SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR COUNTING CELLS AND BIOMOLECULES
First Claim
1. A system for counting cells or biomolecules comprising:
- a covered chamber having a known height and configured to hold a suspension of biomolecules or cells in a sample;
at least one fluorescent light source connected to at least one fluorescent light beam narrowing device;
a bright-field light source connected to a bright-field light beam narrowing device;
a microscope objective;
a detection device;
a fluorescent filter assembly to allow only excitation light to illuminate the sample and allow only emission light from the sample to be imaged by the detection device; and
a movable light shutter to block bright-field light during fluorescent detection.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for counting biomolecules or cells. In certain embodiments, the invention provides a cell counting or biomolecule counting system including: a covered chamber having a known height and configured to hold a suspension of biomolecules or cells in a sample; at least one fluorescent light source connected to at least one fluorescent light beam narrowing device; a bright-field light source connected to a bright-field light beam narrowing device; a microscope objective; a detection device; a fluorescent filter assembly to allow only excitation light to illuminate the sample and allow only emission light from the sample to be imaged by the detection device; and a movable light shutter to block bright-field light during fluorescent detection.
76 Citations
62 Claims
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1. A system for counting cells or biomolecules comprising:
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a covered chamber having a known height and configured to hold a suspension of biomolecules or cells in a sample; at least one fluorescent light source connected to at least one fluorescent light beam narrowing device; a bright-field light source connected to a bright-field light beam narrowing device; a microscope objective; a detection device; a fluorescent filter assembly to allow only excitation light to illuminate the sample and allow only emission light from the sample to be imaged by the detection device; and a movable light shutter to block bright-field light during fluorescent detection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for determining a concentration or number count of cells that express a biomarker in a population of cells in a sample comprising:
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contacting a sample comprising cells that express a biomarker with a fluorescently labeled agent that specifically binds the biomarker; loading the sample into a covered chamber having a known height, wherein the population of cells is suspended within the chamber; acquiring a single static bright-field image of the population of cells in the sample in the chamber; acquiring a single static fluorescent image of the population of cells in the sample in the chamber; and comparing cell count from the bright-field image to cell count from the fluorescent image to determine the concentration or number count of the cells that express the biomarker in the population of cells. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method for determining a concentration or number count of stem cells in a population of cells in a sample comprising:
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contacting a sample comprising stem cells with a fluorescently labeled agent that specifically binds the stem cells in the sample; loading the sample into a covered chamber having a known height, wherein the population of cells is suspended within the chamber; acquiring a single static bright-field image of the population of cells in the sample in the chamber; acquiring a single static fluorescent image of the population of cells in the sample in the chamber; and comparing cell count from the bright-field image to cell count from the fluorescent image to determine the concentration or number count of stem cells in the population of cells. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method for determining infection rates of malaria in a subject comprising:
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contacting a sample of red blood cells from a subject having malaria with a fluorescently labeled agent specific for a malaria parasite; loading the sample into a covered chamber having a known height, wherein the cells are suspended within the chamber; acquiring a single static bright-field image of the cells in the sample in the chamber; acquiring a single static fluorescent image of the cells in the sample in the chamber; and comparing cell count from the bright-field image to cell count from the fluorescent image to determine the infection rate of malaria in the subject. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39)
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40. A method for identifying or number count adipocytes in sample comprising:
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contacting a sample comprising adipocytes with a fluorescently labeled agent that specifically binds the adipocytes; loading the sample into a covered chamber having a known height, wherein the cells are suspended within the chamber; acquiring a single static bright-field image in the chamber of the sample; acquiring a single static fluorescent image in the chamber of the sample; and comparing the bright-field image to the fluorescent image to identify or number count the adipocytes. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43)
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44. A method for detecting a biomolecule in a sample comprising:
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contacting a sample with particles coated with a biotinylated antibody, and streptavidin coupled to a fluorescent indicator; loading the sample into a covered chamber having a known height, wherein the biomolecules are suspended within the chamber; acquiring a single static bright-field image of the sample in the chamber; acquiring a static fluorescent image of the sample in the chamber; and comparing the bright-field image to the fluorescent image to detect the biomolecule in the sample. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. A method for determining a concentration or number count of viable hepatocytes in a population of hepatocytes in a sample comprising:
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contacting a sample comprising hepatocytes with at least one fluorescently labeled agent; loading the sample into a covered chamber having a known height, wherein the population of hepatocytes is suspended within the chamber; acquiring two or more static images of the population of hepatocytes, wherein the first and second image are selected from the group consisting of a bright-field image, a fluorescent image of viable hepatocytes, and a fluorescent image of dead hepatocytes, wherein the first image is different from the second image; comparing cell count from the first image to cell count from the second image to determine the concentration or number count of viable hepatocytes in the population of hepatocytes. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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62. A system for counting cells or biomolecules comprising:
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a closed chamber configured to hold a suspension of biomolecules or cells in a sample, and to allow calculation of a volume of sample that is interrogated; at least one fluorescent light source connected to at least one fluorescent light beam narrowing device; a bright-field light source connected to a bright-field light beam narrowing device; a microscope objective; a detection device; a fluorescent filter assembly to allow only excitation light to illuminate the sample and allow only emission light from the sample to be imaged by the detection device; and a movable light shutter to block bright-field light during fluorescent detection.
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Specification