FR3110175A1 - Biological species culture treatment system - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for processing the cultivation of biological species, comprising: - a rotating mobile device (1) comprising at least one housing (100) configured to receive a container (10, 11) intended to contain biological species such as petri dishes, said housing (100) being arranged at the periphery of the mobile device (1); - conveyance means (6, 8) of containers (10, 11) in the housings - extraction means (7) of said receptacles (10, 11) of the housings (100) after treatment; the conveying means (6, 8) and extraction means (7) being arranged at the periphery of the mobile device (1), the arrangement conveying means relative to the extraction means as well as the speed of rotation of the mobile device being configured as a function of the duration of treatment. Figure for the abstract: Fig. 1

Description

Biological Species Cultivation Processing System

GENERAL TECHNICAL FIELD AND STATE OF THE ART

The invention relates to cell culture systems and methods, in particular those using electromagnetic radiation on cell culture dishes.

Cell culture can be used for experimental or therapeutic purposes, for example by providing for cell transplantation of cultured cells.

Cell culture consists of arranging biological species in culture dishes such as Petri dishes and subjecting them to various conditions in order to transform either for experimental purposes or for therapeutic purposes.

When species are subjected to electromagnetic radiation, it is important to control both the radiation and the exposure to this radiation.

In addition, when it comes to culturing several cells for therapeutic purposes, it can be useful to be able to culture a large number of species simultaneously.

PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

The invention makes it possible to culture species in large quantities by subjecting cultures to repeatable conditions. Such cultures are advantageously used in regenerative medicine, in cell therapy and in particular in neurology.

To this end, the invention proposes, according to a first aspect, a system for processing the culture of biological species, comprising:

- a rotating mobile device comprising at least one housing configured to receive a receptacle intended to contain biological species such as petri dishes, said housing being arranged on the periphery of the mobile device;

- means of transporting containers in the accommodation;

- means for extracting said containers from the housings after treatment;

the conveying means and extraction means being arranged at the periphery of the mobile device, the disposition of the conveying means with respect to the extraction means as well as the speed of rotation of the mobile device being configured according to the duration of treatment.

The invention is advantageously completed by the following characteristics, taken alone or in any of their technically possible combination:

- the mobile device is a disc preferably comprising several housings distributed in a regular manner on the periphery of the disc;

- the housings are of a shape adapted to the shape of the container and are for example U-shaped notches, the housings comprising a support for supporting a container in the housing;

- it comprises at least one adapter intended to be placed on a support in the housing and configured to position in a housing a container of variable shape and size;

- it comprises at least one irradiation module support disposed above each housing, the module support consisting of a tab comprising a lower end fixed to the upper surface of the mobile device and a free upper end comprising means fixings of an irradiation module at a variable height above the housing;

- the conveying means and/or the extraction means comprise a belt conveyor comprising a drive motor, a drive pulley and a return pulley;

- it comprises studs integral with the conveyor, each stud being configured to support a container in order either to position a container in a housing or to extract a container from a housing

- it includes container supply means, conveying means and/or container recovery means after treatment.

The invention proposes, according to a second aspect, an assembly comprising a system of the first aspect of the invention and irradiation modules arranged above each housing, each irradiation module being configured to irradiate a container in a housing means of photonic and/or electromagnetic radiation.

The assembly according to the first aspect of the invention is such that each module comprises a box and a collector skirt flaring out from the box, the skirt being adapted to concentrate a flux of photons towards the mobile device.

The invention proposes, according to a third aspect, a method for obtaining stem cells by means of an assembly according to the second aspect of the invention.

The invention proposes, according to a fourth aspect, stem cells obtained by means of a method according to the third aspect of the invention, said cells being intended to be transplanted into a patient.

Thus, the invention also consists in treating cellular systems by electromagnetic and/or magnetic radiation which could be used in turn for cell therapy for therapeutic purposes for neurological diseases, for example, but also for other pathologies.

The invention therefore makes it possible to optimize stem cell cultures with a view to a cell transplant in a sick patient. Stem cells irradiated and grafted into the affected area of the patient, allows for better cell engraftment, with less rejection and cell death.

PRESENTATION OF FIGURES

Other characteristics, objects and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description which follows, which is purely illustrative and not limiting, and which must be read in conjunction with the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an overall view of a processing system according to the invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of the processing system according to the invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a view of a detail of the processing system according to the invention;

Figures 4a and 4b illustrate two views of a module used with the processing system.

In all the figures, similar elements bear identical references.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 illustrate a system for processing cultures of biological species in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

Mobile Device 1 – Carousel

The treatment system comprises a mobile device 1 in rotation comprising at least one housing 100 configured to receive a culture container 10, 11 intended to contain biological species. A culture container 10, 11 is preferably a Petri dish. Alternatively, the culture vessel can be:

- a rectangular or square box;

- a multi-well cell culture plate (6-well plate type);

- a flask of cell culture (for example from the ThermoFisher™ brand);

. a large-scale cell culture flask (e.g. known under the trade name Nunc Triple Flask),

. a bioprocess-scale cell culture flask (e.g. known under the trade name Nunc High Density Cell Factory Systems or Nunc standard cell factory systems).

The mobile device 1 is in particular a rotating disc-shaped carousel. One or more housings 100 are arranged at the periphery of the disc, the disc comprising an upper surface 101 and a lower surface 102. The number of housings and therefore the size of the mobile device are variable. The number of dwellings depends on the need and will be at least equal to two. The size of the mobile device 1 will depend on the number of housings, the more housings there are, the larger the diameter of the mobile device will be.

The mobile device 1 is preferably driven in rotation by a stepper motor (not shown) positioned at the center of the lower surface 102. Rotation can of course be implemented in several ways.

Each housing 100 is adapted to the shape of the container that it must receive. For a Petri dish-type container, it consists of a U-shaped notch formed in the thickness of the disc.

A housing 100 makes it possible to receive a culture container 10, 11. As such, each housing 100 comprises a support 210 which advantageously forms a step with the internal contour of the housing 100. In the case of a petri dish, the support is U-shaped and forms a step with the internal contour of the housing 100.

Thus, to insert the container into the housing, the container is slid on the support 210 and is inserted correctly when it comes into abutment with the bottom of the contour of the housing 100. As will have been understood, each housing has an adapted contour to the shape of the container it is to receive.

To take into account several types of container, the system comprises removable adapters 2, 3 and 4 of variable sizes forming in turn a support for a container. These removable adapters 2, 3 and 4 are placed on the initial supports 210 of the housings 100. These removable adapters 2, 3 and 4 . To be correctly inserted into the housings 210, the removable adapters 2, 3 and 4 are of complementary shape to the housing 210. Of course when they are inserted into the housings 210, they allow insertion of the containers as has been described below. Before.

Thus, the housings 100 can receive different types of container held firmly. Such maintenance is important since in the case of irradiation it is important to irradiate the species contained in the containers in a homogeneous manner.

When the mobile device 1 comprises several housings 100, it is possible to provide adapters 2, 3 and 4 that are different from one housing to another, the adapters having different sizes. In this way, on the same mobile device 1, there can be containers of different sizes or shapes.

This allows for modularity in the vessels that can be used with the treatment system.

In the case of Petri dishes, it is possible to have adapters provided to allow the insertion into the housings of dishes having a diameter between 35 mm and 100 mm knowing that each housing by default is adapted to receive a type of predetermined container. The boxes can have the following sizes: 35x10mm, 60x15mm, 100x15mm, 100x20mm, 150x20mm. The boxes can be square in size 245x245mm.

Means of conveyance and means of extraction

In order to position the containers 10, 11 in the housings and to extract them from the mobile device, conveying means 6 and extraction means 9 are positioned on the periphery of the mobile device 1.

The conveying means 6 and the extraction means 9 preferably consist of a belt conveyor: an entry conveyor 60 and an exit conveyor 70. Each conveyor comprises a drive motor, a drive pulley and a return pulley. These constituent elements of the conveyor are not further detailed here because they are well known to those skilled in the art.

The conveying means 6 are coupled with a device 8 for supplying culture containers. Such a feeding device 8 is for example a robotic arm. Alternatively, the conveying means can be fed manually: an operator can place the boxes on the entry conveyor.

For placement in the housings, the conveying means 6 comprise means 61 for positioning the containers in the housings. As illustrated in the figures, these may be riser studs 61 on which the containers are positioned. The studs 61 make it possible to raise the containers, for example by a few millimeters so that they do not interfere with the adapters 2, 3, 4 when the container approaches the carousel.

As can be seen in the figures, the studs consist of discs arranged on the conveyor belt and are integral with the belt: they rotate with the belt. To allow the positioning of the containers in the housings of the carousel, the entry conveyor 60 is positioned relative to the carousel so that when the container arrives in position in a housing (with or without an adapter), the container is picked up and it detaches from the riser stud 61 which rotates with the conveyor 60. The rotation of the carousel will end up positioning the container correctly on the carousel.

Each stud has a diameter smaller than that of the removable support so as not to interfere with the latter.

The speed of the conveyor will be, in operation, adapted to allow during the rotation of the carousel, the positioning of the container aided by the corresponding stud.

Of course, other positioning means can be envisaged as long as they make it possible to position each container from the conveyor to the carousel.

The extraction means 9 are coupled with a recovery device 9 of the culture containers. Such a recovery device 9 is for example an incubator. It can also be another system for subjecting culture vessels to other treatments.

To extract the containers, the extraction means 7 comprise evacuation means 71. The extraction means 7 are similar to the conveying means and are constituted by a belt conveyor called the exit conveyor comprising studs 71 similar to the positioning means 61. The studs 71 of the output conveyor are integral with the conveyor belt. By turning, the stud of the conveyor of the means of extraction 7 will come into contact with the petri dish (positioned on the removable support) and capture it. When the container is positioned on the booster block, it is evacuated towards the recovery device 9.

Irradiation module

Above each housing, an irradiation module 5 is arranged. To do this, each module is arranged at an upper end 520, of a tab 90 extending from the upper surface 101 of the mobile device 1, a lower end 710 being attached and fixed to the upper surface 101 of the mobile device 1. The fixing of the leg 90 is implemented either by gluing or welding or more generally by any way making it possible to fix such a leg.

The leg comprises a lower end 91, an upper end 92 and an intermediate part 93. A groove 94 is present at the upper end 92 to allow the fixing of the irradiation module 5 at a variable height above the housing 100.

Figures 2a and 2b respectively illustrate a bottom view of an irradiation module 5 and a top view of an irradiation module 5.

As can be seen in these figures, the irradiation module 5 has a substantially triangular shape and comprises a box 50 in which several components are arranged.

Each module 5 is configured to emit photonic radiation in possible combination with electromagnetic radiation. In the example illustrated, the module 5 uses three photonic sources 510, 520, 530 simultaneously in operation (the photonic sources are schematized by cylinders). Of course, a different number of sources can be implemented.

To let the radiation from the sources pass, the module comprises a central opening 54. Advantageously, a collector skirt 56 is fixed at the level of the central opening 54. Collector skirt 56 consists of a hollow cone flaring out from casing 50. Each skirt includes a reflective internal wall (for red and infrared light) in order to control the amount of light energy sent to the cells. The collector skirt 56 is adapted to the dimensions of the containers below. In addition, the skirt limits the risk of dazzling operators working around the system.

Module 5 allows you to select different sources.

As such, several electronic cards 51, 52, 53 are housed inside the box 50. In Figures 2a and 2b, three electronic cards are present. Each electronic card 51, 52, 53 contains one or more photonic sources 510, 520, 530 of the same type but with different functional characteristics (wavelength for example). A type of photonic source is for example: an LED, a Laser, etc.

For exemple :

- an electronic card 51 can include infrared LEDs of different wavelengths

- an electronic card 52 can include red LEDs of different wavelengths

- An electronic card 53 can include lasers of different wavelengths.

The cards 51, 52, 53 consist of a disc on which the various sources are regularly distributed.

Thus, each card 51, 52, 53 can include several sources but the module 5 thanks to the central opening allows only one source from each card 51, 52, 53 to pass.

To select which source to use, the module 5 includes a knob 511, 521, 531 associated with each card 51, 52, 53 used to select the source. In particular, the knob 511, 521, 531 makes it possible to rotate the disc so that the desired source is at the level of the central opening 54 of module 5.

Alternatively, the selection can be done remotely via a control unit (not shown). In this case, the modules 5 include communication means for putting the control unit and the modules in communication.

In a complementary manner, each module 5 comprises a magnet 55 placed around the sources which makes it possible to couple electromagnetic radiation to the photonic radiation.

To fix the modules on the legs, the latter comprise a rod 81 into which a nut 82 is screwed. In this way, the rod is inserted into the groove 94 of the leg and the fixing is carried out thanks to the nut 82 which makes it possible to tighten the rod on the tab, the module 5 then being fixed above a housing. The rod 81 can move in the groove 94 to allow the height of the module above the carousel to be adjusted.

Description of the system in operation

In operation, the irradiation modules 5 are positioned above the housings 100.

The transport means bring a container 10, 11 of cultures into a housing 100, the device being mobile in rotation, it marks a pause when a box or a support with a box is opposite a housing. This stopping time allows the container to be correctly inserted into the holder. It is noted that the supports 2, 3, 4 are housed prior to the operation of the mobile device in each housing in order to adapt to the containers which will be used.

To implement the culture, the modules irradiate the container during the rotation of the mobile device, the treated container is evacuated when it arrives in front of the evacuation means. Again, there is a downtime to allow the treated container to be evacuated.

The duration of the treatment, that is to say the duration of irradiation of the containers, depends on the arrangement of the conveying means in relation to the extraction means as well as the speed of rotation of the mobile device. The processing time is therefore equal to the time taken by a container as soon as it is inserted into a housing to reach the means of evacuation.

In the example illustrated, the mobile device comprises six housings, the routing and extraction means being arranged side by side so that the input and the output of the device are constituted by adjacent housings. In this way, the processing time of a container is at least almost one complete revolution of the mobile device.

Claims (10)

A biological species culture processing system, comprising:
- a mobile device (1) in rotation comprising at least one housing (100) configured to receive a container (10, 11) intended to contain biological species such as petri dishes, said housing (100) being arranged on the periphery of the mobile device (1);
- conveying means (6, 8) of containers (10, 11) in the housings
- Extraction means (7) of said containers (10, 11) from the housings (100) after treatment;
the conveying means (6, 8) and the extraction means (7) being arranged on the periphery of the mobile device (1), the arrangement of the conveying means with respect to the extraction means as well as the speed of rotation of the mobile device being configured according to the duration of treatment. System according to claim 1, in which the mobile device (1) is a disk preferably comprising several housings (100) distributed in a regular manner over the periphery of the disk. A system according to claim 2, wherein the housings are shaped to match the shape of the container and are for example U-shaped notches, the housings including a support (210) for supporting a container in the housing. System according to one of Claims 1 to 3, comprising at least one adapter (2, 4) intended to be placed on a support (210) in the housing and configured to position in a housing (100) a container of the shape and size variable. System according to one of the preceding claims, comprising at least one irradiation module (5) support (90) arranged above each housing (100), the module support (90) consisting of a leg comprising a lower end (91) fixed to the upper surface of the mobile device and a free upper end (92) comprising means for fixing an irradiation module at a variable height above the housing. System according to one of the preceding claims, in which the conveying means (6) and/or the extraction means (7) comprise a belt conveyor comprising a drive motor, a drive pulley and a pulley to send back. System according to claim 6, comprising studs (61, 71) integral with the conveyor, each stud being configured to support a container in order either to position a container in a housing or to extract a container from a housing. System according to the preceding claim, comprising means (8) for supplying the container, means for conveying and/or means (9) for recovering the containers after treatment. Assembly comprising a system according to one of Claims 5 to 8 and irradiation modules (5) arranged above each housing (100), each irradiation module being configured to irradiate a container in a housing by means of photon and/or electromagnetic radiation. Assembly according to claim 9, in which each module comprises a housing (50) and a collector skirt (56) flaring from the housing (50), the skirt being adapted to concentrate a flux of photons towards the mobile device (1) .