Granted Patent B2

US 12,618,037 · App. 17/645,675 · Granted May 5, 2026

Inventors: Koji Tanabe (Palo Alto, CA); Ryoji Hiraide (Kyoto, JP); Kenta Suto (Palo Alto, CA); Kazunori Ban (Yamanashi, JP); Satoshi Kinoshita (Yamanashi, JP)

Assignees: I Peace, Inc.; FANUC CORPORATION

C12M29/26C12M23/44C12N5/0662C12N5/0696C12N15/86C12N2506/11C12N2760/18841

Abstract

Claims (23)

1 . A method for culturing a cell, comprising:

preparing a housing in which a culture chamber is provided and a semipermeable membrane disposed in the culture chamber, the culture chamber being divided by the semipermeable membrane, wherein a first hole, a second hole, a third hole, and a fourth hole that each connect the outside of the housing and the culture chamber are provided in the housing, wherein the first hole and the second hole communicate with one side of the culture chamber divided by the semipermeable membrane, and wherein the third hole and the fourth hole communicate with the other side of the culture chamber divided by the semipermeable membrane;

contracting a first variable volume container containing a cell therein, which is connected to the first hole through a connection flow path connecting the first hole and the first variable volume container, expanding a first expandable variable volume container which is connected to the second hole through a connection flow path connecting the second hole and the first expandable variable volume container, and moving the cell into the one side of the culture chamber of the housing;

contracting a second variable volume container containing a fluid, which is connected to the third hole through a connection flow path connecting the third hole and the second variable volume container, expanding a second expandable variable volume container which is connected to the fourth hole through a connection flow path connecting the fourth hole and the second expandable variable volume container, and moving the fluid containing no cells into the other of the culture chamber of the housing;

blocking the connection flow path connecting the first hole and the first variable volume container, thereafter, removing the first variable volume container from the connection flow path;

blocking the connection flow path connecting the second hole and the first expandable variable volume container, thereafter, removing the first expandable variable volume container from the connection flow path;

blocking the connection flow path connecting the third hole and the second variable volume container, thereafter, removing the second variable volume container from the connection flow path;

blocking the connection flow path connecting the fourth hole and the second expandable variable volume container, thereafter, removing the second expandable variable volume container from the connection flow path; and

placing the housing in a temperature control chamber and culturing the cell in the one side of the culture chamber of the housing.

2 . A method for reprogramming a cell, comprising:

preparing a housing in which a culture chamber is provided and a semipermeable membrane disposed in the culture chamber, the culture chamber being divided by the semipermeable membrane, wherein a first hole, a second hole, a third hole and a fourth hole that each connect the outside of the housing and the culture chamber are provided in the housing, wherein the first hole and the second hole communicate with one side of the culture chamber divided by the semipermeable membrane, and wherein the third hole and the fourth hole communicate with the other side of the culture chamber divided by the semipermeable membrane;

culturing a cell in the one side of the culture chamber of the housing;

contracting a variable volume container containing a reprogramming factor therein, which is connected to the first hole through a connection flow path connecting the first hole and the variable volume container, expanding an expandable variable volume container which is connected to the second hole through a connection flow path connecting the second hole and the expandable variable volume container, and moving the reprogramming factor into the one side of the culture chamber of the housing;

blocking the connection flow path connecting the first hole and the variable volume container, thereafter, removing the variable volume container from the connection flow path;

blocking the connection flow path connecting the second hole and the expandable variable volume container, thereafter, removing the expandable variable volume container from the connection flow path; and

placing the housing in a temperature control chamber and reprogramming the cell in the one side of the culture chamber of the housing.

3 . A method for differentiating a cell, comprising:

preparing a housing in which a culture chamber is provided and a semipermeable membrane disposed in the culture chamber, the culture chamber being divided by the semipermeable membrane, wherein a first hole, a second hole, a third hole and a fourth hole that each connect the outside of the housing and the culture chamber are provided in the housing, wherein the first hole and the second hole communicate with one side of the culture chamber divided by the semipermeable membrane, and wherein the third hole and the fourth hole communicate with the other side of the culture chamber divided by the semipermeable membrane;

culturing a cell in the one side of the culture chamber of the housing;

contracting a variable volume container containing a differentiating factor therein, which is connected to the first hole through a connection flow path connecting the first hole and the variable volume container, expanding an expandable variable volume container which is connected to the second hole through a connection flow path connecting the second hole and the expandable variable volume, and moving the differentiating factor into the one side of the culture chamber of the housing;

blocking the connection flow path connecting the first hole and the variable volume container, thereafter, removing the variable volume container from the connection flow path;

blocking the connection flow path connecting the second hole and the expandable variable volume container, thereafter, removing the expandable variable volume container from the connection flow path; and

placing the housing in a temperature control chamber and differentiating the cell in the one side of the culture chamber of the housing.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (16)