Cell dispensing device and cell dispensing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12384998-B2
Application number	US-202017620001-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 15, 2020
Priority date	Jun 20, 2019
Publication date	Aug 12, 2025
Grant date	Aug 12, 2025

Abstract

A cell dispensing device capable of efficiently dispensing cells while reducing the risk of mixing of bacteria or the like is provided. The cell dispensing device includes a first tube configured to connect a container and a dispensing container to each other, a syringe pump attached to a second tube connected to a branch portion formed in the first tube, and a buffer tank provided between the syringe pump and the branch portion. The cell suspension stored in the container is temporarily stored in the buffer tank and is delivered to the dispensing container by the syringe pump.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cell dispensing method for dispensing cells, while maintaining an aseptic state of a cell dispensing device, by using the cell dispensing device that includes a container configured to store a cell suspension, at least one dispensing container configured to store the cell suspension dispensed from the container, a connection path including a first connection tube configured to connect the container and the at least one dispensing container to each other and a second connection tube connected to a first branch portion formed in the first connection tube, a pump part installed to the second connection tube, a buffer part arranged between the first branch portion and the pump part, and a first degassing part configured to have one end connected to the second connection tube and another end opened to atmosphere, the method comprising:
a degassing step of sucking a gas inside the at least one dispensing container by the pump part to remove the gas inside the at least one dispensing container and discharging the gas inside the pump part to the atmosphere through the first degassing part;
a suction step of sucking the cell suspension from the container by the pump part and storing the cell suspension in the buffer part; and
a dispensing step of delivering a part or an entire of the cell suspension stored in the buffer part to the at least one dispensing container by the pump part.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first degassing part is installed to a second branch portion formed in the second connection tube at a position between the pump part and the buffer part, and
wherein the first degassing part includes a valve that is opened to discharge the gas inside the pump part to the atmosphere.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cell dispensing device further includes a second degassing part configured to have one end connected to the first connection tube and the other end is opened to the atmosphere, and
wherein, in the dispensing step, the gas remaining inside the first connection tube and the second connection tube is discharged to the atmosphere through the second degassing part by delivering the part or the entire of the cell suspension to the at least one dispensing container.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one dispensing container includes a plurality of dispensing containers, each of which is connected to the first connection tube,
wherein the cell dispensing device further includes a plurality of valves that are installed between the plurality of dispensing containers and the first branch portion, respectively, and
wherein the plurality of valves are opened to deliver the cell suspension stored in the buffer part to the plurality of dispensing containers, respectively.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of valves are sequentially opened one-by-one to deliver the cell suspension stored in the buffer part sequentially to the plurality of dispensing containers, respectively.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein, prior to the degassing step, a counting step of counting a number of living cells in the cell suspension, adjusting a density of the cell suspension according to counted number, and dispensing the cell suspension which is adjusted the density into the container.

Assignees

• Sinfonia Technology Co Ltd

Inventors

• Horii Daichi
• Uda Hiroyuki
• Maeda Hideki
• Takeuchi Haruki

Classifications

• C12M41/46

  of cellular or enzymatic activity or functionality, e.g. cell viability · CPC title

• C12M41/44

  of volume or liquid level · CPC title

• C12M37/02

  Filters · CPC title

• C12M29/20

  Degassing; Venting; Bubble traps (means for collection or storage of gas C12M23/36; gas collection apparatus for laboratory use B01L5/02) · CPC title

• C12M29/04

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