Bioenvironmental simulation device and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11530377-B2
Application number	US-201917054999-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 10, 2019
Priority date	Dec 10, 2018
Publication date	Dec 20, 2022
Grant date	Dec 20, 2022

Abstract

The bioenvironmental simulation device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes at least one mounting unit on which cells to be measured are placed, a rotational force application unit configured to rotate the mounting unit so as to apply a rotational force to the cells to be measured placed on the mounting unit, and a culture liquid flow device through which a culture liquid flows across the mounting unit, wherein the culture liquid flows by the culture liquid flow device so as to apply a shear force to the cells to be measured.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bioenvironmental simulation device, comprising:
a mounting unit on which cells to be measured are placed;
a motor configured to rotate the mounting unit so as to apply a rotational force to the cells to be measured placed on the mounting unit; and
a culture liquid flow device through which a culture liquid flows across the mounting unit, wherein the culture liquid flows by the culture liquid flow device so as to apply a shear force to the cells to be measured,
wherein the mounting unit comprises:
a unit body forming an inner space;
a separation membrane disposed in the unit body and partitioning the inner space into a first space and a second space disposed under the first space;
a first mounting part including the first space through which a first culture liquid passes; and
a second mounting part including the second space through which a second culture liquid passes,

wherein the cells are placed on one surface and an opposing surface of the separation membrane,
wherein the rotational force and the shear force are applied to the one surface and the opposing surface of the separation membrane.

2. The bioenvironmental simulation device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first mounting part has a first cell placing surface on which a first cell to be measured is placed on the one surface of the separation membrane,
wherein the first space faces the first cell placing surface;
wherein the second mounting part has a second cell placing surface on which a second cell to be measured interacting with the first cell to be measured is placed on the opposing surface of the separation membrane,
wherein the second space faces the second cell placing surface.

3. The bioenvironmental simulation device according to claim 2 , wherein the first and second culture liquids are configured to pass through the first and second spaces at independent flow rates.

4. The bioenvironmental simulation device according to claim 3 , wherein the culture liquid flow device comprises:
a first supply part configured to circulate the first culture liquid passing through the first space; and
a second supply part configured to circulate the second culture liquid passing through the second space, wherein the second supply part is operated independently from the first supply part.

5. The bioenvironmental simulation device according to claim 2 , wherein the first and second cell placing surfaces, on which the first and second cells to be measured are respectively disposed, are subjected to:
a pressure applied due to a resultant force of gravity and a rotational force generated by the motor in a first direction; and
a shear force applied due to a flow of the first and second culture liquids by the culture liquid flow device in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

6. The bioenvironmental simulation device according to claim 5 , wherein the second mounting part is disposed outside of the first mounting part in the first direction.

7. The bioenvironmental simulation device according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one mounting unit comprises:
a first inlet and a first outlet which are connected to the first mounting part and configured to allow the first culture liquid to inflow and outflow through the first space; and
a second inlet and a second outlet which are connected to the second mounting part and configured to allow the second culture liquid to inflow and outflow through the second space,
wherein the first inlet, the first outlet, the second inlet, and the second outlet are arranged in the second direction with respect to the first and second mounting parts, respectively.

8. The bioenvironmental simulation device according to claim 5 , further comprising a pressure sensor disposed outside of the at least one mounting unit in the first direction to detect a pressure in the mounting unit.

9. The bioenvironmental simulation device according to claim 2 , wherein the first and second mounting parts comprise a transmissive member, of which one side faces the first and second spaces, and the other side is a transmissive surface exposed to an outside, which allows air to penetrate into the first and second spaces.

10. The bioenvironmental simulation device according to claim 9 , wherein the transmissive member comprises polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS).

11. The bioenvironmental simulation device according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one mounting unit comprises a plurality of mounting units radially disposed about the motor; and
the bioenvironmental simulation device further comprises a unit mount configured to transmit a rotational force of the motor to the plurality of mounting units, and rotate together with the plurality of mounting units.

12. The bioenvironmental simulation device according to claim 11 , wherein the unit mount comprises:
a plurality of mount legs which are radially divided and disposed, and the plurality of mounting units are respectively mounted thereon, such that an angle formed between the mount legs and a ground is changed according to the rotational force of the motor.

13. The bioenvironmental simulation device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an input unit configured to input a type of the cell to be measured;
a database configured to store an appropriate rotational force and an appropriate shear force condition which are matched with the type of the cell to be measured; and
a controller configured to control the motor and the culture liquid flow device so that a pressure and a shear force satisfying an appropriate pressure condition and the appropriate shear force condition are applied to the cells to be measured, based on the type of the cell to be measured, the appropriate pressure condition and the appropriate shear force condition which are matched with the type of the cell to be measured.

14. The bioenvironmental simulation device according to claim 13 , wherein the appropriate pressure condition comprises information on a relationship between a blood pressure of a body and the pressure applied to the cells to be measured under a condition in which the cells to be measured exist in the body; and
the controller calculates a value of an actual pressure which is the pressure applied to the cells to be measured under a condition in which the cells to be measured exist in the body having a blood pressure as much as a preset blood pressure value using the information in the appropriate pressure condition, and controls the motor so that a pressure as much as the calculated value of the actual pressure is applied to the cells to be measured.

15. The bioenvironmental simulation device according to claim 13 , wherein the appropriate shear force condition comprises information on a relationship between a blood flow rate of a body and the shear force applied to the cells to be measured under a condition in which the cells to be measured exist in the body; and
the controller calculates a value of an actual shear force which is a shear force applied to the cells to be measured, under a condition in which the cells to be measured exist in the body having a blood flow rate as much as a predetermined blood flow rate using the information in the appropriate shear force condition, and controls the culture liquid flow device so that a shear force as much as the calculated value of the actual shear force is applied to the cells to be measured.

16. The bioenvironmental simulation device according to claim 13 , wherein the controller calculates a speed of rotational motion of the mounting unit, which satisfies the appropriate pressure co

Assignees

• Seoul Nat Univ R&Db Foundation
• Seoul Nat Univ Hospital

Inventors

• Yang Seung Hee
• Kim Yon Su
• Kim Dong Ki
• Lee Sa Ram
• Kim Yong Chul
• Yu Mi Yeon
• Kim Ji Eun

Classifications

• C12M35/04 Primary

  Mechanical means, e.g. sonic waves, stretching forces, pressure or shear stimuli · CPC title

• C12M29/04

  Filters; Permeable or porous membranes or plates, e.g. dialysis · CPC title

• C12M41/40

  of pressure · CPC title

• C12M23/22

  Transparent or translucent parts (glassware for laboratory use B01L3/00) · CPC title

• C12M41/48

  Automatic or computerized control (automatic analysis G01N35/00) · CPC title