CELL CULTURE DEVICE

There is provided a cell culture device including: a cell chip receiving part receiving a cell chip; a drug storing part storing a drug; and a circulation part connecting the cell chip receiving part and the drug storing part to one another and circulating the drug therebetween. The cell culture device may allow for the observation or examination of a reaction between a cell and a drug in an environment similar to that of the inside of a body.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

In the drawings, the shapes and dimensions of components may be exaggerated for clarity, and the same reference numerals will be used throughout to designate the same or like components.

FIG. 1is a view showing a cell culture device according to an embodiment of the present invention;FIGS. 2 through 4are plan views showing different forms of a cell chip receiving part shown inFIG. 1;FIG. 5is a view showing a state in which a cell chip is mounted in the cell culture device shown inFIG. 1;FIG. 6is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of the cell culture device shown inFIG. 5;FIG. 7is an exploded perspective view of a cell culture device according to another embodiment of the present invention;FIG. 8is an assembled perspective view of the cell culture device shown inFIG. 7; andFIG. 9is a view showing another form of a lower body shown inFIG. 7.

A cell culture device1000according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference toFIGS. 1 to 6.

The cell culture device1000may include a cell chip receiving part100, a drug storing part200, and a circulation part300. Here, the cell chip receiving part100, the drug storing part200, and the circulation part300may be integrally formed in a single body1002. Otherwise, the cell chip receiving part100, the drug storing part200, and the circulation part300may be aggregated into a single body. However, the cell chip receiving part100, the drug storing part200, and the circulation part300do not have to be integrally formed with the body. For example, any one of the cell chip receiving part100, the drug storing part200, and the circulation part300may be separated from the body1002.

The cell chip receiving part100may receive at least one cell chip. To this end, the cell chip receiving part100may be provided with a space for receiving the cell chip. The cell chip may be mounted in the space in a state in which it is overturned (SeeFIG. 6).

The cell chip receiving part100may include a plurality of first connection tubes122,124,126, and128connected to the circulation part300. The first connection tubes122,124,126, and128may be formed in one direction (a Y-axis direction based onFIG. 1) of the cell chip receiving part100. Here, positions of the first connection tubes122,124,126, and128and intervals therebetween are not particularly limited. For example, the intervals between the first connection tubes122,124,126, and128may be the same as one another, or may be partially different. In addition, the number of the first connection tubes122,124,126, and128is not particularly limited. For example,FIG. 1shows that the four first connection tubes122,124,126, and128are formed in the cell chip receiving part100; however, the number of the first connection tubes may be increased or decreased as necessary.

Meanwhile, the cell chip receiving part100may have a passage110inducing the flow (movement) of drug. More specifically, the passage110may be formed by a partition102partially dividing the cell chip receiving part100. In the passage110as described above, the drugs introduced into the cell chip receiving part100may be induced to be sequentially in contact, or react with, at least one kind of bio materials attached to the cell chip.

Various forms of the passage110will be described with reference toFIGS. 2 to 4.

According to one form of the passage110, it may have a zigzag shape by the partitions102extended in an X-axis direction as shown inFIG. 2. In this case, the connection tubes122and128of the cell chip receiving part100may be connected to pipes310and312, respectively, and the remaining connection tubes124and126may be closed. The passage110having the above-described form may be appropriate for a case in which different kinds of bio materials are arranged in a Y-axis direction.

According to another form of the passage110, it may have a zigzag shape by the partitions102extended in a Y-axis direction as shown inFIG. 3. In this case, any one of the connection tubes122,124, and126of the cell chip receiving part100may be connected to the first pipe310, and the connection tube128may be connected to the second pipe312. This passage110may be appropriate for a case in which different kinds of bio materials are arranged in an X-axis direction.

According to another form of passages110and112, the passage may be divided into two regions as shown inFIG. 4. More specifically, one portion of the cell chip receiving part100may be provided with a first passage110connected from the first connection tube122to the first connection tube124, and the other portion thereof may be provided with a second passage112connected from the first connection tube126to the first connection tube128. The passages110and112as described above may be appropriate for an experiment on different kinds of drug with regard to a single cell chip.

The drug storing part200may store the drug. To this end, the drug storing part200may include at least one drug storing space210,212, and214. Each of the drug storing spaces210,212, and214may be divided by partitions202.

The same kind of drug or different kinds thereof may be stored in the drug storing spaces210,212, and214. As an example, the same kind of drug may be stored in the first drug storing space210, the second drug storing space212, and the third drug storing space214. As another example, different kinds of drugs may be stored in the first drug storing space210, the second drug storing space212, and the third drug storing space214, respectively. As another example, the same kind of drug may be stored in the first drug storing space210, and the second drug storing space212, and a different kind of drug may be stored in the third drug storing space214. However, the forms in which the drugs are stored are not limited to the above-mentioned three examples, but may be varied as necessary. Meanwhile,FIG. 1shows that the drug storing part200is divided into three drug storing spaces210,212, and214; however, the number of drug storing spaces210,212, and214may be increased or decreased as necessary.

The drug storing part200may have a volume equal to or larger than that of the cell chip receiving part100. For example, the drug storing part200may have sufficient volume so that a predetermined amount of drugs are circulated between the cell chip receiving part100and the drug storing part200. Meanwhile,FIG. 1shows that each volume of the drug storing spaces210,212, and214is smaller than that of the cell chip receiving part100; however, each volume of the drug storing spaces210,212, and214may be equal to or larger than that of the cell chip receiving part100as necessary.

The drug storing part200may include a plurality of second connection tubes220and222to be connected to the circulation part300. The second connection tubes220and222may be formed in one direction (a Y-axis direction based onFIG. 1) of the drug storing part200. More specifically, the second connection tubes220and222may be formed in the drug storing spaces210,212, and214, respectively. Here, the second connection tube220may be used as an outlet from which the drug is discharged, and the second connection tube222may be used as an inlet into which the discharged drugs are reintroduced. Here, the second connection tubes220and222are not fixedly used as the outlet and the inlet, respectively, which may be changed as necessary. For example, the second connection tube222may be used as the outlet or the second connection tube220may be used as the inlet.

The drug storing part200may be connected to the cell chip receiving part100via the circulation part300. Therefore, the drug of the drug storing part200may be supplied to the cell chip receiving part100through the circulation part300. Similar to this, the drug supplied to the cell chip receiving part100may be supplied to the drug storing part200through the circulation part300.

The drug storing part200may be disposed to face the cell chip receiving part100. For example, the drug storing part200may be disposed to be symmetrical with regard to the cell chip receiving part100based on the Y-axis as shown inFIG. 1. However, the arrangement of the drug storing part200is not limited to that shown inFIG. 1, and it may be varied as necessary.

The circulation part300may be disposed between the cell chip receiving part100and the drug storing part200. More specifically, the first connection tubes122,124,126, and128of the cell chip receiving part100and the second connection tubes220and222of the drug storing part200may be connected to one another by the circulation part300. In addition, the circulation part300may allow the drug of the drug storing part200to be transferred to the cell chip receiving part100, and allow the drug transferred to the cell chip receiving part100to be introduced to the drug storing part200. Therefore, the drug of the drug storing part200may be circulated between the drug storing part200and the cell chip receiving part100by the circulation part300.

The circulation part300may include the pipes310and312. More specifically, the first connection tube122of the cell chip receiving part100and the second connection tube220of the drug storing part200may be connected to one another by the first pipe310and the first connection tube124of the cell chip receiving part100and the second connection tube222of the drug storing part200may be connected to one another by the second pipe312. Meanwhile, these connections are merely exemplary, and may be varied as necessary. For example, the first connection tube122of the cell chip receiving part100and the second connection tube220of the drug storing part200may be connected to one another by the first pipe310and the first connection tube128of the cell chip receiving part100and the second connection tube222of the drug storing part200may be connected to one another by the second pipe312. In addition,FIG. 1shows that the cell chip receiving part100and the first drug storing space210are connected to one another by the pipes310and312; however, the cell chip receiving part100may be connected to the second drug storing space212or the third drug storing space214as necessary.

The circulation part300may further include pumps320and322. The pumps320and322may be mounted on the pipes310and312or the connection pipes122,124,126,128,220, and222so that the drug is transferred. For example, the drug of the drug storing part200may be transferred to the cell chip receiving part100by a first pump320mounted on the first pipe310, and the drug of the cell chip receiving part100may be transferred to the drug storing part200by a second pump322mounted on the second pipe312. Meanwhile, the pumps320and322are mounted on the first pipe310and the second pipe312in the present embodiment, respectively; however, the first pump320or the second pump322may be omitted as necessary.

Meanwhile, the circulation part300may be freely coupled to and separated from the cell chip receiving part100and the drug storing part200. Therefore, any one of the drug storing spaces210,212, and214may be selected to conduct a drug experiment according to an experiment purpose with regard to the cell chip mounted on the cell chip receiving part100by a user.

The cell culture device1000as configured above may receive at least one cell chip600in the cell chip receiving part100as shown inFIG. 5. Here, the cell chip600may be disposed in a state in which it is overturned as shown inFIG. 6. Therefore, a bio material700adhered to a pillar610of the cell chip600may be reacted with a drug710supplied into the cell chip receiving part100. Here, since the drug710is continuously circulated between the cell chip receiving part100and the drug storing part200through the circulation part300, the reaction between the drug710and the bio material700may be observed in an environment similar to that inside a body, and an experiment and an observation on the bio material700with regard to the drug710may be conducted for a long period of time.

In addition, the cell culture device1000allows for various forms of passages110in the cell chip receiving part100, thereby creating an environment such as in vivo experiment or culture in vivo. Therefore, an experiment and an observation with respect to an effect of the drug710on human beings may be relatively accurately conducted in the present cell culture device1000.

Further, an experiment and an observation of continuous supply of the drug, waste materials accumulation, and the reaction of the bio material700for a change in concentration of the drug accordingly may be conducted in the cell culture device1000.

Meanwhile, the cell culture device1000may include a filter500mounted in the cell chip receiving part100or the drug storing part200, whereby foreign materials generated during the reaction between the drug710and the bio material700may be selectively removed. In addition, the foreign materials filtered by the filter500are collected, and the foreign materials or waste materials generated during the reaction between the drug710and the bio material700may be separately observed.

Hereinafter, a cell culture device according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference toFIGS. 7 to 9. For reference, in the present embodiment, the same reference numerals will be used to describe the same components as those of the first embodiment. In addition, a detailed description of these components will be omitted.

The cell culture device1000according to the present embodiment may further include a lower body800and an upper body900.

The lower body800may be provided with a receiving space810. The receiving space810may be provided with a main wall820separating a central portion thereof from an edge portion thereof. Therefore, the receiving space810may be divided into two portions by the main wall820. Here, all of the cell chip receiving part100, the drug storing part200, and the circulation part300may be received in space (a first space) surrounded by the main wall820. In addition, an outer portion (a second space) separated by the main wall820may be provided with a humidity control part400.

The humidity control part400may include a water storing space410and a heater420. The water storing space410may store considerable amount of water, and the heater420may heat water stored in the water storing space410. The humidity control part400may generate water vapor around the main wall820, whereby the humidity inside the cell culture device1000may be constantly maintained. Meanwhile,FIGS. 7 and 8show that the heater420is formed in a portion of the water storing space410; however, it may be formed over the entire area of the water storing space410as necessary. In addition, the heater420may be omitted.

The upper body900may be coupled to the lower body800. More specifically, the upper body900may be coupled to the lower body800, so that the receiving space810is closed. The upper body900, as configured above, may prevent foreign materials from being introduced into the cell culture device1000and protect the cell chip receiving part100and the drug storing part200from external impacts.

The lower body800and the upper body900may be provided with holes830and930, respectively. Electric wires (not shown) connecting the pumps310and312to an external power supply may be led to the holes830and930. However, the holes830and930are not only used as holes allowing the wires to be led out, but may also be used as air passages as necessary.

As set forth above, a cell culture device according to embodiments of the present invention may allow for the observation or examination of a reaction between a cell and a drug in an environment similar to that of the inside of a body.

Therefore, with the cell culture device according to the embodiments of the present invention, the reliability of experimental results on the reaction between the drug and the cell may be increased.