US-12618037-B2 - Cell culture vessel and method for culturing cell

US12618037B2US 12618037 B2US12618037 B2US 12618037B2US-12618037-B2

Abstract

A cell culture vessel comprising a housing in which a culture chamber is provided. In the housing, at least two holes that connect the outside of the housing and a culture chamber are provided.

Inventors

Koji Tanabe
Ryoji HIRAIDE
Kenta SUTO
Kazunori Ban
Satoshi Kinoshita

Assignees

I PEACE, INC.
FANUC CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20211222

Claims (3)

1 . A method for culturing a cell, comprising: preparing a housing in which a culture chamber is provided and a semipermeable membrane disposed in the culture chamber, the culture chamber being divided by the semipermeable membrane, wherein a first hole, a second hole, a third hole, and a fourth hole that each connect the outside of the housing and the culture chamber are provided in the housing, wherein the first hole and the second hole communicate with one side of the culture chamber divided by the semipermeable membrane, and wherein the third hole and the fourth hole communicate with the other side of the culture chamber divided by the semipermeable membrane; contracting a first variable volume container containing a cell therein, which is connected to the first hole through a connection flow path connecting the first hole and the first variable volume container, expanding a first expandable variable volume container which is connected to the second hole through a connection flow path connecting the second hole and the first expandable variable volume container, and moving the cell into the one side of the culture chamber of the housing; contracting a second variable volume container containing a fluid, which is connected to the third hole through a connection flow path connecting the third hole and the second variable volume container, expanding a second expandable variable volume container which is connected to the fourth hole through a connection flow path connecting the fourth hole and the second expandable variable volume container, and moving the fluid containing no cells into the other of the culture chamber of the housing; blocking the connection flow path connecting the first hole and the first variable volume container, thereafter, removing the first variable volume container from the connection flow path; blocking the connection flow path connecting the second hole and the first expandable variable volume container, thereafter, removing the first expandable variable volume container from the connection flow path; blocking the connection flow path connecting the third hole and the second variable volume container, thereafter, removing the second variable volume container from the connection flow path; blocking the connection flow path connecting the fourth hole and the second expandable variable volume container, thereafter, removing the second expandable variable volume container from the connection flow path; and placing the housing in a temperature control chamber and culturing the cell in the one side of the culture chamber of the housing.
2 . A method for reprogramming a cell, comprising: preparing a housing in which a culture chamber is provided and a semipermeable membrane disposed in the culture chamber, the culture chamber being divided by the semipermeable membrane, wherein a first hole, a second hole, a third hole and a fourth hole that each connect the outside of the housing and the culture chamber are provided in the housing, wherein the first hole and the second hole communicate with one side of the culture chamber divided by the semipermeable membrane, and wherein the third hole and the fourth hole communicate with the other side of the culture chamber divided by the semipermeable membrane; culturing a cell in the one side of the culture chamber of the housing; contracting a variable volume container containing a reprogramming factor therein, which is connected to the first hole through a connection flow path connecting the first hole and the variable volume container, expanding an expandable variable volume container which is connected to the second hole through a connection flow path connecting the second hole and the expandable variable volume container, and moving the reprogramming factor into the one side of the culture chamber of the housing; blocking the connection flow path connecting the first hole and the variable volume container, thereafter, removing the variable volume container from the connection flow path; blocking the connection flow path connecting the second hole and the expandable variable volume container, thereafter, removing the expandable variable volume container from the connection flow path; and placing the housing in a temperature control chamber and reprogramming the cell in the one side of the culture chamber of the housing.
3 . A method for differentiating a cell, comprising: preparing a housing in which a culture chamber is provided and a semipermeable membrane disposed in the culture chamber, the culture chamber being divided by the semipermeable membrane, wherein a first hole, a second hole, a third hole and a fourth hole that each connect the outside of the housing and the culture chamber are provided in the housing, wherein the first hole and the second hole communicate with one side of the culture chamber divided by the semipermeable membrane, and wherein the third hole and the fourth hole communicate with the other side of the culture chamber divided by the semipermeable membrane; culturing a cell in the one side of the culture chamber of the housing; contracting a variable volume container containing a differentiating factor therein, which is connected to the first hole through a connection flow path connecting the first hole and the variable volume container, expanding an expandable variable volume container which is connected to the second hole through a connection flow path connecting the second hole and the expandable variable volume, and moving the differentiating factor into the one side of the culture chamber of the housing; blocking the connection flow path connecting the first hole and the variable volume container, thereafter, removing the variable volume container from the connection flow path; blocking the connection flow path connecting the second hole and the expandable variable volume container, thereafter, removing the expandable variable volume container from the connection flow path; and placing the housing in a temperature control chamber and differentiating the cell in the one side of the culture chamber of the housing.

Description

BACKGROUND Field The present invention relates to a cell technology and relates to a cell culture vessel and a method for culturing a cell. Description of Related Art Embryonic stem cells (ES cells) are stem cells derived from early human or mouse embryos. ES cells have pluripotency that allows them to differentiate into any type of cells in a living body. Currently, human ES cells can be used for cell transplantation therapy for numerous diseases such as Parkinson's disease, juvenile diabetes, and leukemia. However, there are also obstacles to ES cell transplantation. In particular, ES cell transplantation can elicit immunorejection similar to a rejection response that follows unsuccessful organ transplantation. In addition, there are many criticisms and dissenting opinions from a moral point of view regarding use of ES cells derived by destroying human embryos. Under such circumstances, Professor Shinya Yamanaka at Kyoto University succeeded in establishing induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells) by introducing four genes: OCT3/4, KLF4, c-MYC, and SOX2 into somatic cells. For this, Professor Yamanaka was awarded the 2012 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (for example, refer to Japanese Patent No. 4183742 and Patent Publication JP-A-2014-114997). iPS cells are ideal pluripotent cells without rejection responses or moral issues. Therefore, iPS cells are expected to be used for cell transplantation therapy. SUMMARY A technique that can efficiently culture not only iPS cells but also various cells is desired. Therefore, one objective of the present invention is to provide a cell culture vessel and a method for culturing a cell through which cells can be efficiently cultured. According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cell culture vessel comprising a housing in which a culture chamber is provided, wherein at least two holes that each connect the outside of the housing and the culture chamber are provided in the housing. The cell culture vessel may further comprise connection flow paths that are connected to the holes. In the cell culture vessel, the connection flow paths connected to the holes may be able to be blocked. The cell culture vessel may further include variable volume containers connected to the two holes. The cell culture vessel may further comprise connection flow paths connected to the variable volume containers. In the cell culture vessel, the connection flow paths connected to the variable volume containers may be able to be blocked. In the cell culture vessel, the inside of the housing and the inside of the variable volume container may form a closed space. In the cell culture vessel, the inside of the housing and the inside of the variable volume container may not exchange a gas with the outside. In the cell culture vessel, in the case where a fluid in any of the variable volume containers moves in a culture chamber of the housing, the volume of the variable volume container may change. The change may be contraction or expansion. The cell culture vessel may comprising a plurality of housings. In the cell culture vessel, the plurality of housings may be able to be separated from each other. The cell culture vessel may further comprise a plurality of inter-housing flow paths that connect culture chambers of the plurality of housings. According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for culturing a cell, including preparing a housing in which a culture chamber is provided, which is a housing in which at least two holes that connect the outside of the housing and the culture chamber are provided, contracting a variable volume container containing a cell therein, which is connected to any of the holes, expanding an expandable variable volume container which is connected to any of the holes, and moving the cell into the culture chamber of the housing, and culturing the cell in the culture chamber of the housing. The method for culturing the cell may further include at least temporarily blocking a connection flow path that connects one of the holes and the variable volume container. The method for culturing the cell may further include contracting a variable volume container containing a medium therein, which is connected to any of the holes, expanding an expandable variable volume container which is connected to any of the holes, and moving the medium into the culture chamber of the housing. The method for culturing the cell may further include at least temporarily blocking a connection flow path that connects one of the holes and the contracted variable volume container. The method for culturing the cell may further include at least temporarily blocking a connection flow path that connects one of the holes and the expanded variable volume container. The method for culturing the cell may further include contracting a variable volume container containing a factor therein, which is connected to any of the holes, expanding an expandable varia