Methods for controlling the growth of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to methods for control of cell growth rates where cell growth is measured in situ. The methods are applicable to bacterial cells, mammalian cells, non-mammalian eukaryotic cells, plant cells, yeast cells, fungi, and archea.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A cell growth device comprising:
 a housing;   a motor;   a thermal control device;   a spectrophotometer;   a processor programmed to accept input from a user and to direct the thermal control device to adjust a temperature of a rotating growth vial to grow the cells;   an electrical connection configured to be electrically coupled to the thermal control device; and   a rotating growth vial comprising
 a vial; 
 a drive engagement mechanism configured to engage with the motor to spin the vial; and 
 a light path through the vial for a light beam generated by the spectrophotometer, wherein the spectrophotometer is configured to measure and deliver to the processor an optical density of cells in the vial; 
   wherein the processor accepts input, receives from the spectrophotometer the optical density of the cells in the vial.   
     
     
         2 . The cell growth device of  claim 1 , wherein a volume of the cell culture is from 5-85% of a volume of the rotating growth vial. 
     
     
         3 . The cell growth device of  claim 1 , wherein optical density is measured at a wavelength selected by a user. 
     
     
         4 . The cell growth device of  claim 1 , wherein the optical density is measured continuously. 
     
     
         5 . The cell growth device of  claim 1 , wherein the optical density is measured at intervals specified by the user or programmed into the processor. 
     
     
         6 . The cell growth device of  claim 1 , wherein the vial volume is 1-250 ml. 
     
     
         7 . The cell growth device of  claim 6 , wherein the vial volume is 2-100 ml. 
     
     
         8 . The cell growth device of  claim 7 , wherein the vial volume is 12-35 ml. 
     
     
         9 . The cell growth device of  claim 1 , wherein the vial is fabricated from polycarbonate or polypropylene. 
     
     
         10 . The cell growth device of  claim 8 , wherein the vial is fabricated by injection molding. 
     
     
         11 . The cell growth device  1  of  claim 1 , further comprising a second light path. 
     
     
         12 . The cell growth device of  claim 1 , wherein the rotating growth vial further comprises two or more paddles. 
     
     
         13 . The cell growth device of  claim 12 , wherein the rotating growth vial comprises 2-10 paddles. 
     
     
         14 . The cell growth device of  claim 13 , wherein the rotating growth vial comprises 2-6 paddles. 
     
     
         15 . The cell growth device of  claim 12 , wherein the paddles extend from an inner wall of the rotating growth vial toward the interior of the rotating growth vial. 
     
     
         16 . The cell growth device of  claim 12 , wherein the paddles extend from the center of the rotating growth vial toward an inner wall of the rotating growth vial. 
     
     
         17 . The cell growth device of  claim 15 , wherein the width of the paddles may range from 1/20 to just under ½ the diameter of the rotating growth vial. 
     
     
         18 . The cell growth device of  claim 15 , wherein the length of the paddles may range from ⅘ to ¼ the length of the main body of the rotating growth vial. 
     
     
         19 . A cell growth device comprising:
 a housing;   a motor;   a thermal control device;   a spectrophotometer;   a processor programmed to accept input from a user and to direct the thermal control device to adjust a temperature of a rotating growth vial to grow the cells;   an electrical connection configured to be electrically coupled to the thermal control device;   and   a disposable rotating cell growth vial comprising a vial; a barcode; a drive engagement mechanism connected to the motor and configured to spin the vial; and first and second light paths through the vial to measure the optical density of cells in the vial via the spectrophotometer;   wherein the processor accepts input from a user and receives from the spectrophotometer the optical density of the cells.   
     
     
         20 . The cell growth device of  claim 19 , wherein the processor notifies a user when a desired optical density is reached.