Access holes for a multiwell filter plate for multiwell test apparatus

1. A multiwell filter plate which comprises,

a multiplicity of wells extending from a plate, each of said wells comprising (a) a hollow member having two openings and extending from said plate and (b) a permeable barrier secured about said opening extending from the plate,

a first access hole through said plate for passing liquid through said plate to effect contact of said liquid with all of said permeable barriers,

a set of second access holes extending through the plate, each second access hole being positioned adjacent each one of said multiplicity of wells.

2. The multiwell filter plate of claim 1 further comprising a third access hole for passing liquid through said plate to remove liquid from contact with all of said barriers.

3. The filter plate of claim 1 further comprising a shelf extending inwardly from a wall of the hollow member adjacent the porous membrane secured about said opening and wherein said shelf is formed by a recess in said wall.

4. A multiwell test apparatus comprising the multiwell filter plate of claim 1 and a feeding tray supporting said filter tray, said feeding tray having an inclined support surface having a drainage area from which liquid can be removed and an introduction area into which liquid can be supplied, said inclined support surface being inclined in a configuration to effect drainage of liquid from said introduction area to said drainage area, and walls surrounding said inclined surface to enclose said inclined surface.

5. The multiwell test apparatus of claim 4 wherein said inclined support surface comprises two support surface subsections each inclined from said walls to a drainage path connected to both of said support surface subsections.

6. The multiwell test apparatus of any one of claims 4 or 5 which includes a multiplicity of protrusions extending from said support surface in a direction substantially the same as a direction said walls extend from said support surface, said protrusions having a length which permits said walls to support said multiwell filter plate and to permit contact of said protrusions with each membrane of a well of said filter plate when said filter plate is removed from support by said feed tray.

7. The multiwell test apparatus of claim 6 wherein said protrusions are selected from the group consisting of posts, pyramids, rectangles, dimples and cones.

8. A multiwell filter plate which comprises a multiplicity of wells extending from a plate, each of said wells comprising (a) a hollow member having two openings and extending from said plate and (b) a permeable barrier secured about said opening extending from the plate;

a first access hole through said plate for passing liquid through said plate to effect contact of said liquid with all of said permeable barriers;

a feeding tray supporting said filter tray, said feeding tray having an inclined support surface having a drainage area from which liquid can be removed and an introduction area into which liquid can be supplied, said inclined support surface being inclined in a configuration to effect drainage of liquid from said introduction area to said drainage area, and walls surrounding said inclined surface to enclose said inclined surface and wherein said inclined support surface comprises two support surface subsections each inclined from said walls to a drainage path connected to both of said support surface subsections.

9. A device for effecting cell growth comprising a filter plate having a plurality of wells, a first access port paired with each well, each well having a lower opening to which is secured a membrane; a feeding tray comprising a flat bottom and four sides into which the wells of the filter plate extend and at least one second access hole in the filter plate for passing liquid through the filter plate into the feeding tray without the need to move the filter plate relative to the feeding tray.

10. A device for effecting cell growth comprising a filter plate having a plurality of wells, a first access port paired with each well, each well having a lower opening to which is secured a membrane, a recess formed in a sidewall of each well and extending to the lower opening and a shelf formed adjacent the lower opening and at a lower portion of the recess; a feeding tray comprising a flat bottom and four sides into which the wells of the filter plate extend and at least one second access hole in the filter plate for passing liquid through the filter plate into the feeding tray without the need to move the filter plate relative to the feeding tray.

11. A device for effecting cell growth comprising a filter plate having a plurality of wells, a first access port paired with each well, each well having a lower opening to which is secured a membrane and a plurality of legs extending from a surface of the filter plate at a distance longer than the length of said wells; a feeding tray comprising a flat bottom and four sides into which the wells of the filter plate extend and at least one second access hole in the filter plate for passing liquid through the filter plate into the feeding tray without the need to move the filter plate relative to the feeding tray.

12. A multiwell filter plate which comprises,

a multiplicity of wells extending from a plate, each of said wells comprising (a) a hollow member having two openings and extending from said plate and (b) a permeable barrier secured about said opening extending from the plate,

a first access hole through said plate for passing liquid through said plate to effect contact of said liquid with all of said permeable barriers,

a set of second access holes extending through the plate, each second access hole being positioned adjacent each one of said multiplicity of wells, and

a shelf extending inwardly from a wall of the hollow member adjacent the porous membrane secured about said opening, said shelf having a top concave surface.

13. The plate of claim 12 wherein said shelf is formed by a recess in said wall.

14. A multiwell filter plate which comprises,

a multiplicity of wells extending from a plate, each of said wells comprising (a) a hollow member having two openings and extending from said plate and (b) a permeable barrier secured about said opening extending from the plate,

a first access hole through said plate for passing liquid through said plate to effect contact of said liquid with all of said permeable barriers,

a set of second access holes extending through the plate, each second access hole being positioned adjacent each one of said multiplicity of wells, and

a third access hole through said plate for passing liquid through said plate to remove the liquid from contact with all of said barriers.