Apparatus and method for co-culturing of cells

• US 20060177931A1
• Filed: 01/13/2006
• Published: 08/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Glen Feye
• Original Assignee: Glen Feye
• Inventors: Feye, Glen
• Application Number:
  US11/331,103
• Publication Number:
  US 20060177931A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/455
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/08 Flask, bottle or test tube
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 25/02 Membranes; Filters filters or filtration in general B01D24/00-B01D41/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 25/14 Scaffolds; Matrices in general C12N5/0068
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 27/12 Roller bottles; Roller tubes
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 35/08 Chemical, biochemical or biological means, e.g. plasma jet, co-culture

Abstract

A co-culture apparatus and method for, among other things, converting a progenitor cell line into a target cell line. The apparatus comprises an exterior receptacle, a removable cartridge that fits into the exterior receptacle, and a closure member to seal the apparatus. The invention is also directed to a method for transforming a progenitor cell line into a target cell line. In one embodiment of the invention, the method comprises the steps of: establishing a progenitor cell line; establishing a support cell line; co-culturing said progenitor and support cell lines; establishing a transformation cell line; and co-culturing said progenitor and transformation cell lines, wherein the transformation cell line supports the transformation of the progenitor cell line into a target cell line.

Claims

1-10. -10. (canceled)

11. A method of transforming a progenitor cell line into a target cell line, comprising the steps of:

establishing a progenitor cell line;

establishing a support cell line;

co-culturing said progenitor and support cell lines;

establishing a transformation cell line; and

co-culturing said progenitor and transformation cell lines, wherein said transformation cell line supports the transformation of said progenitor cell line into a target cell line.

12. The method of transforming a progenitor cell line into a target cell line according to claim 11, wherein said target cell line is a population of cardiomyocytes.

13. The method of transforming a progenitor cell line into a target cell line according to claim 11, wherein target cells of said target cell line are used to treat a patient, wherein said patient is a human patient.

14. The method of transforming a progenitor cell line into a target cell line according to claim 11, wherein target cells of said target cell line are used to treat a patient, wherein said patient is an animal patient.

15. A method of transforming a progenitor cell line into a target cell line, comprising the steps of:

establishing a progenitor cell line;

establishing a support cell line;

co-culturing said progenitor and support cell lines;

establishing a first transformation cell line;

co-culturing said progenitor and first transformation cell lines;

establishing a second transformation cell line; and

co-culturing said progenitor and second transformation cell lines, wherein said first and second transformation cell lines produce cell metabolites that transform said progenitor cell line.