Method of growing a confluent layer of cells on a porous or semi-permeable substrate and apparatus for practicing the method
First Claim
1. A method for growing a confluent layer of cells on a substrate surface, comprising the steps of:
- providing a porous or semi-permeable substrate in the form of a tensioned, taut, planar substrate having exposed upper and lower surfaces and independently held in such configuration by a tensioning and holding device;
providing a receptacle containing fluid nutrient medium for cell growth, said receptacle having a bottom surface and upstanding side walls about the periphery thereof;
arranging within said receptacle a body of solid, plate material having a bottom surface in contact with the bottom surface of said receptacle and an upper solid, planar surface extending above the plane of the bottom surface of said receptacle;
arranging said holding and tensioning device within said receptacle such that the lower surface of said substrate is in contact with the upper non-porous surface of said plate material and such that the substrate is surrounded by the fluid nutrient medium for cell growth;
providing on the upper surface of said substrate a source of cells; and
maintaining said arrangement under conditions, and for a time, effective to produce a confluent layer of cells on the upper surface of said substrate, whereby a region is created created between the mutually contacting surfaces of said substrate and said plate material and in said region substances synthesized by the cells in aid of their anchoring to said substrate and passing through the porous or semi-permeable substrate are enriched proximate to the cells and not substantially decomposed, modified or diluted by the surrounding nutrient medium.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus are disclosed for growing a confluent layer of cells on the surface of a substrate which is held by a holding and positioning device so as to be in the form of a taut, planar substrate having upper and lower exposed surfaces. The device is arranged in a nutrient-containing receptacle which also contains a plate material having a solid upper planar surface extending above the plane of the bottom of the receptacle. The lower layer of the receptacle is in contact with the upper surface of the plate material and cells disposed on the upper surface of the substrate are found to anchor to the substrate and grow to a confluent layer.
-
Citations
13 Claims
-
1. A method for growing a confluent layer of cells on a substrate surface, comprising the steps of:
- providing a porous or semi-permeable substrate in the form of a tensioned, taut, planar substrate having exposed upper and lower surfaces and independently held in such configuration by a tensioning and holding device;
providing a receptacle containing fluid nutrient medium for cell growth, said receptacle having a bottom surface and upstanding side walls about the periphery thereof;
arranging within said receptacle a body of solid, plate material having a bottom surface in contact with the bottom surface of said receptacle and an upper solid, planar surface extending above the plane of the bottom surface of said receptacle;
arranging said holding and tensioning device within said receptacle such that the lower surface of said substrate is in contact with the upper non-porous surface of said plate material and such that the substrate is surrounded by the fluid nutrient medium for cell growth;
providing on the upper surface of said substrate a source of cells; and
maintaining said arrangement under conditions, and for a time, effective to produce a confluent layer of cells on the upper surface of said substrate, whereby a region is created created between the mutually contacting surfaces of said substrate and said plate material and in said region substances synthesized by the cells in aid of their anchoring to said substrate and passing through the porous or semi-permeable substrate are enriched proximate to the cells and not substantially decomposed, modified or diluted by the surrounding nutrient medium. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
- providing a porous or semi-permeable substrate in the form of a tensioned, taut, planar substrate having exposed upper and lower surfaces and independently held in such configuration by a tensioning and holding device;
-
6. A method for growing a confluent layer of cells on a substrate, comprising:
- providing a porous or semi-permeable substrate in the form of a tensioned, taut, planar substrate held about its periphery by a holding and tensioning device, said held substrate having exposed upper and lower surfaces;
placing said substrate on a body of solid, plate material such that the lower surface of said substrate is in contact with an upper solid planar surface of said body of plate material;
depositing a source of cells on the upper layer of said substrate;
providing a source of fluid nutrient medium for cellular growth surrounding said substrate; and
maintaining said arrangement under conditions, and for a time, effective to produce a confluent layers of cells on the upper surface of said substrate, whereby a region is created between the mutually contacting surfaces of said substrate and said plate material, and in said region substances synthesized by the cells in aid of their anchoring to said substrate and passing through the porous or semi-permeable substrate are enriched proximate to the cells and not substantially decomposed, modified or diluted by the surrounding nutrient medium.
- providing a porous or semi-permeable substrate in the form of a tensioned, taut, planar substrate held about its periphery by a holding and tensioning device, said held substrate having exposed upper and lower surfaces;
-
7. An apparatus for growing a confluent layer of cells on a substrate surface, comprising:
- a receptacle adapted to receive a fluid nutrient medium, having a bottom surface and upstanding side walls about the periphery thereof;
a body of solid, plate material arranged within said receptacle and having a bottom surface in contact with the bottom surface of said receptacle and an upper solid planar surface extending above the plane of the bottom surface of said receptacle; and
a taut, planar porous or semi-permeable substrate having exposed upper and lower surfaces and held in said taut, planar position by a tensioning and holding device, said tensioning and holding device being arranged within said receptacle such that the lower surface of said substrate is in contact with the upper solid planar surface of said plate material and such that said substrate is adapted to be surrounded by fluid nutrient medium in said receptacle, whereby a region is created between the mutually contacting surfaces of said plate material and said substrate in which substances synthesized by cells in aid of their anchoring to said substrate and passing through said substrate are enriched proximate to the cells and not substantially decomposed, modified or diluted by surrounding nutrient medium, the upper surface of said substrate being adapted to receive a source of cells thereon. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
- a receptacle adapted to receive a fluid nutrient medium, having a bottom surface and upstanding side walls about the periphery thereof;
-
13. A method for constructing an apparatus for growing a confluent layer of cells on a substrate comprising the steps of:
- providing a first ring member;
placing said first ring member on a base plate in a manner such that a raised portion of said base plate fills the space enclosed by said first ring member and the surface of said raised portion facing away from the base plate lies in the same plane as that of the upper surface of said first ring;
arranging across the upper surface of said combined first ring and base plate a planar porous or semi-permeable substrate having upper and lower surfaces;
providing a second ring member having a recess along its inner edge;
urging said second ring member onto the upper surface of said first ring member to clamp said first ring member and edge portions of said substrate in said recess;
removing said clamped first and second rings and the substrate therebetween from said base plate;
providing a receptacle containing fluid nutrient medium for cells and arranging within said receptacle a plate material having an upper solid planar surface extending above the plane of the bottom surface of said receptacle; and
disposing said clamped first and second rings and the substrate therebetween onto the upper surface of said plate material such that the bottom planar surface of said substrate is in contact with said upper surface of said plate material, and such that said substrate is surrounded by said nutrient medium, whereby a region is created between the mutually contacting surfaces of said plate material and said substrate in which substances synthesized by cells in aid of their anchoring to said substrate and passing through said substrate are enriched proximate to the cells and not substantially decomposed, modified or diluted by surrounding nutrient medium.
- providing a first ring member;
Specification