Patent ID: 7390653

Claim:
A culture chamber comprising: (a) a tubular housing, wherein the housing comprises a right circular cylindrical sleeve having a first and a second end, and a first and a second end fitting including an interior projection, the interior projection having an outer diameter that sealingly fits within a bore of the sleeve, a nozzle on an exterior side of the end fitting, a counterbore in the interior projection, and a through bore passing through the end fitting, the through bore extending from the nozzle to the counterbore; (b) a growth compartment within the housing; (c) a liquid circulation system for circulating a culture medium through the growth compartment, the circulation system including a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet; and (d) a plurality of membrane carrier assembly assemblies transversing the growth compartment, wherein each membrane carrier assembly comprises a support cylinder having a first end in communication with the liquid inlet and a second end in communication with the liquid outlet, wherein the support cylinder transverses the growth compartment and wherein the support cylinder has an axial blind hole in the first and second end of the cylinder, the blind hole aligned with the through bore of the end fitting when the cylinder is positioned in the counterbore of the end fitting and wherein an interior end of the blind hole intersects a plurality of radial cross holes extending to the exterior surface of the cylinder, a molecular weight cut-off membrane secured to an exterior surface of the support cylinder, and a chamber bordered on one side by the exterior surface of the cylinder and on an opposed side by an interior surface of the membrane, the chamber containing circulating culture medium, wherein the membrane allows the diffusion of a set of biochemicals having a defined molecular weight between the growth compartment and the chamber.