Sterile flow cytometer and sorter with mechanical isolation between flow chamber and sterile enclosure and methods for using same
First Claim
1. A sterile system for measuring at least one property of a sample of cells, said sterile system comprising:
- an isolation chamber for providing an enclosed sterile environment;
a sterilization system coupled to said isolation chamber, said sterilization system sterilizing an area located within said isolation chamber;
a pressurization system coupled to said isolation chamber, said pressurization system pressurizing said isolation chamber during said measuring of at least one property such that said pressure in said isolation chamber is not substantially equivalent to atmospheric pressure;
a cell station for holding said sample of cells;
an illumination frame located within said isolation chamber, said illumination frame being coupled to said cell station wherein said cell station provides said illumination frame with a stream of cells from said sample of cells;
a light source coupled to said illumination frame wherein said light source provides said illumination frame with at least one beam of light for measurement of said at least one property;
a detector coupled to said illumination frame, said detector collects light from said stream of cells flowing through said illumination frame, said detector further transforms said light into electrical pulses to be measured.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and process for measuring particles that prevents the particles from being contaminated during the measuring and optional sorting process wherein a flow chamber or region is mechanically isolated from a sterile enclosure which surrounds the flow chamber. The present invention in one embodiment provides an apparatus comprising of a droplet generator, a charging system, a deflecting system, a sterilization system, a light source, a detector, a cooling system and a vacuum system. The droplet generator and the charging system and the flow chamber associated with the droplet generator operate within an illumination frame where the particles (e.g. biological cells) are actually measured. In order to prevent the biological cells from being contaminated, the illumination frame is located within an isolation chamber which provides an environment that can be sterilized before and after the actual measuring and sorting of the cells, but the illumination frame is mechanically isolated from the isolation chamber. The sterilization system, located outside the isolation chamber sterilizes the isolation chamber before cells are measured and sorted within the isolation chamber, and furthermore, ensures that the isolation chamber is maintained at a pressure above (or alternatively, below) atmospheric pressure during the measuring and sorting of the biological cells. The illumination frame, the light source and the detector are supported by a table to enable the light beam(s) from the light source to intersect the biological cells flowing through the illumination frame, thereby emitting flashes of light (or otherwise effecting the light beam) which are detected by the detector.
74 Citations
41 Claims
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1. A sterile system for measuring at least one property of a sample of cells, said sterile system comprising:
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an isolation chamber for providing an enclosed sterile environment; a sterilization system coupled to said isolation chamber, said sterilization system sterilizing an area located within said isolation chamber; a pressurization system coupled to said isolation chamber, said pressurization system pressurizing said isolation chamber during said measuring of at least one property such that said pressure in said isolation chamber is not substantially equivalent to atmospheric pressure; a cell station for holding said sample of cells; an illumination frame located within said isolation chamber, said illumination frame being coupled to said cell station wherein said cell station provides said illumination frame with a stream of cells from said sample of cells; a light source coupled to said illumination frame wherein said light source provides said illumination frame with at least one beam of light for measurement of said at least one property; a detector coupled to said illumination frame, said detector collects light from said stream of cells flowing through said illumination frame, said detector further transforms said light into electrical pulses to be measured. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of measuring cells in a sterile environment, said method comprising the steps of:
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sterilizing an isolation chamber; maintaining said isolation chamber at a pressure not substantially equivalent to atmospheric pressure while sorting cells; providing a stream of sample cells to a droplet generator wherein said sample cells flow through said droplet generator; generating at least one beam of light from a light source wherein said beam of light intersects said stream of sample cells; measuring at least one property from said stream of sample cells. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method of sorting cells in a sterile environment, said method comprising:
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sterilizing an isolation chamber; maintaining said isolation chamber at a pressure not substantially equivalent to atmospheric pressure; providing a stream of sample cells to a droplet generator wherein said stream of sample cells include at least one normal cell, said stream of sample cells flow through said droplet generator; generating at least one beam of light from a light source wherein said beam of light intersects said stream of sample cells; measuring at least one property of at least one cell from said stream of sample cells; separating said stream of sample cells into a procession of droplets wherein almost each said sample cell is isolated into a separate droplet; charging at least one droplet generated by said droplet generator; deflecting said at least one droplet into a specific collection receptacle such that said at least one normal cell is separated from a plurality of non-normal cells within said stream of sample cells. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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Specification