WO2017102825A1

WO2017102825A1 - Holder for a cell culture container

Info

Publication number: WO2017102825A1
Application number: PCT/EP2016/080964
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mikhail Levtonov; Nuno Luis COSTA BORGES; Gloria CALDERÓN OYA; Klaus Rink
Original assignee: Octax Microscience Gmbh
Priority date: 2015-12-16
Filing date: 2016-12-14
Publication date: 2017-06-22
Also published as: DE102015016291B4; DE102015016291A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a holder (1) for a cell culture container (5), comprising a base surface (2), an elevation (3) and a region attached to the elevation (3) having a recess (9) for the cell culture container (5). The recess (9) is formed such that the cell culture container (5) can be inserted into the recess (9) and the recess surrounds a part of the cell culture container (5), while another part of the cell culture container (5) is not surrounded by the recess (9) and can be viewed with a microscope, such that it is possible to observe whether a sample with a cell is present in the cell culture container (5).

Description

HOLDER FOR A CELL CULTURAL HOLDER

The invention relates to a holder for a

Cell culture container.

Due to the advancing development of cell analytics in many applications, there is an increasing need to take samples and send them to a laboratory. For this purpose, a sample is taken and placed in a cell culture container. As Zellenkulturbehalter have transparent elongated, tapered at one end container with a lid at the other end established.

The cell culture containers have a low volume,

typically 0.2 ml, and thus hold only a few drops, often just a drop. This is completely sufficient.

However, make sure that the sample also

actually contains a cell. When filling the

Cell culture container is therefore to check whether a cell is actually included. This is a microscope too

use. Since it must be kept to fill the cell culture container, the filling is often to interrupt observation or there are other inconveniences

to accept.

The object of the invention is to fill the

Cell culture container easier.

This object is achieved by articles having the features according to the independent claims. Technically advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims, the description and the drawings.

It has been recognized that a holder for at least one

Cell culture container, comprising a base, a

Survey to provide an attached to the collection area with at least one recess for the cell culture container. The recess is designed in this way that the Zellenkulturbehalter can be inserted into the recess and the recess part of the

Cell container while another part of the cell culture container is not surrounded by the recess and can be viewed with a microscope, so that it is observable whether a sample is present with a cell in cell culture container.

Through the holder, the user is freed from the

Cell culture container itself and can take care of the filling. This is usually a micropipette

used. The usual cell culture containers are round in an upper, ie the lid facing area. In this respect, the recess is usually round, although other shapes are conceivable and possible. It is crucial that the recess to some extent on the cell culture container

is tuned. As a rule, it is advantageous if the recess is slightly larger than the intended

Cell culture container in the area in the

Recess should be introduced. This leaves a game and the cell culture container can be without significant

Force in the recess and thus be introduced into the holder and also removed again. Thus, the holder itself only with little force

to be countered. Of course it is necessary

ensure that the cell culture container does not simply slip through the recess.

As a rule, the cell culture container has a lid. This cover is fitted with a flexible attachment

Attached cell culture container so that the lid is not lost even with an open cell culture container and especially is not placed in an area in which a contamination of the lid and thus the sample can be done. The flexible attachment can also serve as a safeguard against slipping through the recess. Be that

Cell culture container about round, and accordingly also the recess, which has a slightly larger radius, then The cell culture container can be easily inserted. The flexible attachment, which projects laterally away from the cell culture container, effectively prevents slippage of the

Cell culture container.

The cell culture container may additionally or alternatively also have a thickening, for example as a counterpart to the latching lid. Also this thickening can serve a purpose

Slipping even in a loose-fitting

To prevent cell culture containers.

As shown, the usual cell culture containers are usually tapered and have the lid

opposite side as it were a tip. This

facilitates insertion into the recess of the holder.

If it were only about the holder of the cell culture container, the cell culture container could also be placed in a classical sample container, in which often a large number of

Cell culture containers is arranged side by side,

be introduced. There is, if only at all

makes it difficult to observe the sample. In particular, it can happen that a liquid in the

Cell culture container is introduced without this contains a cell whose analysis it is about. It is therefore necessary, at least very useful, to test the sample to this effect. Accordingly, it is also important that a part of the cell culture container is not surrounded by the recess and can be viewed with a microscope, so that it can be observed whether there is a sample with a cell in the cell culture container. The holder thus allows both to hold a cell culture container as well as to observe the sample. The chosen concept for holding, so the recess into which the cell culture container can be inserted, has compared to the so-called "third hand", so constructions, with which a cell culture container could be attached, a decisive advantage. The time-consuming screws or similar effort is eliminated. Because of the effort, the use of a third party hand is to fill

Cell culture containers also not common.

The terms base area, elevation and recess are to be understood broadly. A floor space is required because the holder has to rest somewhere. The recess is described in detail above. This must be attached to a survey, so that there is also space around the

To be able to insert cell culture containers.

In one embodiment of the holder, the base surface on the side facing away from the recess with a

anti-slip surface equipped. So that can

prevents the holder from slipping out during filling.

In one embodiment of the holder, the base has a free space which is arranged so that the

Cell culture container can be positioned over the open area so that light through the outdoor area

Cell culture can reach. This can be done from the top with a microscope observation, while from below a lighting of the sample can be done.

In one embodiment of the holder, the recess surrounds the inserted cell culture container in the region of

Recess only partially, so that the level can be observed in the recess. For this purpose, about a gap can be provided. A gap affects the

Function of the recess, namely the holder of

Cell culture container, but allows the observation of the level in the area of the recess and not only in the already observable area.

In one embodiment of the holder, the region with the recess is pivotally mounted on the rest of the holder, so that the angle of the recorded cell culture container can be changed. Thus, different angles can be set as desired by the user. When choosing the angle, it is on the one hand to be easy to fill, but it is also important that an agreeable angle for observing the sample is selected.

In one embodiment of the holder, a pivot arm is rotatably mounted on the elevation, wherein the pivot arm is rotatable in a plane parallel to the elevation plane. Thus, the angle can be changed in a simple manner.

In one embodiment of the holder, the holder is formed so that the angle of the received

Cell culture container to the vertical 0 ° to 60 °, preferably 10 ° to 60 °, particularly preferably 5 ° to 45 °. This covers angular ranges that have proven to be practical. In a further development, the angle range can be changed so far that a pleasant setting for

Right-handed or left-handed can be selected.

In one embodiment of the holder are exactly two

Recesses available. Although a recess is often enough to fill exactly one cell culture container, it often facilitates the work when several cell culture containers can be inserted. Of course, this makes the holder bigger. A holder with exactly two recesses has proven to be a good compromise.

It should be mentioned at this point that, regardless of the number of recesses, these can be numbered. This can facilitate handling and counteract confusion of samples. Especially the latter is very important.

In one embodiment of the holder, the recess has

Diameter of several millimeters, preferably 6 to 7 Millimeters, more preferably 6.4 millimeters. Of the

Diameter of 6.4 millimeters is tuned to

widespread cell culture container Eppendorf. In one embodiment of the holder, the holder has a

Extension of several centimeters. For a compact design is possible, at the same time a stability of the holder is given. In one embodiment of the holder, the holder is made

Plastic, preferably made of polyamide. This is a stable and lightweight construction possible.

In one embodiment of the holder, the holder can be produced by a 3D printing method. This can also be done

manufacture smaller series cost-effectively.

Another aspect relates to a holder for one

Cell culture container, with a footprint for parking the holder on a microscope stage; and one

Recess for inserting the cell culture container, which is arranged such that the underside of the cell culture container can be held for examination in the beam path of the microscope. This achieves the technical advantage that the cell culture container can be observed during filling with the aid of a microscope.

The holder has, for example, an anti-slip

Substrate on which comprises an elastomeric material. The

Elastomer material can be glued, for example, on the footprint of the holder. However, the anti-slip surface can also be a fabric material, a self-adhesive

Surface, a Velcro material or suction cups. In a technically advantageous embodiment of the holder, the footprint comprises a free area or a

transparent area for the passage of light from the

Beam path. This achieves the technical advantage that the holder can be positioned centrally in the beam path of the microscope.

In a further technically advantageous further

Embodiment of the holder, the footprint is annular. As a result, the technical advantage is achieved that the holder has an equal tilt stability on all sides.

In a further technically advantageous further

Embodiment, an angle is adjustable, under which the

Cell culture container can be held by the holder in the beam path of the microscope. Thereby, the technical advantage is achieved that can be better checked with the microscope, whether a cell is contained in the cell culture container.

In a further technically advantageous further

Embodiment, the holder to a swivel arm for

Adjusting the angle. This will be the technical

Advantage achieved that the angle with a simple

Construction can be adjusted.

Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and will be described in more detail below.

They show:

Fig. 1 is a first view of the holder; and Fig. 2 is another view of the holder

In Fig. 1, a holder 1 can be seen. Evident is a base 2 and a survey 3, to which a swivel arm 4 is attached. Inserted into the recesses not visible here are cell culture containers 5 which have a cover 6. The lid 6 is fastened with a flexible holder 7. With the swivel arm 4 different angle of the cell culture container 5 can be adjusted. One too recognizing open area 8 in the base 2 allows light through the open area 8 to the

Cell culture container 5 passes. The region of the cell culture container facing downwards, that is to say towards the free area 8, is not surrounded by the recesses, as can be seen. A sample located in the cell culture container 5 can thus be easily observed.

Fig. 2 shows another view of the holder 1. To recognize here are not visible in the view of FIG. 1 recesses 9. These are round. It is easy to imagine that the flexible ones shown in FIG

Fixings 7 of the cover 6 of the cell culture container 5 prevent slippage of the cell culture container 5. Thus, the diameter of the recesses 9 can be chosen so that the cell culture container 5 can be easily inserted.

The cell culture containers 5 are

commercial products with the lids 6 shown, which are held with flexible fasteners 7 to the cell culture containers 5. The cell culture container 5 begin in the area of the lid 6 cylindrical and taper at the ends which are facing away from the lids 6.

The scope of the present invention is given by the claims and is not limited by the features illustrated in the specification or shown in the figures.

Claims

1. holder (1) for a cell culture container (5),

comprising a base surface (2), a protrusion (3), a region (10) attached to the elevation (3) with a recess (9) for the cell culture container (5), wherein the recess (9) is designed such that the cell culture container (5 ) can be inserted into the recess (9) and the recess surrounds a part of the cell culture container (5), while another part of the cell culture container (5) not from the

Recess (9) is surrounded and can be viewed with a microscope, so that is observable, whether in

Cell culture container (5) a sample with a cell is present.

2. Holder according to claim 1, wherein the base surface (2) has a free area (8), which is arranged so that the cell culture container (5) over the free area (8)

can be positioned so that light can pass through the free area (8) to the cell culture container (5).

3. Holder according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the recess (9) the inserted cell culture container (5) in the region of the recess (9) only partially surrounds, so that the level in the region of the recess (9) can be observed.

4. Holder according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the region with the recess (9) is pivotally mounted on the rest of the holder, so that the angle of the recorded cell culture container can be changed.

5. Holder according to claim 4, wherein at the elevation (3) a pivot arm (4) is rotatably mounted, wherein the pivot arm (4) in a plane parallel to the elevation (3) is rotatable.

6. Holder according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the holder (1) is formed so that the angle of the recorded cell culture container (5) to the vertical 0 ° to 60 °, preferably 10 ° to 60 °, more preferably 5 ° to 45 ° , is.

7. Holder according to one of the preceding claims, wherein exactly two recesses (9) are present.

8. Holder according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the recess (9) has a diameter of several

Millimeters, preferably 6 to 7 millimeters, especially

preferably 6.4 millimeters, has.

9. Holder according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the holder (1) has an extension of several centimeters.

10. Holder according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the holder (1) made of plastic, preferably made of polyamide.

11. holder (1) for a cell culture container (5), comprising: a footprint (2) for parking the holder (1) on a microscope stage; and a recess (9) for inserting the

Cell culture container (5) which is arranged such that the underside of the cell culture container (5) can be held for examination in the beam path of the microscope.

12. holder (1) according to claim 11, wherein the footprint (2) comprises a free area (8) or a transparent region for the passage of light from the beam path.

13. Holder (1) according to claim 12, wherein the footprint (2) is annular.

14. Holder (1) according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein an angle at which the cell culture container (5) can be held by the holder in the beam path of the microscope, is adjustable.

15. Holder (1) according to claim 14, wherein the holder (1) has a pivot arm (4) for adjusting the angle.