CO-CULTURE DEVICE AND CO-CULTURE METHOD FOR BACTERIUM SUCH AS ANAEROBIC BACTERIUM AND EPITHELIAL CELLS

摘要

To provide a means for co-culturing a bacterium (e.g. an anaerobic bacterium) and epithelial cells, disclosed is a culture system for co-culturing a first cell group consisting of one or more kinds of cells and a cell layer or tissue formed of a second cell group consisting of one or more kinds of cells different from the former cells, said culture system being characterized by comprising: a first culture tank for co-culturing under anaerobic conditions the first cell group consisting of one or more kinds of cells of, for example, an anaerobic bacterium and the cell layer or tissue formed of the second cell group consisting of one or more kinds of cells such as epithelial cells; a second culture tank for pooling a liquid culture medium of aerobic conditions; one or more substance-exchange structures that are disposed so as to connect the first culture tank to the second culture tank; and the aforesaid cell layer or tissue that is disposed so as to cover the surface on the first culture tank side of the substance-exchange structure(s).