Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a valve mechanism which features a simple structure adapted to collectively control the supply of gas or culture medium to a plurality of cultivation containers for simultaneous cultivation and to enhance the reliability of the valve mechanism. The valve mechanism of the invention is a valve mechanism for opening and closing passages for liquid or gas. The valve mechanism includes: clip members adapted to close a plurality of tube passages, respectively; a multiple cam member for opening the clip members in sequence by making contact with the clip members; and a rotational mechanism for rotating the multiple cam member. The clip member includes: a spring for closing a clip thereof; and a clip contact portion for a cam contact portion of the multiple cam member to make contact therewith.

Abstract: The liquid feeder includes a liquid feeding pipe having a liquid introduce port and a liquid discharge port, a housing container which holds liquid to be introduced from the liquid introduce port, a liquid feed mechanism which feeds the liquid in the liquid feeding pipe to the liquid discharge port, a gas introduce unit which introduces gas into the liquid feeding pipe, and a liquid level detection unit which detects an advancing liquid level of the liquid to be fed in the liquid feeding pipe. The gas introduce unit is connected to a branch part provided in the liquid feeding pipe on the upstream side of the liquid feed mechanism. The liquid level detection unit is provided on the downstream side of the branch part.

Abstract: An automatic culture device which employs closed-system culture vessels and in which, when a passage part (2) and a rotational valve mechanism (3) are configured, the multiple culture vessels in a culture vessel part (1) can be rendered equal in liquid-feeding conditions by, for example, regulating the length of each passage. As a result, the evenness in quality of cells incubated in the multiple culture vessels is rendered possible. Furthermore, by providing a mechanism which enables a user to normally set passages in the device, the evenness in quality of the cells is rendered possible likewise.

Abstract: Provided is a cell culturing vessel for holding and culturing cells. It has a first vessel that stores a culture medium and cells or only a culture medium, a second vessel that is placed above the first vessel and stores a culture medium and cells or only a culture medium, a main vessel that holds the first vessel and houses the second vessel, and a lid member that engages with the main vessel. The main vessel has a pressing member that fixes and holds the first vessel in the main vessel and the second vessel is eccentrically held in the first vessel by the pressing member.

Abstract: The present invention provides a carrier device including a culture vessel and a flow channel, which have a closed structure, for supplying cell liquid or a culture medium into the flow channel; and a method of aseptically injecting liquid, such as the cell or the culture medium, into the culture vessel and the flow channel. The present invention provides a carrier jig 19 including a drive base 27, a culture vessel base 21 that holds a culture vessel 20, a culture medium base 32 that holds a cell bag 60 and the like for the culture medium and the cell, and a detachable flow channel 40, those of which are held by a lift 98 to be carried to a cell culture device. A part of the flow channel 40 and the cell bag 60 mounted on the carrier jig 19 are put into a clean space 78. The cell and the culture medium are supplied into the flow channel 40 by using the cell bag 60 and other bags in the clean space, and then, an injection port 89 is closed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a cell culture vessel of the present invention, which is composed of a space enclosed by a housing that supports a medium and a cell attachment part, disposed on the bottom surface of the space, that attaches and supports the cells, the cell attachment part having a cell immobilizing mechanism that guides the cells in the space to the cell attachment part to immobilize there and a cell detachment mechanism that detaches the cells attached in the cell attachment part, the cell immobilizing mechanism having a step of applying a voltage to an electrode disposed in the cell attachment part to generate a heterogeneous electric field in the space, and the cell detachment mechanism having a step of applying a voltage to an electrode disposed in the cell attachment part to induce electrolyte in the space.

Abstract: Provided is an automated culture apparatus in which the exchange of a culture medium or the exchange of a gas in a culture vessel that is taken from the device is not needed. The device is equipped with multiple culture vessels (500 to 530), flow channels respectively connected to the multiple culture vessels, a vessel selection unit (300) for controlling a liquid or a gas that is to be sent to the culture vessels through the flow channels, and a control unit (400) for controlling the vessel selection unit, wherein the control unit (400) detects the disconnection of some of the flow channels which correspond to some of the culture vessels among the multiple culture vessels and alters the manner of the control of the sending of the liquid or the gas.

Abstract: The liquid feeder includes a liquid feeding pipe having a liquid introduce port and a liquid discharge port, a housing container which holds liquid to be introduced from the liquid introduce port, a liquid feed mechanism which feeds the liquid in the liquid feeding pipe to the liquid discharge port, a gas introduce unit which introduces gas into the liquid feeding pipe, and a liquid level detection unit which detects an advancing liquid level of the liquid to be fed in the liquid feeding pipe. The gas introduce unit is connected to a branch part provided in the liquid feeding pipe on the upstream side of the liquid feed mechanism. The liquid level detection unit is provided on the downstream side of the branch part.

Abstract: An automatic culture device which employs closed-system culture vessels and in which, when a passage part (2) and a rotational valve mechanism (3) are configured, the multiple culture vessels in a culture vessel part (1) can be rendered equal in liquid-feeding conditions by, for example, regulating the length of each passage. As a result, the evenness in quality of cells incubated in the multiple culture vessels is rendered possible. Furthermore, by providing a mechanism which enables a user to normally set passages in the device, the evenness in quality of the cells is rendered possible likewise.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a valve mechanism which features a simple structure adapted to collectively control the supply of gas or culture medium to a plurality of cultivation containers for simultaneous cultivation and to enhance the reliability of the valve mechanism. The valve mechanism of the invention is a valve mechanism for opening and closing passages for liquid or gas. The valve mechanism includes: clip members adapted to close a plurality of tube passages, respectively; a multiple cam member for opening the clip members in sequence by making contact with the clip members; and a rotational mechanism for rotating the multiple cam member. The clip member includes: a spring for closing a clip thereof; and a clip contact portion for a cam contact portion of the multiple cam member to make contact therewith.

Abstract: The present invention provides a biological sample packaging container including: a sample storage container having a recessed part; a lid member that seals the upper surface of the sample storage container; and at least one gasket that is provided on the rear surface of the lid member or on the upper surface of the sample storage container, wherein: the sample storage container has a function of holding a biological sample therein; the lid member includes a first lid member provided with flow channel tubes that allow liquid and gas to be moved between the sample storage container and the outside, and a second lid member having no flow channel tubes; and the sample storage container is configured in such a manner that the first lid member and the second lid member can be replaced by each other.

Abstract: Provided is a cell culturing vessel for holding and culturing cells. It has a first vessel that stores a culture medium and cells or only a culture medium, a second vessel that is placed above the first vessel and stores a culture medium and cells or only a culture medium, a main vessel that holds the first vessel and houses the second vessel, and a lid member that engages with the main vessel. The main vessel has a pressing member that fixes and holds the first vessel in the main vessel and the second vessel is eccentrically held in the first vessel by the pressing member.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to decrease cell culturing vessel running cost and reduce the amount of industrial waste. A cell culturing vessel provided with a container frame and a bottom face support wherein: the cell culturing space is formed by the frame and the bottom face support; the frame is provided with a securing means for securing the bottom face support so as to be attachable and detachable; and an exchangeable culturing surface is provided on the bottom face support.

Abstract: In a closed system culture vessel to be used in an automated culture apparatus, some of the ports perform both liquid supply and gas supply functions. Culture medium is thereby made to flow always in one direction. The culture vessel is also configured so that, in the complete culture medium exchange process and the effluent recovery process for analyzing culture medium components, waste liquid medium does not get mixed into fresh culture medium.

Abstract: A cell culture apparatus has four sections, including a cell culture chamber, refrigerator, control unit, and intermediate chamber. The cell culture chamber includes a culture vessel base as a holding member for holding and installing a culture vessel, a microscope for photographing a cell image within the culture vessel, and a drive base which has drive mechanisms such as a pump and a valve to be connected to a flow channel having a closed structure including a tank. With the drive base within the cell culture chamber as the center, the rotatable culture vessel is arranged in the horizontal direction and the refrigerator in which the culture medium base containing the cell fluid and culture medium is installed is arranged in the vertical direction. The arrangement configuration is space-saving and provides a short distance between the instruments.

Abstract: Provided is a cell culture container that makes it possible to subculture cells without a dispensing operation using a pipette and also to prevent microbial contamination in the culture container during cell subculture. The cell culture container is provided, within a culture container (1) forming a sealable first culture zone, with a partition member (4) having a wall surface formed lower than the wall surface of the culture container and forming a second culture zone; and has means for raising and lowering the partition member while the culture container is in a sealed state. Magnets (4A, 5A, 6A) are used as the means for raising and lowering the partition member.

Abstract: Disclosed is a cell culture vessel of the present invention, which is composed of a space enclosed by a housing that supports a medium and a cell attachment part, disposed on the bottom surface of the space, that attaches and supports the cells, the cell attachment part having a cell immobilizing mechanism that guides the cells in the space to the cell attachment part to immobilize there and a cell detachment mechanism that detaches the cells attached in the cell attachment part, the cell immobilizing mechanism having a step of applying a voltage to an electrode disposed in the cell attachment part to generate a heterogeneous electric field in the space, and the cell detachment mechanism having a step of applying a voltage to an electrode disposed in the cell attachment part to induce electrolyte in the space.

Abstract: Provided is a cell culture device having a culture area for culturing the stem or progenitor cells, from which tissues are formed. The cell culture device includes an oxygen adjusting part that adjusts the oxygen supply in the culture area, a controller that controls the oxygen adjusting part, and another controller that controls a first oxygen supply during a first period of the period, in which the stem cells and the progenitor cells differentiate; and a second oxygen supply greater in amount than the first supply during a second period, during which the stem cells and the progenitor cells differentiate, out of the whole culture period, and that controls the oxygen adjusting part based on the growth progress of the stem cells and the progenitor cells through self-replication to change the first oxygen supply to the second oxygen supply.

Abstract: The present invention provides a carrier device including a culture vessel and a flow channel, which have a closed structure, for supplying cell liquid or a culture medium into the flow channel; and a method of aseptically injecting liquid, such as the cell or the culture medium, into the culture vessel and the flow channel. The present invention provides a carrier jig 19 including a drive base 27, a culture vessel base 21 that holds a culture vessel 20, a culture medium base 32 that holds a cell bag 60 and the like for the culture medium and the cell, and a detachable flow channel 40, those of which are held by a lift 98 to be carried to a cell culture device. A part of the flow channel 40 and the cell bag 60 mounted on the carrier jig 19 are put into a clean space 78. The cell and the culture medium are supplied into the flow channel 40 by using the cell bag 60 and other bags in the clean space, and then, an injection port 89 is closed.

Abstract: Provided is a cell cultivation container equipped with electrodes, which enables automatic culturing, observation of automatically cultured cells, and measurement of electrical resistances. A circular electrode (10) is arranged on a base section or a side surface of a frame body (2) of a cell cultivation container, in such a manner that allows observation of cells. Additionally, a rod-shaped electrode (11) is arranged on a lid section (3) of the cell cultivation container, in such a manner that allows observation of cells. In an alternative configuration, the cell cultivation container has a flow channel (8) made of an electrically conductive material. An alternating current generator (13) is connected between the electrode (10) and the electrode (11), and the transepithelial electrical resistances of cells are measured during culturing. This configuration enables automatic culturing, observation of automatically cultured cells, and measurement of electrical resistances.