24-04-2014 дата публикации
Номер: US20140113345A1
Принадлежит:
An apparatus that provides synchronized chronic electrical stimulation and chronic stretch to a cell culture or tissue. The apparatus includes a programmable controller which synchronizes stretch and electrical stimulation applied to a deformable culture container, such as a silicone rubber culture dish. The apparatus is used to treat cells and retard de-differentiation or promote differentiation and maturation in some applications. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises a plurality of deformable cell culture containers having cavities for receiving cells or tissue claim 1 , each cavity being provided with at least 2 electrodes disposed therein and each deformable container being coupled to means for providing chronic stretch to said cell culture containers and wherein the programmable controller has one or more electrical stimulation output(s) coupled to the electrodes disposed in each culture container adapted to provide chronic electrical stimulation in the form of electrical stimulation pulses suitable for stimulating cells and one or more stretch outputs coupled to the means for providing stretch to said containers and thus provides a stretch control signal thereto claim 1 , and wherein further the controller is adapted to synchronize the chronic electrical stimulation provided to the electrodes and the chronic stretch signals provided to the means for providing chronic stretch to the deformable cell culture containers.3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the means for providing chronic stretch to the plurality of cell culture containers comprises a fixed support and a movable support upon both of which the plurality of cell culture containers are mounted.4. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the electrodes of the cells are mounted on a removable printed circuit board attached to said fixed support.5. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the fixed support has a pair of contacts communicating with the ...
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