Low-cost, open-source cell culture chamber for regulating physiologic oxygen levels

Area of Science:

• Cell Biology
• Biotechnology
• Bioengineering

Background:

• Physiological oxygen levels in vivo are often hypoxic, contrasting with standard in vitro culture at 21% oxygen.
• Accurate oxygen regulation is vital for understanding cellular responses to hypoxia in vitro.
• Current hypoxia simulation methods have limitations, including adverse effects and high costs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and develop a low-cost, open-source, controllable, and reproducible hypoxia chamber.
• To create a device that fits within a standard cell culture incubator.
• To enable precise regulation of oxygen and carbon dioxide for long-term cell culture.

Main Methods:

• Designed and constructed a hypoxia chamber using off-the-shelf components.
• Integrated systems for controlling O2 (1-21%) and CO2 (5%).
• Incorporated monitoring for temperature, pressure, and relative humidity.

Main Results:

• The developed hypoxia chamber successfully maintained CO2 at 5% and O2 at 1% and 5% for extended periods.
• The chamber is designed for low-cost manufacturing (total material cost $832.47 USD).
• The design is open-source, allowing for customization and reproducibility.

Conclusions:

• The developed hypoxia chamber provides a viable, cost-effective solution for simulating hypoxic conditions in vitro.
• This open-source design facilitates reproducible research into cellular responses under low oxygen tension.
• The chamber's ability to maintain stable gas levels supports long-term cell culture studies.