Patent ID: 11926814
Assignee: NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
Field: Biotechnology (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC C | IPC C

Claim 0:
1. A tissue culture platform having standard microplate dimensions and comprising:
a first plate;
a second plate opposed to and engaging the first plate to form an enclosed volume therebetween;
a plurality of chambers coupled to at least one of the first plate or the second plate and enclosed within the enclosed volume;
a plurality of channels enclosed within the enclosed volume and connecting the plurality of chambers to allow flow of media therebetween; and
at least one pump enclosed within the enclosed volume, wherein the at least one pump facilitates the flow of media between the plurality of chambers and regulates a directionality of the flow of media between the plurality of chambers;
wherein the plurality of chambers are selectively connected by the plurality of channels to create a desired media flow-path through and between the plurality of chambers, thereby providing for dynamic tissue culture conditions between the plurality of chambers;
wherein the plurality of chambers comprises:
a plurality of culture chambers, each of the culture chambers configured to contain a volume of culture media and cells, wherein each culture chamber comprises an inlet port and an outlet port each configured to allow the flow of media between the culture chambers while preventing movement of the cells between the culture chambers;
at least one donor chamber configured to contain a volume of culture media, wherein the at least one donor chamber comprises an outlet port configured to allow the flow of media from the at least one donor chamber to one or more of the plurality of culture chambers via one or more of the plurality of channels and facilitated by the at least one pump;
at least one waste chamber configured to contain a volume of culture media, wherein the at least one waste chamber comprises an inlet port configured to receive media from one or more of the plurality of culture chambers via one or more of the plurality of channels and facilitated by the at least one pump
wherein the at least one donor chamber and the at least one waste chamber are not in direct fluid connection with each other;
wherein the plurality of channels comprises at least four channels;
wherein the at least one donor chamber is connected to at least one of the culture chambers via the plurality of channels, the plurality culture chambers are connected to each other via the plurality of channels, and at least one of the plurality of culture chambers is connected to the at least one waste chamber via the plurality of channels in order to create the desired media flow-path through and between the plurality of chambers; and
wherein the at least one pump facilitates the directionality of flow through the at least four channels such that unidirectional flow is provided from the at least one donor chamber to the plurality of culture chambers, one of bidirectional flow or mixing of media is provided between the plurality of culture chambers, and unidirectional flow is provided from the plurality of culture chambers to the at least one waste chamber.