Abstract: A culture collecting and transporting apparatus comprising a closable container having a collected culture receiving depot therein, means in the container for supplying a culture medium to a culture placed on the depot, and chemical means in the container selectively activated after a culture is placed on the depot, said chemical means when activated supplying gaseous carbon dioxide, and a reducing agent system effective for reducing oxygen, at least in the container space surrounding the collected culture. The reducing agent system may comprise a reducing gas and a catalyst for inducing reaction of the oxygen with the reducing gas. The reducing gas may be hydrogen.