Method and Apparatus for Holding Cells

Abstract

The present invention pertains to an apparatus for holding cells. The apparatus comprises a mechanism for incubating cells having a dynamically controlled environment in which the cells are grown, which are maintained in a desired condition and in which cells can be examined while the environment is dynamically controlled and maintained in the desired condition. The apparatus also comprises a mechanism for determining the state of the cells. The determining mechanism is in communication with the incubating mechanism. The present invention pertains to a method for holding cells. The method comprises the steps of incubating the cells in a dynamically controlled environment which is maintained in a desired condition and in which the cells can be examined while the environment is dynamically controlled and maintained in the desired condition. Additionally, there is the step of determining the state of the cells.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for using imaging to determine the state of at least one cell located in at least one container having a plurality of cells in response to at least one stimulus comprising:
 a housing configured to store said container in an environment in which temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide levels are maintained;   said container adapted to enable at least one cell to be imaged while remaining in said container in the housing and maintained environment;   a camera for generating images of the cell over time while the cell remains in the container in the housing and maintained environment;   a computer programmed for analyzing said images for determining the state of the cell over time; and   a dispenser for periodically dispensing a stimulus to the cell.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the stimulus is at least one of a liquid, compound, reagent, enzyme or protein. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the dispenser dispenses said stimulus in coordination with the imaging of the cell by the camera while the cell remains in the container in the housing and maintained environment. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the dispensing by the dispenser is controlled by the computer. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  including a sensor which senses the environment in the housing. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the environment in the housing is a dynamically controlled closed environment. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the environment in the housing is a closed environment. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the housing is a biochamber. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  including a microscope aligned with the camera for the camera to generate the images of the cell through the microscope. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the dispenser includes a robotic arm which dispenses the material to the cell. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  including an assay for analyzing the cell in communication with the robotic arm. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the container includes a plate having at least one well in which the cell is disposed. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1  said computer controls the environment. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said air temperature, air humidity and carbon dioxide levels in the air are maintained. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus for using imaging to determine the state of at least one cell located in a container having a plurality of cells in response to at least one supplied material comprising:
 a housing configured to create an environment in which temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide levels are maintained and in which the cell can be imaged over time while remaining in the container in the housing and maintained environment;   a camera for generating images of the cell over time while the cell remains in the container in the housing and maintained environment;   a computer programmed for analyzing said images for determining the state of the cell over time while the cell remains in the container in the housing and maintained environment; and   a dispenser for periodically dispensing material to the cell while the cell remains in the container in the housing and maintained environment.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the stimulus is at least one of a liquid, compound, reagent, enzyme or protein. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the dispenser dispenses said stimulus in coordination with the imaging of the cell by the camera while the cell remains in the container in the housing and maintained environment. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the dispensing by the dispenser is controlled by the computer. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 15  including a sensor which senses the environment in the housing. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the environment in the housing is a dynamically controlled closed environment. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the environment in the housing is a closed environment. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the housing is a biochamber. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 15  including a microscope aligned with the camera for the camera to generate the images of the cell through the microscope. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the dispenser includes a robotic arm which dispenses the material to the cell. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 24  including an assay for analyzing the cell in communication with the robotic arm. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the container includes a plate having at least one well in which the cell is disposed. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 15  said computer controls the environment. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein said air temperature, air humidity and carbon dioxide levels in the air are maintained. 
     
     
         29 . An apparatus for using imaging to determine the state of at least one cell located in at least one container having a plurality of cells in response to at least one stimulus comprising:
 a housing configured to store said container in an environment in which temperature and carbon dioxide levels are maintained;   said container adapted to enable at least one cell to be imaged while remaining in said container in the housing and maintained environment;   a camera for generating images of the cell over time while the cell remains in the container in the housing and maintained environment;   a computer programmed for analyzing said images for determining the state of the cell over time; and   a dispenser for periodically dispensing a stimulus to the cell.   
     
     
         30 . An apparatus for using imaging to determine the state of at least one cell located in a container having a plurality of cells in response to at least one supplied material comprising:
 a housing configured to create an environment in which temperature and carbon dioxide levels are maintained and in which the cell can be imaged over time while remaining in the container in the housing and maintained environment;   a camera for generating images of the cell over time while the cell remains in the container in the housing and maintained environment;   a computer programmed for analyzing said images for determining the state of the cell over time while the cell remains in the container in the housing and maintained environment; and   a dispenser for periodically dispensing material to the cell while the cell remains in the container in the housing and maintained environment.   
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the computer has a program to cause the camera to take an image of the cell at predetermined times over time. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 31  wherein the program causes the camera to take an image of each cell of the plurality of cells at predetermined times over time, the computer analyzing said images of each cell for determining the state of each cell over time. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 32  wherein the computer has pattern recognition software that determines the state of the cell over time from the images of the cell. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the computer has a program to cause the camera to take an image of the cell at predetermined times over time. 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 34  wherein the program causes the camera to take an image of each cell of the plurality of cells at predetermined times over time, the computer analyzing said images of each cell for determining the state of each cell over time. 
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 35  wherein the computer has pattern recognition software that determines the state of the cell over time from the images of the cell. 
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 29  wherein the computer has a program to cause the camera to take an image of the cell at predetermined times over time. 
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 37  wherein the program causes the camera to take an image of each cell of the plurality of cells at predetermined times over time, the computer analyzing said images of each cell for determining the state of each cell over time. 
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 38  wherein the computer has pattern recognition software that determines the state of the cell over time from the images of the cell. 
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 30  wherein the computer has a program to cause the camera to take an image of the cell at predetermined times over time. 
     
     
         41 . The apparatus of  claim 40  wherein the program causes the camera to take an image of each cell of the plurality of cells at predetermined times over time, the computer analyzing said images of each cell for determining the state of each cell over time. 
     
     
         42 . The apparatus of  claim 41  wherein the computer has pattern recognition software that determines the state of the cell over time from the images of the cell.