Systems and methods for cell culture device interconnection and fluidic device interconnection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020277558-A1
Application number	US-201916593646-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 4, 2019
Priority date	Jul 12, 2013
Publication date	Sep 3, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods interconnect cell culture devices and/or fluidic devices by transferring discrete volumes of fluid between devices. A liquid-handling system collects a volume of fluid from at least one source device and deposits the fluid into at least one destination device. In some embodiments, a liquid-handling robot actuates the movement and operation of a fluid collection device in an automated manner to transfer the fluid between the at least one source device and the at least one destination device. In some cases, the at least one source device and the at least one destination device are cell culture devices. The at least one source device and the at least one destination device may be microfluidic or non-microfluidic devices. In some cases, the cell culture devices may be microfluidic cell culture devices. In further cases, the microfluidic cell culture devices may include organ-chips.

First claim

1 . A system for facilitating biological communication between two or more cell culture devices comprising:
a. at least one fluid collection device configured to collect a first output fluid from a first source device, said first source device comprising a first microfluidic cell culture devices and to deposit said first output fluid into a destination device, said destination device comprising a second microfluidic cell culture devices; and b. a movement system configured to be coupled to the at least one fluid collection device and to move the at least one fluid collection device into a desired position relative to said first cell culture device or said second cell culture device, c. wherein, when the at least one fluid collection device positioned in the desired position relative to the first cell culture device, the collection device collects a first output fluid from the first cell culture device, and d. when the at least one fluid collection device is positioned in the desired position relative to the second cell culture device, the at least one fluid collection device deposits said first output fluid into the second cell culture device as an input fluid.

2 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the second cell culture device includes a chamber configured to hold said first fluid.

3 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein said first and second microfluidic cell culture devices comprise at least one fluid channel with at least one dimension that is less than or equal to approximately 3 mm.

4 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein said first and second microfluidic cell culture devices comprise organ-chip devices.

5 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the input fluid perfuses through second cell culture device.

6 . The system according to claim 5 , wherein the system comprises at least one perfusion mechanism configured to perfuse input fluid through said second cell culture device.

7 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the first cell culture device includes at least one output port, the at least one fluid collection device accessing the at least one output port to collect the first output fluid, and the second cell culture device includes at least one input port, the at least one fluid collection device accessing the at least one input port to deposit the first output fluid.

8 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one fluid collection device includes a tip that accesses the first cell culture devices or the second cell culture devices.

9 . The system according to claim 8 , further comprising a storage compartment, wherein the at least one fluid collection device stores the tip in the storage compartment after a first action and re-uses the tip for a second action.

10 . The system according to claim 7 , wherein the at least one output port includes a port structure, the port structure including a chamber for receiving the respective first fluid to be collected by the at least one fluid collection device.

11 . The system according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one selected first cell culture device includes a fluid channel coupled to the chamber and providing the respective first fluid to the chamber.

12 . The system according to claim 10 , wherein the port structure includes a pressure relief mechanism that relieves the positive pressure in the chamber generated by the fluid channel providing the respective first fluid to the chamber.

13 . The system according to claim 7 , wherein the at least one input port includes a port structure, the port structure including a chamber for receiving the first output fluid from the at least one fluid collection device.

14 . The system according to claim 13 , wherein the at least one selected second cell culture device includes a fluid channel coupled to the chamber and receiving the first output fluid from the chamber.

15 . The system according to claim 13 , wherein the port structure includes a pressure relief mechanism that relieves the negative pressure in the chamber generated by the fluid channel receiving the first output fluid from the chamber.

16 . The system according to claim 7 , wherein the at least one output port or the at least one input port includes a port structure, the port structure including a chamber for storing fluid that is to be collected by the at least one fluid collection device or that is received from the at least one fluid collection device, the chamber being covered to minimize contamination and fluid evaporation in the chamber.

17 . The system according to claim 16 , wherein the chamber is covered by a sealing septum that is configured to be pierced to gain access to the chamber.

18 . The system according to claim 16 , wherein the chamber is covered by a sealing septum with slits, the slits defining an opening to allow access to the chamber without requiring the sealing septum to be pierced.

19 . The system according to claim 16 , wherein the chamber is covered by an actuated movable cover.

20 - 30 . (canceled)

31 . A method for transferring fluid from a first organ-chip microfluidic device to a second organ-chip microfluidic, the method comprising:
a. providing first and second organ-chip microfluidic devices, each of said devices comprising a body having a central microchannel therein, and an at least partially porous membrane positioned within the central microchannel, the membrane supporting a plurality of living cells, said living cells of said first organ-chip microfluidic device comprising cells of a first organ type, said living cells of said second organ-chip microfluidic device comprising cells of a second organ type, wherein said first and second organ type are different; b. moving a fluid collection device to a first desired position relative to said first organ-chip microfluidic device; c. collecting a first fluid from the first organ-chip microfluidic device; d. moving the fluid collection device to a second desired position relative to said second organ-chip microfluidic device; and e. depositing said first fluid into the second organ-chip microfluidic device.

32 - 35 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Harvard College

Inventors

• Ingber Donald E
• Levner Daniel
• Thompson Ii Guy
• Fernandez-Alcon Jose
• Hinojosa Christopher David

Classifications

• C12M23/58 Primary

  Reaction vessels connected in series or in parallel (combinations of bioreactors with other apparatus, C12M43/00) · CPC title

• C12M37/04

  Seals · CPC title

• C12M23/38

  Caps; Covers; Plugs; Pouring means · CPC title

• B01L2200/027

  for microfluidic devices · CPC title

• B01L3/502715

  characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces · CPC title