Combination ultrasensitive force transducer and grabbing device for force and strain measurement from single cells
US8915143B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 21, 2011 |
| Grant date | Dec 23, 2014 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 7, 2032 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B5/22
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The scientific characterization of cellular contractility and cell movement, such as muscle function in particular is, to a large extent, carried out on intact tissue preparations for example using whole intact muscles from animals. Typical indices of muscle function may include isometric force, contractility under external force (load) and spatio-temporal determination of internal calcium concentration under strictly controlled conditions of length and applied force. The major advance of the described apparatus is that the common characterization of cellular contractility can be performed on a single cell rather than an entire tissue or whole animal. As such the apparatus described improves on and eliminates known limitations of currently considered state-of-the-art approaches.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.