JP5878254B2 - Well plate and suction device provided with the well plate - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a well plate and a suction device including the well plate. More specifically, when the object held in the well is sucked by the suction nozzle, the well plate capable of efficiently collecting the object without stopping the flow of the liquid sucked at the same time and the well plate are provided. Relates to a suction device.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in various fields, plates having wells have been used to sort particles according to size and outer shape (hereinafter, these may be simply referred to as shapes). The user observes the particles in the wells of the plate, and selects and collects only particles having a predetermined shape. As the particles to be selected, tablets, capsules, granulated granules and the like are included in large ones, and cells derived from living bodies used in the fields of bio-related technology and medicine are included in small ones. For example, the user can reduce the deviation of the test conditions in various tests using the cells by selecting the cells and aligning the shapes. The sorted cells can be subjected to high-throughput screening (HTS) or the like.

  There are various methods for recovering the object held in the well. For example, in biochemical experiments and the like, a method of sucking and collecting an object using a push button type suction pipette having a suction tip and a suction nozzle at the tip is employed. When using a sample that is vulnerable to drying, such as cells, as an object, it is preferable to perform the operation in a liquid in order to prevent the object from drying. When the object is sucked in the liquid, the liquid around the well is simultaneously sucked to generate a water flow from the suction port into the suction path, thereby sucking the object in the well.

  However, in a state where the tip of the suction nozzle is inserted into the well, the inner wall or inner bottom of the well and the tip of the suction nozzle may be in close contact with each other, blocking the liquid flow path. In this case, since the liquid around the well cannot be sucked, there is a problem that the object held in the well cannot be sucked.

  In view of such a problem, Patent Document 1 discloses a container for performing quantitative suction and quantitative discharge without closing the suction port. In the inner bottom portion of the container of Patent Document 1, a void portion having a width smaller than the diameter of the tip portion of the suction port is formed. Patent Document 2 discloses a well having a groove formed on the outer periphery. In the well of Patent Document 2, a groove having a width that does not allow a minute specimen to enter is formed.

International Publication No. 97/5492 JP 2007-326072 A

  However, the container described in Patent Document 1 can be sucked if it is only a liquid, but when sucking particles or the like, depending on the diameter of the target, the target is placed in a gap such as a groove provided in the inner bottom. There is a problem that it cannot be sucked because it is inserted or caught. Since the well of Patent Document 2 has a groove formed on the outside, there is a problem that a part of the minute sample is caught in the groove and cannot be sucked due to clogging in the well. In particular, when the object has flexible properties such as cells, there is a problem that the object is deformed by excessive suction or the tissue is destroyed.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a conventional problem, and the object is not fitted into the well, and the object held in the well is sucked simultaneously with the suction nozzle. It is an object of the present invention to provide a well plate that can efficiently collect an object without stopping the flow of liquid and a suction device including the well plate.

  A well plate according to one aspect of the present invention is a well plate that holds an object sucked by a suction nozzle having a suction port, and has a flat shape having a top surface and a bottom surface, and the plate body A recess that is recessed from the upper surface toward the bottom surface, the well holding the object and storing a liquid, and the well includes an opening formed on the upper surface, and a bottom surface of the well And an inner wall that is a wall surface between the opening and the inner bottom part, and a tip part including the suction port of the suction nozzle is made to enter the well on the inner wall. In the contacted state, a rib is formed to form a gap for the liquid to circulate, and the rib is formed to extend upward from the inner bottom portion of the well toward the opening, one Has a slope portion, the slope portion, projecting length which protrude from the inner wall than in the vicinity of the opening, towards the vicinity of the inner bottom portion is formed longer.

  A well plate according to another aspect of the present invention is a well plate for holding an object sucked by a suction nozzle having a suction port, the plate main body having a flat shape having an upper surface and a bottom surface, and the plate A recess that is recessed from the top surface to the bottom surface of the main body, the well holding the object and storing a liquid, and the well includes an opening formed on the top surface, And an inner wall that is a wall surface between the opening and the inner bottom, and the inner wall narrows the opening area of the well from the opening toward the inner bottom. A convex portion that forms a gap through which the liquid flows in a state in which a tip portion including the suction port of the suction nozzle enters and contacts the well. It is provided.

  A well plate according to still another aspect of the present invention is a well plate for holding an object sucked by a suction nozzle having a suction port, the plate body having a flat shape having an upper surface and a bottom surface, A recess that is recessed from the top surface to the bottom surface of the plate body, the well holding the object and storing a liquid, the well having an opening formed on the top surface, and the well And an inner wall that is a wall surface between the opening and the inner bottom, and the inner wall narrows the opening area of the well from the opening toward the inner bottom. A taper portion that forms a gap through which the liquid flows in a state in which a tip portion including the suction port of the suction nozzle enters and contacts the well. The groove is provided.

  A suction device according to still another aspect of the present invention includes the well plate and a suction nozzle having a suction port for sucking the object held in the well.

  According to the present invention, it can be determined whether or not the object is held on the well plate. Further, the positions of the suction port of the suction nozzle and the opening of the well can be easily confirmed. Furthermore, since the user can confirm the shape of the object held in the well before the suction by the determination unit, the object that should not be sucked is held in the well due to a distorted shape or the like. Can be excluded from the suction target.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a well plate according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the wells of the well plate according to the first embodiment of this invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining a suction device including a well plate according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the object held by the well plate according to the first embodiment of the present invention is sucked. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a well plate according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a well plate according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

(First embodiment)
Hereinafter, the well plate 1 and the suction device 2 including the well plate 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a well plate 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 2 is an explanatory view for explaining the well 3 of the well plate 1 of the present embodiment. FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view of the well plate 1 of the present embodiment taken along the line XX ′ in FIG. 2 (b) is a plan view of the well 3 formed in the well plate 1 of the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a suction device 2 including the well plate 1 of the present embodiment. FIG. 4A is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the object 5 held on the well plate 1 of the present embodiment is sucked. FIG. 4B is a YY ′ cross-sectional view of FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the well plate 1 of this embodiment is used by being immersed in a liquid L and has a well 3. The well 3 holds the object 5 sucked by the suction nozzle 4 having the suction port 4a at the inner bottom portion 3a. A gap S is formed in the well 3 for the liquid L to circulate in a state where the tip portion 4b including the suction port 4a of the suction nozzle 4 enters and contacts the well 3 (see FIG. 4A). Ribs 8 (gap forming members) are provided. Hereinafter, each structure of the well plate 1 of this embodiment and the suction device 2 provided with the well plate 1 will be described.

<About the set M of objects>
The set M of objects is a liquid containing the object 5. The set M of objects is normally stored in a storage container 6 such as a beaker (see FIG. 3). The set M of the objects stored in the storage container 6 is added from above the well plate 1 immersed in the container 7 storing the liquid L.

  The method for adding the set M of objects is not particularly limited. For example, from the viewpoint of eliminating drying of the object 5 and physical impact, the user gently adds from a position close to the liquid level of the liquid L stored in the container 7 or uses a suction discharge device such as a suction pipette. It is preferable to use and add directly to the liquid L. The set M of the objects added to the liquid L settles gently while being dispersed in the liquid L according to gravity. Therefore, the physical impact with respect to the target object 5 is reduced.

  The type of the object 5 is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a mixture of particles having various shapes and particle diameters, a cell culture solution and a cell treatment solution containing cells and contaminants of various sizes. For example, when the set M of objects is a mixed slurry of particles having various shapes, the object 5 is particles included in the mixed slurry. Moreover, when the particle | grains of the shape which a user desires are contained in the said particle | grain, such a desired particle | grain corresponds to the target object 5. FIG. Similarly, the set M of objects is a cell culture solution or the like containing cells or contaminants of various sizes. When the cells are aspirated, the object 5 is included in the cell culture solution or the like. It is a cell. In addition, when the cell includes a cell having a shape desired by the user, such a desired cell corresponds to the object 5.

  The object 5 to be held using the well plate 1 of the present embodiment is preferably a living cell, more preferably a living cell aggregate.

  The well plate 1 of the present embodiment can hold cells derived from living bodies, which are objects having a large shape deviation, in the well 3. The object 5 held in the well 3 can be easily sucked and collected by a user with a suction / discharge device such as a suction pipette. The well plate 1 of the present embodiment can suck the surrounding liquid L from the gap S formed by providing a rib 8 described later when the object 5 held in the well 3 is collected. Therefore, the object 5 held in the well 3 is efficiently sucked from the suction port 4a along the flow of the sucked liquid L. As a result, the well plate 1 of the present embodiment can contribute to the efficiency of work in the fields of biotechnology and medicine.

  When the target object 5 is a living body cell aggregate (spheroid), a living body-like environment is reconstructed in consideration of the interaction between cells inside the cell aggregate. The test results obtained using the cell aggregates can be obtained in consideration of the functions of individual cells, rather than the test results obtained using one cell. Moreover, when using a cell aggregate, the user can arrange | equalize experimental conditions with the conditions according to the environment in the living body more. Therefore, if a cell aggregate is hold | maintained and collect | recovered using the well plate 1 of this embodiment, the user can prepare the sample which obtains a reliable result in the field of bio-related technology or a pharmaceutical.

  The size of the object 5 is not particularly limited. The entire object 5 may be sized to sink to the inner bottom 3a of the well 3 (see FIG. 4A), or may be sized so that a part of the object 5 is held in contact with the well 3. Good. Further, as will be described in detail later, as shown in FIG. 2B, the diameter (L2) of the opening of the well 3 is 700 to 2500 μm, and a pair of opposing each other at the inner bottom 3a of the well 3 The distance (L1) of the rib 8 is 80 to 800 μm. Therefore, the diameter of the object 5 is about 80 to 800 μm.

<About container 7>
The container 7 stores the liquid L. In FIG. 3, the container 7 which consists of a bottomed cylindrical body which has the inner bottom part 7a and the upper end opened is illustrated.

  The shape of the container 7 is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of operability and stability, it is preferable to adopt a flat shape in which the inner bottom portion 7a is preferably flat and the height is relatively lower than the width.

  The opening width and height (depth) of the container 7 may be any opening width and height (depth) that can store the liquid L to such an extent that the well plate 1 can be completely immersed.

  Although it does not specifically limit as a material of the container 7, From the point which can confirm the state of the target object 5 hold | maintained at the well 3 of the well plate 1 accommodated in the container 7, a translucent material is employ | adopted. preferable. The translucent material will be described in detail in the description of the well plate 1 described later. When both the container 7 and the well plate 1 are made of a translucent material, the user continuously observes and determines the object 5 from below the container 7 with a phase contrast microscope 10 described later. Therefore, working efficiency can be improved.

  As the container 7 satisfying these requirements, for example, a circular glass petri dish having a height of several mm to several cm and a diameter of about 10 cm can be employed.

  The liquid L stored in the container 7 is not particularly limited as long as it does not deteriorate the properties of the object 5, and can be appropriately selected depending on the type of the object 5. Typical liquids L include, for example, basal medium, synthetic medium, eagle medium, RPMI medium, Fischer medium, ham medium, MCDB medium, serum, and other glycerol, cell bunker (toji) added before freezing storage. Cell frozen solution such as Field Co., Ltd.), formalin, reagents for fluorescent staining, antibodies, purified water, physiological saline and the like.

  When the object 5 is a cell, a culture preservation solution that matches the properties of the cell can be used. For example, when BxPC-3 (human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell), which is a cell derived from a living body, is used as the object 5, the liquid L is 10% fetal bovine serum FBS (Fetal Bovine Serum) in RPMI-1640 medium. What mixed supplements, such as antibiotics and sodium pyruvate, can be used for what was mixed as needed.

  The amount of the liquid L stored in the container 7 is not particularly limited, and the well plate 1 described later can be completely immersed, and when the user operates the suction nozzle 4 to suck the object 5 held in the well 3. It is sufficient that an amount that can generate a liquid flow around the object 5 is stored.

  In addition, when using the well plate 1 of this embodiment, the user can set the liquid L stored in the container 7 and the liquid included in the set M of the objects as the same component.

  Further, the user may place the well plate 1 of the present embodiment on the inner bottom portion 7 a of the container 7 that does not store the liquid L, and add the set M of objects from above the well plate 1. In this case, at the same time as the addition, a part of the object 5 settles in the well 3. Further, the remaining object 5 that is not held in the well 3 spills from the well plate 1 to the inner bottom portion 7 a of the container 7 together with the liquid contained in the set M of objects. When the user determines that the number of objects 5 held in the well 3 is not sufficient and there is an empty well 3, the object is collected from the set M of objects that have fallen into the inner bottom portion 7a of the container 7. 5 may be sucked with a suction and discharge device such as a suction pipette equipped with the suction nozzle 4 and added again from above the well plate 1. As will be described later, when the object 5 is held in the well 3 using the well plate 1 of the present embodiment, when the object 5 held in the well 3 is sucked and collected, the user must The object 5 is collected while the liquid L around the is sucked from the gap S. Therefore, it is preferable that the liquid contained in the set M of objects is a sufficient amount for immersing the well plate 1 placed on the container 7.

<About well plate 1>
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the well plate 1 is used by being immersed in a liquid L stored in a container 7 and has a well 3. The well 3 is provided to enable selection of an object having a specific shape from among the objects 5 included in the set M of objects. A well plate 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 has a flat rectangular parallelepiped shape having an upper surface 1a and a bottom surface 1b, and has four wells 3 having inner bottom portions 3a that are recessed from the upper surface 1a toward the bottom surface 1b. X Arranged in a matrix of 4 horizontal rows. The user holds the object 5 in the well 3 and uses the phase-contrast microscope 10 (determination means) described later to check whether the object 5 is held in the well 3 from above or below the well 3, and The shape of the object 5 is determined.

  The shape of the well plate 1 is not particularly limited. However, when the shape of the container 7 is flat, the well plate 1 can be easily immersed in the container 7 and can easily hold the object 5 that settles down under gravity. When observing the object 5 held in the well 3, it is preferable that the object 5 of the phase-contrast microscope 10 has a flat shape because it can easily be focused within the depth of field of the objective lens.

  As the width and height of the well plate 1, since it is necessary to immerse in the liquid L stored in the container 7, the width is smaller than the opening width of the container 7 and is higher than the accommodation depth of the container 7. Should be small.

  The material of the well plate 1 is not particularly limited, but a translucent material is preferably used because the state of the contents can be easily confirmed. As will be described later, when both the container 7 and the well plate 1 are made of a light-transmitting material, the object 5 can be continuously observed from above or below the container 7 with the phase contrast microscope 10. it can.

  Although it does not specifically limit as a translucent material, For example, it is preferable to employ | adopt a thermoplastic resin, a thermosetting resin, a photocurable resin etc. More specifically, as the light-transmitting material, polyethylene resin; polyethylene naphthalate resin; polypropylene resin; polyimide resin; polyvinyl chloride resin; cycloolefin copolymer; norbornene resin-containing polyether sulfone resin; Aromatic polyamide resin; (meth) acrylic resin such as poly (meth) methyl acrylate; styrene resin such as polystyrene and styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer; polycarbonate resin; polyester resin; phenoxy resin; butyral resin; Cellulose resins such as cellulose acetate and cellulose acetate butyrate; epoxy resins; phenol resins; silicone resins;

  Further, an inorganic material such as a metal alkoxide, a ceramic precursor polymer, a solution obtained by hydrolytic polymerization of a solution containing a metal alkoxide by a sol-gel method, or a combination thereof, such as an inorganic material such as a siloxane bond. It is preferable to use an inorganic material (such as polydimethylsiloxane) or glass.

  As the glass, soda glass, quartz, borosilicate glass, Pyrex (registered trademark) glass, low-melting glass, photosensitive glass, and other optical glasses having various refractive indexes and Abbe numbers can be widely used.

<About well 3>
The well 3 has a substantially cylindrical shape and is a recess formed on the upper surface 1 a of the well plate 1. The well 3 has an inner bottom portion 3a on the bottom surface. In the present embodiment, the wells 3 arranged in a matrix of 4 × 4 are illustrated.

  The number of wells 3 is not particularly limited, and one may be formed on well plate 1 or a plurality of wells 3 may be arranged. When a plurality of wells 3 are arranged, it is preferable to arrange them in a matrix. By arranging a plurality of wells 3 in this way, the user can arrange a plurality of objects 5 at the same time and hold them in the wells 3, thereby improving work efficiency.

  The size of the well 3 (the diameter of the opening) is not particularly limited. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the diameter (L2) of the opening of the well 3 is 700 to 2500 μm, and a pair of ribs, which will be described later, face each other at the inner bottom 3a of the well 3. The distance 8 (L1) is 80 to 800 μm.

  The depth of the well 3 is not particularly limited, and may be any depth as long as the object 5 can be held in the well 3 as shown in FIG. As described above, since the diameter of the object 5 is about 80 to 800 μm, the depth of the well 3 is, for example, about 160 to 1600 μm.

  As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the well 3 has the liquid L in a state where the tip portion 4b including the suction port 4a of the suction nozzle 4 enters and contacts the well 3. It has a rib 8 that forms a gap S for circulation.

  As shown in FIG. 4 (b), the gap S is formed when the tip 4 b including the suction port 4 a of the suction nozzle 4 enters the well 3 and the outer wall 4 c of the suction nozzle 4 and the inner wall of the well 3. It is a space formed between 3b. That is, if the tip 4b of the suction nozzle 4 is made to enter the well 3 in which the rib 8 is not formed, the outer wall 4c of the suction nozzle 4 and the inner wall 3b of the well 3 are in close contact with each other without a gap. However, since the well 3 formed in the well plate 1 of the present embodiment has the rib 8 on a part of the inner wall 3b, the slope portion 8a of the rib 8 and the outer wall 4c of the suction nozzle 4 are not matched. The outer wall 4c of the suction nozzle 4 and the inner wall 3b of the well 3 are opposed to and spaced apart from each other. As a result, a space formed between the outer wall 4 c of the suction nozzle 4 and the inner wall 3 b of the well 3 becomes a gap S. The liquid L circulates in the formed gap S even when the user causes the suction nozzle 4 to enter the well 3 and a part of the outer wall 4c of the suction nozzle 4 is in contact with the rib 8. Can do. An arrow A1 indicates the flow of the liquid L that flows into the well 3 from the gap S and is sucked from the suction port 4a in a state where the suction nozzle 4 has entered the well 3.

  The well plate 1 according to the present embodiment has the rib 8, so that the object 5 can be stably held in contact with the rib 8 formed in the well 3, and the rib 8 can be held on the outer wall of the suction nozzle 4. The position (suction position) of the front end portion 4b of the suction nozzle 4 can be stably held by making contact with a part of 4c.

  Further, as described above, the well plate 1 of the present embodiment allows the liquid L to circulate in the vicinity of the contact location even when the tip 4b including the suction port 4a of the suction nozzle 4 enters the well 3 and makes contact therewith. A gap S that can be formed can be formed. The suction nozzle 4 can suck the surrounding liquid L from the gap S formed by the rib 8. As a result, the object 5 held in the well 3 is efficiently sucked from the suction port 4a of the suction nozzle 4 along the sucked liquid flow. Since a groove or the like is not formed in the cylindrical inner wall 3b or the inner bottom portion 3a in the well 3, even if the object 5 has a flexible property, the object 5 is fitted or caught in a part of the well 3. There is nothing to do.

  As shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, the rib 8 is formed to extend upward from the inner bottom portion 3a of the well 3 toward the opening, and has a slope portion 8a in a part thereof. The protruding length (L4) that the slope portion 8a protrudes from the inner wall 3b of the well 3 is formed longer in the vicinity of the inner bottom portion 3a than in the vicinity of the opening.

  As shown in FIG. 2B, the ribs 8 are formed at four locations on the inner wall 3b of each well 3 so that the circumferential distances between the adjacent ribs 8 are substantially the same. The slope portion 8a is inclined so as to decrease the opening area of the well 3 from the opening portion of the well 3 toward the inner bottom portion 3a. Therefore, the rib 8 having the slope portion 8 a facilitates the introduction of the object 5 into the well 3, and the liquid L flows around the object 5 when the user sucks the object 5 with the suction nozzle 4. It is easy to generate.

  As described above, the protruding length (L4) that the slope portion 8a protrudes from the inner wall 3b of the well 3 is formed to be larger at the inner bottom portion 3a than the opening portion of the well 3. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2B, the distance (L1) between the pair of ribs 8 facing each other in the inner bottom portion 3a of the well 3 is the suction port 4a formed in the distal end portion 4b of the suction nozzle 4 described later. Smaller than the cross-sectional diameter (L3). Reference symbol P indicates the position of the distal end portion 4 b when the distal end portion 4 b including the suction port 4 a of the suction nozzle 4 enters the well 3. As a result, when the user causes the tip portion 4b of the suction nozzle 4 to enter the well 3, the tip portion 4b of the suction nozzle 4 does not reach the inner bottom portion 3a of the well 3, but the slope portion 8a of the rib 8. And stop. Therefore, the tip 4b of the suction nozzle 4 does not come into contact with the object 5 held on the inner bottom 3a of the well 3, and the object 5 is not damaged by the tip 4b of the suction nozzle 4.

  The maximum value of the protruding length (L4) that the slope portion 8a protrudes from the inner wall 3b of the well 3 varies depending on the size of the well 3 (diameter of the opening) and the diameter of the object 5 to be held. For example, it is about 300-1300 micrometers.

  The number of ribs 8 is not particularly limited. In the well plate 1 of this embodiment, one rib 8 may be formed on the inner wall 3b of the well 3, and a plurality of ribs 8 are formed on the inner wall 3b of the well 3. It may be formed. When the plurality of ribs 8 are formed, the user can position the suction nozzle 4 more stably as compared with the case where one rib 8 is formed. Further, since the plurality of ribs 8 can form more gaps S, the flow of the liquid L is easily formed when the object 5 is sucked by the suction nozzle 4.

  In the case where the plurality of ribs 8 are formed, the arrangement of the ribs 8 is not particularly limited. In the well plate 1 of the present embodiment, when the plurality of ribs 8 are arranged on the inner wall 3 b of the well 3, The circumferential distances between adjacent ribs 8 can be formed to be substantially the same, or the circumferential distances between adjacent ribs 8 can be made different.

  When the plurality of ribs 8 are formed on the inner wall 3b of the well 3 at equal intervals, the size (width) of the gaps S formed between the ribs 8 and the suction nozzle 4 is uniform. The liquid flow generated in the gap S during suction can be made uniform. On the other hand, when the adjacent ribs 8 are formed with different distances in the circumferential direction, the size (width) of the gap S formed by each rib 8 and the suction nozzle 4 is not uniform. The liquid flow generated in the gap S during suction can be changed unevenly. As a result, if the user prepares each well plate 1 having the wells 3 in which the ribs 8 having different arrangements are formed, a liquid flow that facilitates the suction of the target object 5 along with the shape of the target object 5 to be held is provided. A well plate 1 that can be generated can be selected.

<About the suction device 2>
The suction device 2 has a suction port 4a that sucks the container 7 described above, the above-described well plate 1 immersed in the container 7, and the object 5 held in the well 3 formed in the well plate 1. Nozzle 4. As described above, the well 3 is provided with the rib 8 that forms the gap S through which the liquid L flows when the tip 4b including the suction port 4a of the suction nozzle 4 enters the contact with the well 3 and comes into contact therewith. It has been. Further, the suction device 2 of the present embodiment has a vibration generating mechanism 9 (vibration generating means). Furthermore, it has the phase-contrast microscope 10 which observes the target object 5 hold | maintained at the well plate 1 from the upper direction or the downward direction of the container 7. FIG. Each configuration will be described below. Since the container 7 and the well plate 1 are the same as those described above, description thereof is omitted.

<About the suction nozzle 4>
The suction nozzle 4 is a nozzle that sucks and collects the object 5 held in the well 3 by a suction port 4a formed in the tip portion 4b. The suction nozzle 4 is connected to a pump mechanism (not shown) provided outside. The pump mechanism generates a suction force at the suction port 4 a formed at the distal end portion 4 b of the suction nozzle 4. The object 5 sucked into the suction port 4a is held in the suction port. The liquid L sucked before sucking the object 5 passes through a tubular passage (not shown) which is a suction passage provided in the suction nozzle 4 and is held near the nozzle tip in the tubular passage. Or stored in a storage section (not shown) provided downstream of the path of the tubular passage, discarded, or discharged again into the container 7 by a separately provided circulation path (not shown). The

  As shown in FIG. 3, the suction nozzle 4 is provided such that a tip portion 4 b including a suction port 4 a can enter the opening of the well 3 from above the well plate 1. In FIG. 3, one suction nozzle 4 is illustrated.

  The number of suction nozzles 4 is not particularly limited, and may be one or plural. When there are a plurality of wells 3 formed on the well plate 1, the suction nozzles 4 are preferably arranged at intervals corresponding to the arrangement of the respective wells 3. As shown in FIG. 1, when the wells 3 are formed in a matrix, the suction device 2 of the present embodiment prepares the suction nozzles 4 arranged in four rows, Each target 5 can be designed to be sucked at once, or the suction nozzles 4 are prepared in a matrix of 4 vertical x 4 horizontal so that the objects 5 in all wells 3 can be sucked at once. It is preferable to design to. By adopting such a configuration that can collect a plurality of objects 5 at a time, the user can improve work efficiency.

  The cross-sectional shape of the suction port 4a formed at the tip portion 4b of the suction nozzle 4 of the suction device 2 of the present embodiment is circular as shown in FIG. The cross-sectional shape of the suction port 4a is not particularly limited, and may be an ellipse or a square.

  As described above, the diameter (L3) of the cross section of the suction port 4a formed at the tip portion 4b of the suction nozzle 4 is larger than the distance (L1) between the pair of ribs 8 facing each other in the inner bottom portion 3a of the well 3. It is smaller than the diameter (L2) of the opening of the well 3. Therefore, when the front end 4b including the suction port 4a of the suction nozzle 4 is made to enter the well 3, the front end 4b of the suction nozzle 4 has an outer wall as shown in FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b). A part of 4 c abuts against the slope portion 8 a of the rib 8, but the other part of the outer wall 4 c is separated from the inner wall 3 b of the well 3. As a result, a gap S is formed between a part of the outer wall 4 c of the suction nozzle 4 and the inner wall 3 b of the well 3.

  The gap S allows the liquid L present around the well 3 to flow into the well 3 when the user operates the suction nozzle 4 to generate a suction force at the suction port 4a. The liquid L flowing into the well 3 through the gap S generates a liquid flow around the suction port 4a by the suction force generated at the suction port 4a. The object 5 held in the well 3 is sucked from the suction port 4a together with the generated liquid flow.

  Although it does not specifically limit as a magnitude | size of the clearance gap S, For example, the sum total of the area of the clearance gap S formed is about 0.3-9 mm <2>. If the gap S of such a size is formed, the suction device 2 of the present embodiment, when sucking using a suction discharge device such as a suction pipette provided with a normal suction tip as the suction nozzle 4, It is possible to generate a water flow that can suck the object 5.

<About vibration generating mechanism 9>
The vibration generating mechanism 9 vibrates the well plate 1 in a state in which the distal end portion 4b including the suction port 4a of the suction nozzle 4 enters and contacts the well 3. That is, the vibration generating mechanism 9 generates vibration and temporarily floats the object 5 held in the well 3 and flows into the well 3 through the gap S when the object 5 is sucked from the suction nozzle 4. It makes it easy to get on the liquid flow of the external liquid L. In addition, the vibration generation mechanism 9 generates vibration to apply vibration to the object 5 that has settled in the well 3 and the object 5 that has settled in the vicinity of the opening of the well 3, so Encourage sedimentation of the object 5.

  The vibration generating mechanism 9 is connected to the well plate 1 as shown in FIG. The installation position of the vibration generating mechanism 9 is not particularly limited. If the well plate 1 is fixed to the inner bottom portion 7a of the container 7 and there is no possibility that foreign matters other than the target object 5 will fly up even if the container 7 is vibrated, the vibration generating mechanism 9 is connected to the container 7. Then, the well 7 may be vibrated indirectly by vibrating the container 7. Further, the vibration generating mechanism 9 may be provided in each of the well plate 1 and the container 7.

  The suction device 2 of the present embodiment can cause the object 5 held in the well 3 to vibrate and temporarily float the object 5. As a result, the lifted object 5 is easily sucked by the suction nozzle 4, so that the efficiency of the user's suction and recovery of the object 5 is improved.

  As a vibration generating method by the vibration generating mechanism 9, in addition to a method of generating physical vibration by a vibrator, a method of vibrating the object 5 by applying electromagnetic waves within a range that does not affect the properties of the object 5, For example, a method of vibrating the object 5 by applying a sound wave can be employed.

<Phase contrast microscope 10>
The phase contrast microscope 10 is provided for observing and determining whether or not the object 5 is held on the well plate 1 from above or below the container 7 and the shape of the held object 5. Thus, by observing and determining the object 5 using the phase contrast microscope 10, the user can easily confirm the presence of the object 5 held in the well 3. Further, the user can confirm the shape of the object 5 held in the well 3 before suction. Therefore, when the object 5 that should not be aspirated due to a distorted shape or the like is held in the well 3, the user can be excluded from the aspiration target. Furthermore, the user can easily confirm the positions of the suction port 4a of the suction nozzle 4 and the opening of the well 3, and can perform accurate suction.

  In the present embodiment, the phase contrast microscope 10 is adopted as the determination means, but the determination means is not particularly limited, and in addition to a general optical microscope, a fluorescence microscope, a polarization microscope, a stereomicroscope, a bright field microscope, a dark field microscope, A field microscope, a differential interference microscope, an ultrasonic microscope, a confocal microscope, a laser scanning microscope, an electron microscope, a scanning probe microscope, an X-ray microscope, a virtual microscope, a digital microscope, and the like can be used.

  When observing the object 5 having high transparency such as a cell, it is preferable to use the phase contrast microscope 10 or the fluorescence microscope as the determination means. When a fluorescence microscope is used as the determination means, the object 5 needs to have fluorescence. Therefore, when measuring the target object 5 which does not have fluorescence with a fluorescence microscope, it is used for the measurement after previously staining with a fluorescent dye. The staining method for the object 5 is not particularly limited, and a preferable staining method may be adopted as appropriate. For example, methods such as chemical fluorescent staining and antibody fluorescent staining can be employed. In addition, a method of introducing a gene that induces a fluorescent protein such as green fluorescent protein (GFP) into a cell by gene recombination and observing can be employed.

  The phase contrast microscope 10 is provided with a monitor device (not shown). The monitor device includes an image sensor that converts an optical image created by the phase-contrast microscope 10 into an electrical image data signal, an image processing unit that performs image processing such as gamma correction and shading correction on the image data, and a post-image processing A display device for displaying image data.

  The criteria for determining the shape of the object 5 with the phase-contrast microscope 10 are not particularly limited. The determination criterion may be appropriately determined by the user depending on the use of the object 5.

  In the present embodiment, the example in which the well plate 1 itself is immersed in the container 7 and stored in the liquid L in the well 3 has been described, but the method for storing the liquid L in the well 3 is not particularly limited. For example, the liquid L may be stored only in the well 3 without immersing the well plate 1 in the liquid L. In this case, when the user sucks the object 5 held in the well 3, there is a possibility that the amount of the liquid L is insufficient with only the liquid L stored in the well 3, and the object 5 cannot be sucked sufficiently. . In such a case, the well plate 1 of the present embodiment is provided with an outer wall (not shown) so as to cover the upper surface of the well plate 1 and the opening of each well 3, and the inner side of the outer wall is formed. Can be filled with liquid L. Thereby, the user can collect | recover the target object 5 hold | maintained at the well 3 with sufficient quantity of the liquid L. FIG.

(Second Embodiment)
Hereinafter, a well plate 1A according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the well plate 1A of the present embodiment. FIG. 5A is a perspective view of the well plate 1A of the present embodiment, FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line X1-X1 ′ of FIG. 5A, and FIG. It is a top view of well 3A of an embodiment.

  The well plate 1A of the present embodiment has the same configuration as the well plate 1 of the first embodiment except that the configuration of the well 3A is different. Therefore, description other than a difference is abbreviate | omitted.

  As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the well 3A formed in the well plate 1A of the present embodiment has a substantially cylindrical shape and extends from the opening of the well 3A to the inner bottom 3c. The taper portion 11A narrows the opening area of the well 3A. A plurality of convex portions 12 are formed on the tapered portion 11A.

  As shown in FIG. 5B, the taper portion 11A is inclined downward from the opening of the well 3A toward the inner bottom portion 3c of the well 3A, so that the object 5 can be easily introduced into the well 3A. That is, when the user adds the object 5 from above the well plate 1A, the object 5 that has settled near the opening of the well 3A is introduced into the well 3A down the tapered portion 11A.

  Further, when the opening of the well 3A is the upper end of the taper 11A, the taper 11A comes into contact with the outer wall 4c of the tip 4b including the suction port 4a of the suction nozzle 4 at the lower end of the taper 11A. . Therefore, when the user enters the suction nozzle 4 into the well 3A, the user confirms the contact state between the outer wall 4c of the tip portion 4b of the suction nozzle 4 and the taper portion 11A, and positions the suction nozzle 4. It can be carried out.

  In the present embodiment, the case where the outer wall 4c of the tip portion 4b of the suction nozzle 4 is in contact with the lower end portion of the tapered portion 11A has been described as an example, but the contact position between the tapered portion 11A and the outer wall 4c is the tapered portion 11A. It is not limited to the lower end part. For example, depending on the shape of the distal end portion 4b and the outer wall 4c of the suction nozzle 4, the inclined portion other than the lower end portion of the tapered portion 11A may come into contact with the outer wall 4c. Even in such a case, the user confirms the contact state between the outer wall 4c of the tip portion 4b of the suction nozzle 4 and the taper portion 11A when the suction nozzle 4 enters the well 3A. The suction nozzle 4 can be positioned.

  The convex part 12 is provided in the taper part 11A. As shown in FIG. 5C, six convex portions 12 are provided so that the circumferential distances of the convex portions 12 adjacent to the approximate center positions of the upper end portion and the lower end portion of the tapered portion 11A are substantially the same. It has been.

  The number of the convex portions 12 is not particularly limited, and in the well plate 1A of the present embodiment, one convex portion 12 may be formed on the tapered portion 11A, and a plurality of convex portions 12 are formed on the tapered portion 11A. May be. When the plurality of convex portions 12 are formed, the user can position the suction nozzle 4 more stably as compared with the case where one convex portion 12 is formed. Further, since the plurality of convex portions 12 can form more gaps S, it is easy to form a flow of the liquid L when the object 5 is sucked by the suction nozzle 4.

  In the case where the plurality of convex portions 12 are formed, the arrangement of the convex portions 12 is not particularly limited, and the well plate 1A of the present embodiment is adjacent to each other when the plurality of convex portions 12 are formed on the tapered portion 11A. The distances in the circumferential direction of the matching convex parts 12 can be formed to be substantially the same, or the distances in the circumferential direction of the adjacent convex parts 12 can be made different.

  When the plurality of convex portions 12 are formed in the tapered portion 11A at equal intervals, the size (width) of the gap S formed by each convex portion 12 and the suction nozzle 4 is uniform. The liquid flow generated in the gap S during suction can be made uniform. On the other hand, when the adjacent convex portions 12 are formed with different distances in the circumferential direction, the sizes (widths) of the gaps S formed by the respective convex portions 12 and the suction nozzle 4 are not uniform. The user can change the liquid flow generated in the gap S during suction nonuniformly. As a result, if the user prepares each well plate 1A having the wells 3A in which the convex portions 12 having different arrangements are formed, the liquid flow that easily sucks the target object 5 in accordance with the shape of the target object 5 to be held. Can be selected.

  The height of the convex portion 12 (the length of the perpendicular extending from the apex of the convex portion 12 to the tapered portion 11A) is not particularly limited, and may be a height that does not shield the opening of the well 3A. For example, when the diameter of the opening of the well 3A at the lower end of the tapered portion 11A is 80 to 800 μm, the height of the convex portion 12 is about 200 to 600 μm.

  The shape of the convex portion 12 is not particularly limited, and may be a regular shape such as a hemispherical shape, a semi-elliptical spherical shape, a frustum shape, a rectangular parallelepiped shape, or an indefinite shape.

  The method for forming the convex portion 12 on the tapered portion 11A is not particularly limited, and the convex portion 12 may be formed integrally with the tapered portion 11A, or after being formed as a separate body, it is adhered to the tapered portion 11A. May be.

(Third embodiment)
Hereinafter, a well plate 1B according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the well plate 1B of the present embodiment. 6A is a perspective view of the well plate 1B of the present embodiment, FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line X2-X2 ′ of FIG. 6A, and FIG. It is a top view of well 3B of an embodiment.

  The well plate 1B of the present embodiment has the same configuration as the well plate 1 of the first embodiment except that the configuration of the well 3B is different. Therefore, description other than a difference is abbreviate | omitted.

  As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the well 3B formed in the well plate 1B of the present embodiment has a substantially cylindrical shape and extends from the opening of the well 3B toward the inner bottom 3d. The taper portion 11B narrows the opening area of the well 3B. A plurality of groove portions 13 are formed in the tapered portion 11B.

  As shown in FIG. 6B, the taper portion 11B is inclined downward from the opening of the well 3B in the direction of the inner bottom 3d of the well 3B, so that the object 5 can be easily introduced into the well 3B. That is, when the user adds the object 5 from above the well plate 1B, the object 5 that has settled near the opening of the well 3B is introduced into the well 3B down the tapered portion 11B.

  Further, when the opening of the well 3B is the upper end of the taper 11B, the taper 11B contacts the tip 4b of the suction nozzle 4 at the lower end of the taper 11B. Therefore, the user can position the suction nozzle 4 when the suction nozzle 4 enters the well 3B.

  In addition, the well plate 1B of this embodiment can contact the outer wall 4c of the front-end | tip part 4b of the suction nozzle 4 also in inclined parts other than the lower end part of the taper part 11B similarly to the well plate 1 of 2nd Embodiment. .

  The groove part 13 is provided in the taper part 11B. As shown in FIG. 6C, the groove portion 13 is formed from the upper end portion to the lower end portion of the taper portion 11B, and two groove portions 13 are provided so that the adjacent groove portions 13 have substantially the same circumferential distance. ing.

  The number of the groove portions 13 is not particularly limited. In the well plate 1B of the present embodiment, one groove portion 13 may be formed in the tapered portion 11B, and a plurality of groove portions 13 are formed in the tapered portion 11B. Also good. In the case where the plurality of groove portions 13 are formed, the user can position the suction nozzle 4 more stably than in the case where one groove portion 13 is formed. Further, since the plurality of grooves 13 can form more gaps S, the flow of the liquid L is easily formed when the object 5 is sucked by the suction nozzle 4.

  In the case where the plurality of groove portions 13 are formed, the position of the groove portion 13 is not particularly limited. In the well plate 1B of the present embodiment, when the plurality of groove portions 13 are formed in the tapered portion 11B, the adjacent groove portions 13 are formed. The circumferential distances of the grooves 13 can be formed to be substantially the same, or the circumferential distances of the adjacent grooves 13 can be made different.

  When the plurality of groove portions 13 are formed in the tapered portion 11B at equal intervals, the arrangement of the gaps S formed by the respective groove portions 13 and the suction nozzles 4 is uniform, so that the user is generated in the gap S during suction. The liquid flow can be made uniform. On the other hand, when the adjacent groove portions 13 are formed with different distances in the circumferential direction, the arrangement of the gaps S formed by the respective groove portions 13 and the suction nozzles 4 is not uniform. The liquid flow generated in S can be changed unevenly. As a result, if the user prepares each well plate 1B having the wells 3B in which the groove portions 13 having different arrangements are formed, a liquid flow that easily sucks the target object 5 in accordance with the shape of the target object 5 to be held is provided. A well plate 1B that can be generated can be selected.

  The width of the groove 13 is not particularly limited as long as the gap S can be formed so that a liquid flow can be generated during suction while the suction nozzle 4 is inserted into the well 3B. For example, the width of the groove 13 is about 1/8 to 1/4 of the outer peripheral length of the well 3B.

  The depth of the groove 13 is not particularly limited as long as the gap S can be formed so that a liquid flow can be generated during suction while the suction nozzle 4 is inserted into the well 3B. For example, the depth of the groove 13 is about 80 to 800 μm.

  The shape of the groove portion 13 is not particularly limited, and various shapes including a V-shaped groove and a U-shaped groove can be adopted.

  The direction in which the groove 13 is formed is not particularly limited, and as shown in FIG. 6D, the groove (groove 13a) may be formed in an oblique direction in the tapered portion 11Ba of the well 3Ba. By forming the grooves in an oblique direction, the user can generate a spiral liquid flow during suction, and can efficiently collect the object 5.

  The specific embodiments described above mainly include inventions having the following configurations.

  A well plate according to the present disclosure is a well plate in which a well to be sucked by a suction nozzle having a suction port is held at an inner bottom portion and a well for storing liquid is formed, and the suction port of the suction nozzle A gap forming member is provided in the well for forming a gap for the liquid to circulate in a state in which the tip including the liquid enters and contacts the well.

  By adopting the configuration as described above, when the object held in the well is sucked by the suction nozzle, even if the tip including the suction port of the suction nozzle enters the well and comes into contact with the well, A gap is formed in the vicinity of which the liquid can flow. In this state, the suction nozzle can suck the surrounding liquid from the gap formed by the gap forming member. As a result, the object held in the well is efficiently sucked from the suction port along the flow of the sucked liquid. Since there are no grooves or the like formed on the cylindrical inner wall or inner bottom of the well, the object will not fit into or be caught in a part of the well even if it is flexible. .

  The well plate is preferably used by being immersed in a container for storing a liquid.

  By adopting the above-described configuration, a sufficient amount of liquid can be present around the well. Therefore, the user can efficiently suck the object held in the well.

  Preferably, the well has a substantially cylindrical shape, and the gap forming member is a rib provided on the inner wall of the well.

  By employ | adopting the above structures, a rib can be made to contact a part of suction nozzle and a suction position can be hold | maintained stably. Further, since the gap is formed in the vicinity of the rib, the user can efficiently suck the object by circulating the liquid when sucking the object.

  The rib is formed so as to extend upward from the inner bottom of the well in the direction of the opening, and has a slope portion in part, and the protruding length of the slope portion protruding from the inner wall of the well is: It is preferable that the vicinity of the inner bottom is formed longer than the vicinity of the opening.

  By adopting the above configuration, the object can be held in contact with the rib formed in the well. Since the slope portion is inclined downward from the opening of the well toward the inner bottom portion, it is easy to introduce the object into the well, and when the object is sucked by the suction nozzle, a liquid is formed around the object. Easy to generate flow.

  It is preferable that a plurality of the ribs are formed.

  By adopting the configuration as described above, the suction nozzle can be positioned more stably than in the case where one rib is formed. Further, since the plurality of ribs can form more gaps, it is easy to form a liquid flow when the object is sucked by the suction nozzle.

  The well has a substantially cylindrical shape, and has a tapered portion that narrows the opening area of the well from the opening of the well to the inner bottom, and the gap forming member is a convex formed on the tapered portion. Part.

  By adopting the configuration as described above, it is easy to introduce the object into the well through a tapered portion having a slope that goes down from the well opening toward the inner bottom. Further, positioning can be performed by bringing the tip of the suction nozzle into contact with the inclined portion of the tapered portion.

  It is preferable that a plurality of the convex portions are formed.

  By employ | adopting the above structures, a some convex part can form more clearance gaps compared with the case where one convex part is formed. Therefore, it is easy to form a liquid flow when the object is sucked by the suction nozzle.

  The well has a substantially cylindrical shape, and has a tapered portion that narrows the opening area of the well from the opening of the well toward the inner bottom, and the gap forming member is a groove formed in the tapered portion. It is preferable that

  By adopting the configuration as described above, it is easy to introduce the object into the well through a tapered portion having a slope that goes down from the well opening toward the inner bottom. Further, positioning can be performed by bringing the tip of the suction nozzle into contact with the inclined portion of the tapered portion.

  It is preferable that a plurality of the groove portions are formed.

  By adopting the above-described configuration, the plurality of groove portions can form more gaps as compared with the case where one groove portion is formed. Therefore, it is easy to form a liquid flow when the object is sucked by the suction nozzle.

  The wells are preferably formed in a matrix.

  By adopting the above configuration, a plurality of objects can be arranged at the same time, which can contribute to work efficiency.

  The object is preferably a living cell.

  By adopting the configuration as described above, this is a well plate that can be applied to cells derived from living bodies, which are objects with large deviations in shape, contributing to the efficiency of work in the fields of biotechnology and medicine. obtain.

  It is preferable that the object is a cell aggregate derived from a living body.

  By adopting the configuration as described above, a living body-like environment in which the interaction between each cell is taken into consideration inside the cell aggregate is reconstructed rather than the test result obtained using one cell, Results that take into account the functions of individual cells can be obtained, and experimental conditions can be adjusted to conditions that are more in line with the environment in vivo, so that highly reliable results are obtained in the fields of biotechnology and medicine. Well plate.

  A suction device according to another aspect of the present disclosure includes a well plate in which a well that holds an object in an inner bottom portion and stores a liquid is formed, and a suction port that sucks the object held in the well The well has a gap formation that forms a gap for the liquid to circulate in a state where the tip including the suction port of the suction nozzle enters and contacts the well. It has a member.

  By adopting the configuration as described above, when the object held in the well is sucked by the suction nozzle, even if the tip including the suction port of the suction nozzle enters the well and comes into contact with the well, A gap for the liquid to flow is formed in the vicinity of. In this state, the suction nozzle can suck the surrounding liquid from the gap formed by the gap forming member. As a result, the object held in the well is efficiently sucked from the suction port along the flow of the sucked liquid. Since no groove or the like is formed in the well, even if the object has a flexible property, it does not fit into or be caught by a part of the well.

  Preferably, the suction device further includes a container for storing a liquid, and the well plate is immersed in the container.

  By adopting the above-described configuration, a sufficient amount of liquid can be present around the well. Therefore, the user can efficiently suck the object held in the well.

  It is preferable that vibration generating means for vibrating the well plate is further provided in a state in which a tip portion including the suction port of the suction nozzle enters and contacts the well.

  By adopting the above configuration, the object held in the well can be vibrated and temporarily floated. As a result, the object can be easily sucked by the suction nozzle, which can contribute to work efficiency.

  It is preferable that determination means for observing the object held on the well plate from above or below the well plate is further provided.

  By adopting the configuration as described above, it can be determined whether or not the object is held in the well plate. Further, the positions of the suction port of the suction nozzle and the opening of the well can be easily confirmed. Furthermore, since the user can confirm the shape of the object held in the well before the suction by the determination unit, the object that should not be sucked is held in the well due to a distorted shape or the like. Can be excluded from the suction target.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Well plate 1a Upper surface 1b Bottom surface 2 Suction device 3 Well 3a Inner bottom part 3b Inner wall 4 Suction nozzle 5 Object 8 Rib 8a Slope part 12 Convex part 13 Groove part

Claims (14)

A well plate for holding an object sucked by a suction nozzle having a suction port,
A plate body having a flat shape having a top surface and a bottom surface;
A recess recessed from the top surface to the bottom surface of the plate body, the well holding the object and storing a liquid,
The well includes an opening formed on the upper surface, an inner bottom serving as a bottom surface of the well, and an inner wall that is a wall surface between the opening and the inner bottom,
The inner wall is provided with a rib that forms a gap for the liquid to circulate in a state in which the tip portion including the suction port of the suction nozzle enters and contacts the well,
The rib is formed to extend upward from the inner bottom portion of the well toward the opening, and has a slope portion in part.
The well plate in which the projecting length of the slope portion projecting from the inner wall is formed longer in the vicinity of the inner bottom portion than in the vicinity of the opening portion.   The well plate according to claim 1, wherein the well plate is used by being immersed in a container for storing a liquid.   The well plate according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the ribs are formed. A well plate for holding an object sucked by a suction nozzle having a suction port,
A plate body having a flat shape having a top surface and a bottom surface;
A recess recessed from the top surface to the bottom surface of the plate body, the well holding the object and storing a liquid,
The well includes an opening formed on the upper surface, an inner bottom serving as a bottom surface of the well, and an inner wall that is a wall surface between the opening and the inner bottom,
The inner wall has a tapered portion that narrows the opening area of the well from the opening toward the inner bottom.
The tapered portion is provided with a convex portion that forms a gap for the liquid to circulate in a state in which a tip portion including the suction port of the suction nozzle is brought into contact with the well. Well plate.   The well plate according to claim 4, wherein a plurality of the convex portions are formed. A well plate for holding an object sucked by a suction nozzle having a suction port,
A plate body having a flat shape having a top surface and a bottom surface;
A recess recessed from the top surface to the bottom surface of the plate body, the well holding the object and storing a liquid,
The well includes an opening formed on the upper surface, an inner bottom serving as a bottom surface of the well, and an inner wall that is a wall surface between the opening and the inner bottom,
The inner wall has a tapered portion that narrows the opening area of the well from the opening toward the inner bottom.
The taper portion is provided with a groove portion that forms a gap for allowing the liquid to flow in a state in which a tip portion including the suction port of the suction nozzle enters and contacts the well. plate.   The well plate according to claim 6, wherein a plurality of the groove portions are formed.   The well plate according to claim 1, wherein the wells are formed in a matrix.   The well plate according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the object is a cell derived from a living body.   The well plate according to claim 9, wherein the object is a cell aggregate derived from a living body. The well plate according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
A suction nozzle having a suction port for sucking the object held in the well;
A suction device comprising: A container for storing liquid;
The suction device according to claim 11, wherein the well plate is immersed in the container.   The suction device according to claim 11 or 12, further comprising vibration generating means for vibrating the well plate in a state in which a tip including the suction port of the suction nozzle is brought into contact with the well.   The suction device according to claim 12 or 13, further comprising a determination unit for observing an object held on the well plate from above or below the well plate.

Images