Device for Physiological, Dynamic In-Vitro Cell Stretching

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This invention is a device designed for dynamic and physiological stretching of cells in vitro, using a mechanically controlled system. It features a cell culture dish with a flexible membrane base, onto which the cells are grown. The device uses a motor-driven linear actuator to precisely press the dish (and membrane) against a ram, stretching the membrane and the adherent cells in a programmable and repeatable manner. The stretching can be adjusted in amplitude, frequency, and duration via a computer program, providing a controlled environment to study the effects of mechanical tension on cells.

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• Biomedical research studying cell response to mechanical stress or deformation (e.g., tissue engineering, regenerative medicine).
• Modeling physiological conditions for cells found in tissues subject to mechanical forces, such as cartilage, tendons, muscles, skin, or lungs.
• Testing pharmaceuticals or biomaterials under conditions that mimic physiological mechanical loading.
• Examining gene expression, protein synthesis, or cellular behavior under dynamic tension.
• Training or calibrating in vitro systems for mechanobiology studies.

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• Enables highly reproducible and controlled application of mechanical stretching to cell cultures, simulating in vivo conditions more accurately.
• Provides programmable, automated, and dynamic adjustment of stretching force and cycle, facilitating complex experimental protocols.
• Supports a standard, cost-effective, and scalable solution compatible with commercially available cell culture plates (like BioFlex®).
• Reduces operational complexity, noise, and maintenance compared to traditional vacuum or hydraulic systems.
• Ensures uniform and linear strain distribution across the entire cell culture membrane, yielding more reliable biological results.
• Easy to clean, disinfect, and integrate into standard laboratory incubators due to its compact design and choice of inert materials.

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Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1) for physiological, dynamic in-vitro cell stretching, comprising a stretching unit (2a, 2b), which has at least one ram (3), and at least one cell cultivation dish (4), which has a removable cover (5) and a flexible membrane (6) as the bottom, on which cells can be grown, wherein the ram (3) presses against the membrane (6) so as to stretch it, the ram (3) and the membrane (6) are arranged so they can be moved relative to one another in a linear movement, and the membrane (6) is supported on the ram (3) in a substantially unstretched state, and the device comprises an electric motor-driven linear drive, by means of which mechanical pressure can be applied to the cover (5) of the cell cultivation dish (4) by way of a transfer means (8), so that the cell cultivation dish (4) with the membrane (6) thereof is pressed against the ram (3) and is stretched depending on the pressure.