Modular culture vessel for cell cultures

US5576211A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Heraeus Instruments GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Frank Walter Falkenberg · Witten, DE
• Hans-Otto Nagels · Bovenden, DE
• Heinz-Gerhard Kohn · Dransfeld, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 18, 1995
• Grant date: Nov 19, 1996
• Expiry date: Apr 18, 2015

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S435/818
• WIPO field: Biotechnology
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Culture vessels for cell cultures having at least one cell culture chamber containing a cell culture mixture that is separated by a dialysis membrane from a nutrient medium in a nutrient supply chamber. Nutrients are transported through the dialysis membrane into the cell culture chamber and metabolic products are transported out of the cell culture chamber into the nutrient supply chamber. A gas exchange membrane that at least partly delimits the cell culture chamber and that is impermeable to liquids and to microorganisms that could contaminate the cell cultures is provided for feeding the gases required for cell culturing to the culture chamber and for discharging the gases generated during cell culturing. The cell culture chamber can advantageously be configured as a stand-alone module supporting both the dialysis membrane and the gas exchange membrane. The nutrient supply chamber can be configured as a cup-shaped module having an open end releasably interconnectable with the cell culture chamber module at the location of the dialysis membrane, via snap elements.