Abstract: There is a need for fabrication of a three-dimensional structure for forming a regenerated tissue/regenerated organ having a desired size, shape, or structure by adjusting culture conditions with high precision and without causing contamination or damage to cells. Provided are: a device for acquiring a fabrication condition of a three-dimensional structure to be fabricated on the basis of externally inputted information relating to the three-dimensional structure, generating a magnetic field in a culture container for cells on the basis of the acquired fabrication condition, supplying magnetized cells to the culture container in which the magnetic field is generated, and culturing the supplied cells; and a method using the device.

Abstract: A device which automatically performs a step in which expanded and cultured cells are diluted to a desired cell concentration and re-inoculated using a cell-concentration adjustment device having an inlet for taking in a cell suspension; an outlet for discharging a diluted cell suspension; and a flow path which is provided between the inlet and the outlet and is capable of holding a cell suspension, the flow path being provided with: a liquid delivery pump for causing a cell suspension inside to flow; a cell-concentration measurement instrument for collecting data related to a cell concentration per unit amount of the cell suspension; and a dilution-liquid container for holding a dilution liquid which is supplied to the flow path to dilute the cell suspension.

Abstract: Provided are a flow passage module which can achieve complete liquid substitution in a circulating flow passage with a simple structure, and a cell culture apparatus using said flow passage module. A flow passage module comprises: a flexible branching section which is provided with a first branching flow passage connected with an inflow passage for a fluid, a second branching flow passage connected with an outflow passage, a third branching flow passage connected with an entry-side end part of a circulating flow passage, and a fourth branching flow passage connected with an exit-side end part of the circulating flow passage, and which enables the branching flow passages to be communicated with each other; and a communication state switching part which has opening/closing members for closing and opening the desired branching flow passage from among the plurality of branching flow passages.

Abstract: A flow cell for electrochemical measurement which introduces a sample solution, applies a voltage between a working electrode and a counter electrode to analyze the sample solution electrochemically, discharges the sample solution, and performs the electrochemical measurement continuously. The flow cell includes a unit which measures a value of a current flowing between electrodes at the time of applying a voltage, a unit which records the measured current value, a unit which compares the recorded current value with a current value set separately as a determination standard, and a unit which determines whether the current value measured at a cycle of a determination target and the recorded current value is normal by the comparison.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a means for dispersing cell aggregates without damaging the cells, such that a sufficient multiplication rate can be obtained in a subculture. According to the present invention, provided is a cell-suspension processing device which disperses cell aggregates included in a cell suspension. The device is provided with: an inlet for taking in the cell suspension; an outlet for discharging the processed cell suspension; and a flow path which is provided between the inlet and the outlet, and which is capable of holding the cell suspension. The flow path has, provided thereto, a liquid delivery pump for causing the cell suspension inside to flow, a cell-dispersion-degree measurement instrument for measuring the dispersion degree of cells in the cell suspension, and a narrow part for imparting shearing force to the cell suspension flowing inside.

Abstract: The purpose of the invention is to provide a nucleic acid analyzer that sets and executes temperature regulation, said temperature regulation matching the characteristics of analyzing items and the configuration of the analyzer, by a simple operation while preventing deterioration in analytical performance caused by partial overheating of a liquid reaction mixture to thereby improve temperature change speed and shorten analysis time. To achieve the above purpose, provided is a method wherein, in the case of performing overshooting: as a first processing, the temperature is continuously elevated until reaching a target overshoot temperature; as a second processing, after reaching the aforesaid temperature, the overshoot target temperature is maintained for a preset period of time; and, as a third processing, the temperature is continuously lowered until reaching a target temperature of the liquid reaction mixture.

Abstract: A cytometric mechanism includes: a flow path through which a cell suspension is made to flow; a liquid drive unit for sending the cell suspension which is in the flow path; and a computation unit for irradiating, with irradiation light from a light source, a cell suspension flowing through a flow cell, and for finding a cell survival rate in the cell suspension on the basis of a resulting forward scattered light intensity and transmittance and/or side scattered light intensity. The invention is provided with a calibration curve database for storing, in advance, respective calibration curves indicative of a relationship between viable cell concentration and forward scattered light intensity, a relationship between dead cell concentration and the transmittance, and a relationship between a cell survival rate and the side scattered light intensity.

Abstract: The present invention addresses the problem of providing: a cell dispersion measurement mechanism whereby it becomes possible to fully disperse cells regardless of the experiences of operators skilled in cell culture and it also becomes possible to determine the number or concentration of cells accurately; a cell culture apparatus equipped with the cell dispersion measurement mechanism; and a cell dispersion measurement method. The problem can be solved by circulating a cell suspension in a flow path to disperse cell masses contained in the cell suspension, and then determining over time the number or concentration of cells and/or the degree of dispersion of cells in the cell suspension that is flowing in the circulation flow path.

Abstract: A device which automatically performs a step in which expanded and cultured cells are diluted to a desired cell concentration and re-inoculated using a cell-concentration adjustment device having an inlet for taking in a cell suspension; an outlet for discharging a diluted cell suspension; and a flow path which is provided between the inlet and the outlet and is capable of holding a cell suspension, the flow path being provided with: a liquid delivery pump for causing a cell suspension inside to flow; a cell-concentration measurement instrument for collecting data related to a cell concentration per unit amount of the cell suspension; and a dilution-liquid container for holding a dilution liquid which is supplied to the flow path to dilute the cell suspension.

Abstract: When a sample of biological origin in an aqueous solution is used as the measurement medium in analysis using an electrochemical process, and a voltage of +1.2 V or greater (with saturated silver-silver chloride electrode potential as a reference) is applied, there are instances in which bubbles are observed to be produced within the flow cell, due to an electrolysis reaction deriving from the measurement buffer. There is a possibility that bubbles produced on the electrode will cover the electrode surface, reducing the effective surface area of the electrode. Also, the distribution of magnetic particles captured on the electrode will be disturbed by the gas produced thereby, lowering the reproducibility of the results of the analysis. Deaeration of the measurement medium prior to introduction of the measurement medium into the detector minimizes the effects of bubble production in degrading the analytical capability makes it possible to carry out highly sensitive electrochemical analysis.

Abstract: A flow cell for electrochemical measurement which introduces a sample solution, applies a voltage between a working electrode and a counter electrode to analyze the sample solution electrochemically, discharges the sample solution, and performs the electrochemical measurement continuously. The flow cell includes a unit which measures a value of a current flowing between electrodes at the time of applying a voltage, a unit which records the measured current value, a unit which compares the recorded current value with a current value set separately as a determination standard, and a unit which determines whether the current value measured at a cycle of a determination target and the recorded current value is normal by the comparison.

Abstract: An instrument and a method for conveniently collecting nucleic acids from a biological nucleic acid-containing sample are provided. A nucleic acid-capturing tip having silica-containing solid phases enclosed therein in such a state as being capable of coming into contact with a liquid, wherein the solid phases have a water-flowing regions and the average interval among solid phases in the water-flowing regions is regulated to 25 ?m or less.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a technique for efficient isolation of long nucleic acids and short nucleic acids from a sample containing long nucleic acids and short nucleic acids via safe and convenient operations. Specifically, long nucleic acids and short nucleic acids are isolated from a sample containing nucleic acids by mixing a chaotropic agent with the sample containing nucleic acids, allowing the mixed solution to pass at least twice through a first solid phase containing silica that has passage pores having predetermined pore sizes, allowing the mixed solution to pass at least twice through a second solid phase containing silica that has passage pores having pore sizes smaller than those of the first solid phase containing silica, and separately recovering nucleic acids that have bound to the first solid phase containing silica and those that have bound to the second solid phases containing silica.

Abstract: According to this invention, a nucleic acid purification instrument whereby it is possible to prevent dispersion of a mist thai causes contamination upon discharge of a solution is realized. A pressurizing nozzle is allowed to come into contact with a nucleic acid capturing column such that the sealing member is compressed. An aspiration fan is operated and thus the air in a closed channel flows toward the bottom part of a liquid receiving tank and then toward the aspiration fan as a result of a partition board. The inside of the nucleic acid capturing column is pressurized using tho pressurizing nozzle such that a solution in the nucleic acid capturing column is discharged and gravity-fed to the lower part of a liquid receiving tank.

Abstract: An instrument and a method for conveniently collecting nucleic acids from a biological nucleic acid-containing sample are provided. A nucleic acid-capturing tip having silica-containing solid phases enclosed therein in such a state as being capable of coming into contact with a liquid, wherein the solid phases have a water-flowing regions and the average interval among solid phases in the water-flowing regions is regulated to 25 ?m or less.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to prevent condensation occurring when reaction solutions in sealed vessels are heated in a nucleic acid analyzer for performing sequential processing in which individual reaction vessels are sequentially fed to a nucleic acid amplification unit in a given cycle. This invention relates to a nucleic acid analyzer including a vessel mounting rack capable of holding the plurality of reaction vessels, wherein the reaction vessel mounted on the vessel mounting rack is heated by an adjacent noncontact heat source and air circulation from the heat source to a reaction vessel upper portion, and a temperature of the reaction vessel upper portion is kept higher than a temperature of a reaction vessel lower portion. With this invention, condensation possibly occurring on the inner wall of the sealed vessel upper portion due to heating during nucleic acid amplification can be prevented, and more accurate nucleic acid analysis is enabled.

Abstract: According to the present invention, purified nucleic acids are isolated without the complete removal of components of a washing reagent. Also, nucleic acids are isolated in an elution reagent by allowing a washing reagent comprising at least one component constituting a reaction solution that can be applied to a reaction involving nucleic acids to come into contact with a nucleic-acid-adsorbing solid phase so as to wash the solid phase, separating the washing reagent from the solid phase in a manner such that a certain amount of the washing reagent is allowed to remain in the solid phase, and allowing an elution reagent to come into contact with the nucleic-acid-adsorbing solid phase.

Abstract: A method to extract RNA with high purity from biological materials containing RNA in a safe, rapid, and simple procedure and a method to analyze it are provided. The procedure includes the steps of mixing a biological material containing RNA with a predetermined concentration of a chaotropic agent and a predetermined concentration of an organic solvent, allowing the mixed solution to contact a nucleic acid-binding solid phase, washing the nucleic-acid binding solid-phase to which RNA is bound, and eluting RNA from the nucleic-acid binding solid-phase having the bound RNA. Furthermore, the obtained RNA is analyzed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) or the like.

Abstract: According to this invention, an instrument and a method for nucleic acid isolation is realized, whereby it is possible to prevent, for example, adherence of a discharged solution upon dispersion of such solution to the vicinity of a nucleic acid isolation column outlet. A light source unit and a light-receiving unit that receives totally reflected light of the photosensor 41 for detecting the fluid level are placed on a site on the side surface of the nucleic acid isolation column 35, where the photosensor can detect the fluid level corresponding to a remaining liquid volume of approximately 10 ul.

Abstract: According to this invention, a nucleic acid purification instrument whereby it is possible to prevent dispersion of a mist that causes contamination upon discharge of a solution is realized. A pressurizing nozzle 12 is allowed to come into contact with a nucleic acid capturing column 35 so as to closely adhere to the sealing member 36 in a manner such that the sealing member 36 is compressed. Then, an aspiration fan 52 is operated and thus the air in a closed channel (surrounded by a nucleic acid capturing column retention block 37 and a liquid receiving tank 54) flows toward the bottom part of a liquid receiving tank 54 and then flows toward the aspiration fan 52 as a result of installation of a partition board 55. The inside of the nucleic acid capturing column 35 is pressurized using the pressurizing nozzle 12 such that a solution in the nucleic acid capturing column 35 is discharged The discharged solution is gravity-fed to the lower part of a liquid receiving tank 54.