WO1994006902B1

WO1994006902B1 - Plate for cell cultures with a system for laterally diffusing molecules through a barrier membrane

Info

Publication number: WO1994006902B1
Application number: PCT/ES1993/000074
Authority: WO
Filing date: 1993-09-14
Publication date: 1994-05-11

Abstract

Plate for cell cultures with a system for laterally diffusing molecules through a barrier membrane consisting of two or more compartments (wells) separated by means of one or various barrier membranes situated in the contiguous side wall or walls, providing for the passage of soluble substances through the membranes, and retaining the insoluble particles and the cells. The cells deposited in one of the compartments may interchange their metabolic products with one or various contiguous compartments containing a culture medium or other cells. The problem caused by other devices wherein the diffusion of substances occurs between a higher compartment (which usually contains the cells) and a lower compartment, separated by a barrier membrane, making difficult the microscopic observation of the cells and the manipulation thereof, is thus solved. The fields of application include various branches of biology, such as immunology, pharmacology, toxicology, microbiology and paracytology.

Claims

MODIFIED CLAIMS [received by the international office on April 13, 1994 (June 13, 1994), claims 1-3 replaced by claims 1-6 (2 pages)]

1. Cell culture plate equipped with a system of lateral diffusion of molecules through a barrier membrane comprising: a base formed by a compartment or well with a flat bottom and open at the top (well reservoir), which contains inside, sharing its same flat bottom, another smaller well (diffuser well), also open at the top, characterized in that both wells communicate through one or several slots or holes located in the side wall (s) ( es) of the diffuser well, and because said grooves or orifices are covered by one or more semipermeable membranes; a removable cover with a non-hermetic closure that, when placed on the base, closes the assembly.

2. Plate for cell cultures equipped with a system for lateral diffusion of molecules through a barrier membrane comprising: a base consisting of multiple wells with a flat bottom and open at the top (reservoir wells), each containing one of them inside , sharing its same flat bottom, another smaller well (diffuser well), also open at the top, characterized in that each of the diffuser wells communicates with its larger counterpart, which houses it, through a or several slots or holes located in the side wall (s) of the diffuser well, and in that said slots or holes are covered by one or more semipermeable membranes; a removable lid with a non-hermetic closure that, when placed on the base, closes the whole assembly. 8

3. Cell culture plate equipped with a system for lateral diffusion of molecules through a barrier membrane, according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that each of the diffuser wells containing the slot (s) or orifice (s) ) coated by semipermeable membrane (s), can be replaced by a semi-rigid rigid or semi-rigid membrane in the form of a tube, placed vertically on the bottom of the corresponding reservoir well.

4. Cell culture plate equipped with a system for lateral diffusion of molecules through a barrier membrane, according to claims 1, 2 and 3, characterized in that the semipermeable membranes allow the passage of soluble substances therethrough, while retaining particles insolubles and cells.

5. Cell culture plate equipped with a system for lateral diffusion of molecules through barrier membrane, according to claims 1, 2 and 3, characterized in that the bottom of the diffuser wells can be located at different height or level corresponding to the wells reservoirs.

6. Cell culture plate equipped with a system for lateral diffusion of molecules through a barrier membrane, according to claims 1, 2 and 3, characterized in that the same reservoir well can be simultaneously in communication with several diffuser wells, located inside it .

MODIFIED LEAF (ARTICLE 19 ^ DECLARATION ACCORDING TO ARTICLE 19

Claims 1 to 3 presented in the original application are modified which refer to any plate for cell cultures in which two or more compartments or wells exchanged soluble substances through one or more semipermeable membranes located in the adjoining walls thereof.

The new claims 1 to 6 limit the specific case of a cell culture plate characterized in that it contains one or more diffusion units composed in turn by a reservoir well inside which is located another well (diffuser well), both open in its upper part and sharing the same flat bottom, producing the exchange of soluble substances between each reservoir well and the corresponding diffusing well through one or several semipermeable membranes located in the lateral wall (s) of the latter. The new wording also contemplates the possibility that the diffuser wells consist entirely of a rigid or semi-rigid semi-rigid membrane with a tubular shape.

They also affect Fig. 1, the description that is made of it on page 2 (lines 4-12) and the summary page 7 (lines 2-9) of PCT / ES 93/00074.