Method and apparatus for sorting biological cells with a MEMS device
US7264972B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 1, 2004 |
| Grant date | Sep 4, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 15, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T436/2575
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A micromechanical actuator for sorting hematopoietic stem cells for use in cancer therapies. The actuator operates by diverting cells into one of a number of possible pathways fabricated in the fabrication substrate of the micromechanical actuator, when fluorescence is detected emanating from the cells. The fluorescence results from irradiating the cells with laser light, which excites a fluorescent tag attached to the cell. The micromechanical actuator thereby sorts the cells individually, with an operation rate of 3.3 kHz, however with the massively parallel 1024-fold device described herein, a throughput of 3.3 million events/second is achievable.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.