US 12,252,675 B2
Tissue culture platform having multiple well chambers fluidically coupled via microfluidic channels and selector valves
Hunter B. Rogers, Chicago, IL (US); Teresa K. Woodruff, Chicago, IL (US); Ji-Yong Julie Kim, Evanston, IL (US); and Hannes Marcus Campo, Evanston, IL (US)
Assigned to Northwestern University, Evanston, IL (US)
Appl. No. 17/309,061
Filed by Northwestern University, Evanston, IL (US)
PCT Filed Oct. 16, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/056615
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Apr. 19, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/081740, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 23, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/746,967, filed on Oct. 17, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0025308 A1, Jan. 27, 2022
Int. Cl. C12M 1/00 (2006.01); C12M 1/02 (2006.01); C12M 1/32 (2006.01); C12M 1/34 (2006.01); C12M 3/00 (2006.01); C12M 3/06 (2006.01)
CPC C12M 21/08 (2013.01) [C12M 23/12 (2013.01); C12M 23/16 (2013.01); C12M 23/26 (2013.01); C12M 23/34 (2013.01); C12M 23/48 (2013.01); C12M 23/58 (2013.01); C12M 27/00 (2013.01); C12M 29/00 (2013.01); C12M 41/40 (2013.01)] 32 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A tissue culture assembly, comprising:
a base plate;
a plurality of culture subsystems coupled to the base plate, each culture subsystem comprising:
a plurality of well chambers;
a plurality of channels;
a selector valve fluidically coupling the plurality of well chambers via the plurality of channels;
wherein the selector valve is operable to modify a fluid path to facilitate exchange of media within a given culture subsystem or between culture subsystems of the plurality of culture subsystems;
a base station comprising:
an enclosure;
a plurality of motors housed in the enclosure; and
wherein, the base plate is removably coupled to the base station;
wherein each selector valve is a pneumatically actuated selector valve, and further comprising a pump source housed in the enclosure of the base station, the pump source being operable to pneumatically actuate each selector valve.
 
30. A tissue culture assembly, comprising:
a base plate;
a plurality of culture subsystems coupled to the base plate, each culture subsystem comprising:
a plurality of well chambers;
a plurality of channels;
a selector valve fluidically coupling the plurality of well chambers via the plurality of channels;
a base station comprising:
an enclosure;
a plurality of motors housed in the enclosure;
wherein, the base plate is removably coupled to the base station;
wherein the selector valve is operable to modify a fluid path to facilitate exchange of media within a given culture subsystem or between culture subsystems of the plurality of culture subsystems;
wherein the base station further comprises a slot that receives the base plate;
wherein the base station further comprises a stage that is moveable between a lowered position and a raised position, such that when in the raised position the stage engages the base plate when the base plate is positioned in the slot;
wherein the stage includes an interface that extends from an upper surface of the stage to engage a recess formed in a lower surface of the base plate; and
wherein the interface includes a first aperture coupled to a pump source, and the recess includes a second aperture coupled to the selector valve, such that when the stage is engaged with the base plate that first aperture and the second aperture are coupled such that operation of the pump source causes the selector value to open and close the fluid path.