Patent ID: 7092154

Claim:
An apparatus for enabling isolation, long-term culture and observation of a cell, said apparatus comprising: a cell culture container having a culture medium exchange region; a culture medium supplying device that supplies culture medium to said cell culture container; a substrate coupled to said cell culture container; a first cell culture region formed in said substrate, said first cell culture region comprising a first hole and being formed to hold one or more cells therein; a second cell culture region formed in said substrate, said second cell culture region comprising a second hole and being formed to hold one or more cells therein; a semi-permeable membrane arranged so as to cover said first cell culture region and said second cell culture region; and a groove formed in said substrate, wherein said groove connects said first cell culture region to said second cell culture region, and serves as a thin passage for a cell such that the cell can pass between said first cell culture region and said second cell culture region, and wherein said culture medium exchange region is disposed above said semi-permeable membrane.