Patent ID: 7270996

Claim:
A cell culture apparatus for use within an incubator, said apparatus comprising: a rack for supporting at least one media flowpath assembly cartridge; at least one media flowpath assembly cartridge, said cartridge including: a housing, a media flowpath assembly, and a control interface; said media flowpath assembly including: a single pump for media flow; at least one valve adapted to prevent or divert media flow; and a single sterile media perfusion flowpath loop removably attachable to said housing without breaching flowpath sterility, said media perfusion loop being in contact with the pump and the at least one valve and containing: at least one biochamber; a gas permeable membrane; a media reservoir; and a sampling device, comprising an air pump, a sterilizing air filter, and a one-way flow valve, for capturing an aliquot of sample from the perfusion loop; which are in fluid communication with one another.