Abstract: The invention relates to a cell culture carrier comprising a first channel and a reservoir, where the first channel and the reservoir are formed in the interior of the cell culture carrier, where the first channel has an inlet opening in an outer side of the cell culture carrier and an outlet opening in the outer side of the cell culture carrier, where the reservoir has at least two openings arranged next to one another, where the first channel is connected to the reservoir by the at least two openings, and where the reservoir is connected to the outer side of the cell culture carrier by no other channel.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sample carrier comprising a reservoir with a bottom, and two channels each having an opening into the reservoir, wherein the two openings are arranged above the bottom, wherein an underside of the sample carrier is formed flat, and wherein each of the two openings faces in a direction that is not parallel to the underside.

Abstract: The invention refers to a method for culturing cells in a substrate in which a chamber having at least one side wall, a bottom, and a top is formed, comprising introduction of cells into the chamber, tilting of the substrate such that the cells accumulate on a side wall of the chamber, and holding the substrate in the tilted orientation such that the cells form a three-dimensional cell aggregate.

Abstract: The invention refers to a method for culturing cells. The cells are cultured in a substrate, wherein in the substrate a fluid channel system is formed, comprising a culturing channel having a culturing access to the outside, a storage channel having a storage access to the outside, and a transfer channel having a transfer access to the outside, wherein the culturing channel and the storage channel are fluidically connected to each other via the transfer channel.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for checking the state of a pipette, which pipette includes a suction tube and a pipette tip. According to the invention, ultrasound is coupled into the wall of the suction tube and the damping of the ultrasonic signal is measured as a function of the frequency. The measured frequency-dependent damping is compared with at least one reference measurement or a calibration curve based on the reference measurements, in order to determine whether the pipette is in a functional condition and/or whether the pipette contains or has made contact with fluid. Furthermore, the invention relates to a pipetting method which uses the inventive method for checking the state, a suction tube arrangement for a pipetting device for pipetting fluid, and a pipetting device with which the inventive methods can be carried out.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for checking the state of a pipette, which comprises a suction tube and a pipette tip. According to the invention, ultrasound is coupled into the wall of the suction tube and the damping of the ultrasonic signal is measured as a function of the frequency. The measured frequency-dependent damping is compared with at least one reference measurement or a calibration curve based on the reference measurements, in order to determine whether the pipette is in a functional condition and/or whether the pipette contains or has made contact with fluid. Furthermore, the invention relates to a pipetting method, which uses the inventive method for checking the state, a suction tube arrangement for a pipetting device for pipetting fluid and a pipetting device, with which the inventive methods can be carried out.

Abstract: A method is provided for displacing small amounts of fluids in micro channels, in which an amount of fluid is introduced into a channel system which has at least one area which corresponds in a topological manner to a ring, such that a closed path of the fluid is possible, and acoustic waves, which have at least one asymmetrical component on the plane of the channel system, are radiated into the fluid, this component defining the direction of displacement of the fluid. A micro channel system for carrying out the method is also provided.