Centrifugation chamber with gas permeable membrane layers for cell cultivation

Abstract

The invention is directed to a centrifuge chamber comprising a cylinder having a base plate and a cover plate, a rotational axis with at least one port for input and/or output of liquids, at least one port for input of gases and at least one layer for cell culturing, wherein the layer for cell culturing comprises a gas-permeable membrane on which cells can be cultured and wherein the at least one port for input and/or output of gases is connected to the gas-permeable membrane.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A centrifuge chamber having a rotational axis, an inner circumference and an outer wall, comprising:
 a base plate;   a cover plate;   at least one liquid port for liquids;   at least one gas port for gases; and   at least one layer for cell culturing, wherein each layer for cell culturing comprises a gas-permeable membrane on which cells are cultured, and wherein the base plate is coupled to a gas port and to at least one gas permeable membrane, so that the gas port is in gaseous communication with the at least one gas permeable membrane.   
     
     
         2 . The centrifuge chamber of  claim 1 , wherein each layer includes at least one opening coupled to at least one of an adjacent layer and at least one gas port. 
     
     
         3 . The centrifuge chamber of  claim 1 , wherein the gas permeable membrane is disposed on a support structure. 
     
     
         4 . The centrifuge chamber according to  claim 3 , wherein the gas-permeable membrane, the support structure and the base plate are provided with a plurality of spacer elements. 
     
     
         5 . The centrifuge chamber according to  claim 3 , wherein the support structure is provided with channels. 
     
     
         6 . The centrifuge chamber of  claim 1 , wherein the gas permeable membrane is disposed on the base plate. 
     
     
         7 . The centrifuge chamber according to  claim 6 , wherein the base plate is covered with the gas-permeable membrane, wherein the membrane is coupled to at least one gas port by at least one opening. 
     
     
         8 . The centrifuge chamber according to  claim 3 , wherein the gas-permeable membrane is coupled to at least one of the support structure and the base plate in a gas tight manner. 
     
     
         9 . The centrifuge chamber according to  claim 3 , wherein the gas-permeable membrane and the support structure have an optical transparency suitable for optical microscopy. 
     
     
         10 . The centrifuge chamber according to  claim 1 , wherein each layer is connected to at least one of an adjacent layer and at least one gas port by at least one opening. 
     
     
         11 . The centrifuge chamber according to  claim 1 , wherein a surface of the gas-permeable membrane is functionalized for cell culturing. 
     
     
         12 . The centrifuge chamber according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of layers for cell culturing is disposed on top of one another in a stack. 
     
     
         13 . The centrifuge chamber of  claim 12 , wherein a first and last layer of the stack comprise openings covered with sterile filters across a direction of gas flow. 
     
     
         14 . The centrifuge chamber according to  claim 12 , wherein each layer for cell culturing comprises at least one opening interconnecting the layers in the stack and wherein the openings of two adjacent layers are located opposite each other and on a line intersecting the rotational axis. 
     
     
         15 . The centrifuge chamber according to  claim 14 , wherein gas circulates through the stack in a serpentine fashion. 
     
     
         16 . The centrifuge chamber according to  claim 12 , wherein a first layer of the stack is connected to at least one gas port. 
     
     
         17 . The centrifuge chamber according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one layer for cell culturing has a diameter at least 5% smaller than a diameter of the outer wall of the chamber. 
     
     
         18 . The centrifuge chamber according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one liquid port is connected to an opening in at least one of the base plate and cover plate and the opening is provided with at least one deflector. 
     
     
         19 . The centrifuge chamber according to  claim 18 , wherein the at least one deflector has a width at its base of at most 1/10 of the inner circumference of the chamber. 
     
     
         20 . The centrifuge chamber according to  claim 18 , wherein the at least one deflector is substantially parallel with the outer wall of the chamber and has a width of 5 to 50 times the width of the opening at which it is located. 
     
     
         21 . The centrifuge chamber according to  claim 18 , wherein a first deflector is located between at least one opening and the rotational axis of the cylinder and a second deflector is located between at least one opening and the outer wall of the chamber.