which gas is circulated between the culturing unit 201 and the incubator 202 by means of the gas-flowing means 207 has been described, it is permissible that the gas-flowing means 207 is not provided with the gas recovery pipe 207c and just supplies the culturing unit 201 with the gas in the incubator 202. In this case, excess gas in the culturing unit 201 may be discharged, for example, from the discharge port 201b of the culturing unit 201.
Examples of the controlling means of the present invention include a personal computer (PC). For example, a PC may include a CPU and a memory, and may realize the function of the controlling means by causing the CPU to execute a control program stored in the memory.
The above-described embodiment leads to the following invention.
An aspect of the present invention is a cell-culturing apparatus including: a culturing unit in which a culturing vessel is placed; and an incubator in which a plurality of culturing units are placed in an interior thereof, and that can maintain the interior thereof at an environment that is appropriate for cell culturing, wherein the incubator includes openings that are provided for each of the plurality of culturing units and through which the culturing units can separately be moved into and out of the incubator, and closing means that are provided at the openings and that seal off the internal environment of the incubator from outside when the culturing units are taken out of the incubator.
With this aspect, the worker can take only a desired sample out of the incubator and accommodate it in the incubator, and it is possible to reduce changes in the environment in the incubator when moving the sample into and out of the incubator.
The above-described aspect may be further provided with a driving means that moves the incubator.
In addition, the driving means may be a means for moving the incubator in the direction in which the culturing units are arranged in the interior of the incubator.
By doing so, the worker can move a desired sample into and out of the incubator at a position at which handling thereof is easier.
In the above-described aspect, the culturing unit may be provided with a caster.
By doing so, the worker can more easily move the culturing unit into and out of the incubator, and the culturing unit can easily be moved outside the incubator.
In the above-described aspect, the culturing unit may be provided with a solution supplying means that supplies a solution such as a medium or the like to the culturing vessel and a solution discharging means that discharges a waste liquid from the culturing vessel. By doing so, it is possible to replenish the solution such as a medium or the like and to discard the waste liquid in a simple manner.
The plurality of culturing units may be arrayed in the interior of the incubator in a horizontal direction; the plurality of culturing units may be arrayed in the interior of the incubator in a vertical direction; and the plurality of culturing units may be arrayed in the interior of the incubator in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction.
Another aspect of the present invention is a cell-culturing apparatus including: a culturing unit in which a culturing vessel is placed; an incubator in which the culturing unit is placed in an interior thereof, and that can maintain the interior thereof at an environment that is appropriate for cell culturing; a work space in which the culturing unit taken out of the incubator is placed; a gas-adjusting means that adjusts at least one of gas composition, gas temperature, and gas humidity; and a gas-flowing means that makes a gas flow between the culturing unit placed in the work space and the gas-adjusting means.
With this aspect, because the worker can take only a desired sample out of the incubator and accommodate it in the incubator, and because he/she can maintain the gas environment of the taken-out sample steady, it is possible to reduce the changes in the environment as compared with that in the incubator, and thus, it is possible to reduce the stress experienced by the sample.
In the above-described aspect, the incubator may serve as the gas-adjusting means. By doing so, because it is not necessary to separately install the gas-adjusting means, the apparatus becomes compact, and it is also advantageous in terms of costs.
In the above-described aspect, the culturing unit may form an open space in the culturing unit when being placed in the interior of the incubator, and may form a closed space in the culturing unit when being placed in the interior of the work space. By doing so, it is possible to maintain the internal environment of the culturing unit so as to be the same as the internal environment of the incubator both when inside and outside the incubator, and it is possible to reduce the stress experienced by the sample due to changes in the environment.
In the above-described aspect, the gas-flowing means may make gas circulate between the culturing unit placed in the work space and the gas-adjusting means. By doing so, it is possible to efficiently use the adjusted gas, and thus, it is possible to reduce the costs involved in adjusting the gas.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-020798 | Feb 2015 | JP | national |
| 2015-145829 | Jul 2015 | JP | national |
This is a continuation of International Application PCT/JP2016/053381 which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/JP2016/053381 | Feb 2016 | US |
| Child | 15666551 | US |
