Method of cell analysis using small volume of blood

• US 20040219608A1
• Filed: 04/29/2003
• Published: 11/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Guava Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Guava Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Der-Balian, Georges Puzant
• Application Number:
  US10/426,386
• Publication Number:
  US 20040219608A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/7.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5005 involving human or animal cells immunoassay G01N33/56966; immunoassays of protozoa G01N33/56905; protozoa in screening assays C12Q1/025
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/56972 White blood cells

Abstract

A method of performing white blood sub cell analysis is described which can be practiced using small volumes of blood. The sample is caused to flow through a capillary past a detection region where tagged or labeled cells fluoresce. The fluorescence is detected to provide a count of the labeled cells.

Claims

1. A method of analyzing cells labeled with a fluorescent label, wherein the cells are obtained from a small volume of sample comprising:

detecting fluorescence from the labeled cells as the cells are drawn through a microcapillary cytometer optically coupled to a fluorescence system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the labeled cells are subsets of white blood cells.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the fluorescent label labels a cluster designation (CD) antigen.

4. The method of claims 1, 2 or 3 including the step of detecting light scattered by the cells to thereby count the total number of cells.

5. The method of claims 1, 2 or 3 in which the cells are drawn through the microcapillary by dipping one end of the microcapillary in a solution containing the cells and aspirating the solution through the microcapillary.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the sample is blood.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the sample is obtained from a small animal.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said small animal is a mouse.

6. A method of performing white blood cell subset analysis using cells obtained from a small volume of blood comprising:

labeling the cells with subset specific antibodies, wherein each antibody subset comprises a distinguishable fluorescent label and

detecting the fluorescence signal emitted by the labeled cells as the cells are drawn through a microcapillary cytometer optically coupled to a fluorescent system, whereby the white blood cell subsets are analyzed.

7. The method of claim 6 including detecting light scattered by all cells to provide a count of all blood cells.

8. The method claims 6 or 7 wherein each antibody subset is to a cluster designation (CD) antigen.

9. The method of claims 6 or 7 wherein the volume of blood is a microvolume.