Method and apparatus for sorting particles with a moving catcher tube
First Claim
1. A catcher tube sorter for a flow cytometer comprising:
- a body member having a passageway therethrough for the passage of particles which are to be analyzed, the passageway including an analysis portion, a pre-analysis portion and a post analysis portion;
an uptake tube connected in fluid communication with the pre-analysis portion of the passageway and adapted for fluid communication with a source of particles for providing a particle flow path from the source of particles into the analysis portion;
a catcher tube carried on the body member and mounted to be selectively positionable in fluid communication with the analysis portion for intermittently receiving analyzed particles after passage of particles through the analysis portion; and
an operator connected to receive an input signal from the analysis portion relative to one or more particle characteristics and to activate the catcher tube for selectively positioning the catcher tube in fluid communication with the analysis portion.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A sorter with a body member passageway has analysis, pre-analysis and post analysis portions for particles. An elongate catcher tube carried on the body member, and mounted with its axis to be selectively aligned with the analysis portion for intermittently receiving analyzed particles. An operator receives a signal from the analysis portion relative to one or more particle characteristics and selectively aligns the catcher tube in fluid communication with the analysis portion. The signal is an electrical pulse of strength and timing sufficient to cause a driver mounted to the body member and associated with the catcher tube to align the catcher for sorting particles. A resilient support attaches the catcher tube to the body member and provides a pivot for the catcher tube. A method for sorting includes generating a signal representative of one or more characteristics of the particles and applying the signal to a driver to change the position of the catcher tube.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A catcher tube sorter for a flow cytometer comprising:
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a body member having a passageway therethrough for the passage of particles which are to be analyzed, the passageway including an analysis portion, a pre-analysis portion and a post analysis portion; an uptake tube connected in fluid communication with the pre-analysis portion of the passageway and adapted for fluid communication with a source of particles for providing a particle flow path from the source of particles into the analysis portion; a catcher tube carried on the body member and mounted to be selectively positionable in fluid communication with the analysis portion for intermittently receiving analyzed particles after passage of particles through the analysis portion; and an operator connected to receive an input signal from the analysis portion relative to one or more particle characteristics and to activate the catcher tube for selectively positioning the catcher tube in fluid communication with the analysis portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A particle flow through apparatus comprising:
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a body member having a passageway therethrough including an analysis region through which substantially one particle at a time may pass in the direction of flow through the analysis region when the apparatus is operating; a sheathing liquid applied to the supply of particles in the passageway for hydrodynamic focusing the particles relative to the liquid; catcher tube means supported upon the body member and associated with liquid and particles from the analysis region, the catcher tube positionable in a position substantially in alignment with the particles flowing from the analysis region for culling particles from the analysis region to another position where the catcher tube is not aligned with the particles flowing from the analysis region but is aligned with the fluid flowing from the analysis region; and control means operatively responsive to particles of one or more preselected types passing through the analysis region, the control means arranged for moving the catcher tube between the positions substantially out of and into alignment with the flowing particles from the analysis region. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A catcher tube sorter for a flow cytometer comprising:
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a body member having a passageway therethrough for the passage of particles which are to be analyzed, the passageway including an analysis portion, a pre-analysis portion and post-analysis portion, all of which lie substantially on the same axis through the body member; an uptake tube having an inner end positioned in the pre-analysis portion of the passageway adjacent the analysis portion and outer end extending outwardly of the body member for insertion into a pressurized sample supply containing liquid and particles, the uptake tube having a lumen extending therethrough for the passage of the particles toward the analysis portion of the passageway; a flowcell included in the analysis portion and having an orifice sized to permit the passage of substantially one particle at a time through the analysis portion; a catcher tube movable into fluid communication with the axis extending through the pre-analysis portion, analysis portion and the post-analysis portion; and regulating means on the body member and operatively associated with the catcher tube for substantially aligning the catcher tube with the axis. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 22)
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16. A flow cytometer for determining one or more characteristics of particles or the like flowing in a liquid stream comprising:
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means for moving particles in a liquid flow stream; a body member having a passageway therethrough including an analysis region through which the moving particles pass substantially one at a time in the direction of flow; a catcher tube sorting means having an elongate catcher tube operative to selectively receive flow from the passageway when the elongate catcher tube is longitudinal aligned with the passageway; means for providing a beam of light to illuminate the particles passing through the analysis region; means for detecting light with respect to each moving particle and for associating the detected light with one or more characteristics of each particle and to generate a signal responsive to the particle characteristics; and means for receiving the signal and in response thereto to operatively position the elongate catcher tube in alignment with the passageway.
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17. A method for sorting particles passing through a particle analysis apparatus for transporting a sample of particles carried in a liquid including the following steps;
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generating a signal representative of one or more characteristics of the particles passing through an analysis region of the analysis apparatus, applying the signal to a driver for changing the position of a catcher tube so that the catcher tube is moved to receive the particles having one or more of the characteristics. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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23. A catcher tube sorter for a flow cytometer comprising:
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a body member haivng a passageway therethrough for the passage of particles which are to be analyzed, the passageway including an analysis portion, a pre-analysis portion and post-analysis portion, all of which lie substantially on the same axis through the body member; an uptake tube having an inner end positioned in the pre-analysis portion of the passageway adjacent the analysis portion and outer end extending outwardly of the body member for insertion into a sample supply containing liquid and particles, the uptake tube having a lumen extending therethrough for the passage of the particles toward the analysis portion of the passageway; a flowcell included in the analysis portion and having an orifice sized to permit the passage of substantially one particle at a time through the analysis portion; a catcher tube movable into fluid communication with the axis extending through the pre-analysis portion, analysis portion and the post-analysis portion; and regulating means on the body member and operatively associated with the catcher tube for substantially aligning the catcher tube with the axis. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification