Cell- and tissue culture device

1. A device for organotypic culture, said device comprising:

first and second medium conduits, each having one open end and one end closed by a porous membrane fused across it; and

a frame holding at least the first medium conduit in a substantially vertical orientation

wherein each of the first and second medium conduits is adapted to permit retention by capillarity of a sufficient volume of liquid culture medium in the medium conduit to contact the surface of the porous membrane and thus supply nutrients to cells that may be grown on the porous membrane when the device is in either the upright or the inverted position,

wherein the device further comprises

a cell suspension conduit having one end open and one end closed by the surface of said porous membrane contralateral to the surface of said porous membrane sealed at least to said first medium conduit;

wherein said frame holds at least the first medium conduit and the cell suspension conduit in a substantially vertical orientation

wherein the device further comprises a chamber enclosing the open end of at least the first medium conduit; wherein the chamber comprises an opening to allow culture medium to be supplied independently to the first and second medium conduits.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein at least the first medium conduit is a cylinder.

3. A device according to claim 1 wherein the cell suspension conduit is a cylinder.

4. A device according to claim 1 , wherein at least the first medium conduit is a cylinder having a radius of 0.5 cm or less.

5. A device according to claim 1 wherein the porous membrane is fused across one end of at least the first medium conduit by gluing, by heat-sealing or by ultra-sonic sealing.

6. A device according to claim 1 wherein the cell suspension conduit is sealed to the porous membrane by an edge pressed against the said porous membrane by a gravitational field.

7. A device according to claim 1 wherein the cell suspension conduit is sealed to the porous membrane by a neoprene seal.

8. A device according to claim 1 wherein the cell suspension conduit is sealed to the porous membrane by a silicone seal.

9. A device according to claim 1 wherein the cell suspension conduit can be removed from the device prior to cell culture.

10. A device according to claim 1 wherein the cell suspension conduit is sealed to the porous membrane by gluing, by heat-sealing or by ultra-sonic sealing.

11. A device according to claim 1 wherein the cell suspension conduit is composed of silicone.

12. A device according to claim 1 wherein the internal cross-sectional area of the cell suspension conduit is smaller than the internal cross-sectional area of at least the first medium conduit.

13. A device according to claim 1 wherein the porous membrane is optically transparent.

14. A device according to claim 13 wherein the porous membrane is composed of hydrophilic polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

15. A device according to claim 1 wherein the frame holds at least the first medium conduit in a substantially vertical orientation such that neither the end of the conduit closed by the membrane nor the open end of the conduit is in contact with any surface.

16. A device according to claim 1 wherein the frame holds at least the cell suspension conduit in a substantially vertical orientation such that the end of the cell suspension conduit in contact with the membrane is supported in a gravitational field by the said frame preventing damage to the said membrane.

17. A device according to claim 1 comprising a lid that covers the surface of the porous membrane contralateral to the liquid culture medium.

18. A device according to claim 1 , wherein said device is for high-throughput organotypic culture and comprises multiple openings and cell suspension conduits.

19. A device for organotypic culture, said device comprising:

a medium conduit having one open end and one end closed by a porous membrane fused across it; and

a frame holding the medium conduit in a substantially vertical orientation wherein the medium conduit is adapted to permit retention by capillarity of a sufficient volume of liquid culture medium in the medium conduit to contact the surface of the porous membrane and thus supply nutrients to cells that may be grown on the porous membrane;

wherein said medium conduit comprises an obstruction to increase resistance to the force of gravity acting to remove the medium from the conduit.

20. A device for organotypic culture, said device comprising:

a medium conduit having one open end and one end closed by a porous membrane fused across it; and

a frame holding the medium conduit in a substantially vertical orientation wherein the medium conduit is adapted to permit retention by capillarity of a sufficient volume of liquid culture medium in the medium conduit to contact the surface of the porous membrane and thus supply nutrients to cells that may be grown on the porous membrane when the device is in either the upright or inverted position,

wherein the device further comprises a cell suspension conduit having one end open and one end closed by the surface of said porous membrane contralateral to the surface of said porous membrane sealed to said medium conduit;

wherein said frame holds the medium conduit and the cell suspension conduit in a substantially vertical orientation;

wherein the internal cross-sectional area of the cell suspension conduit is smaller than the internal cross-sectional area of the medium conduit.

21. A device according to claim 1 , wherein the device comprises more than two medium conduits.