Back to results
US 10,479,972 B2Granted
Chamber for imaging cells and method of use thereof
AssigneesRush University Medical Center, Loyola University of Chicago
InventorsEduardo Rios, Peter Caron, Pieter deTombe, Carlo Manno
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
One aspect of the invention provides a sample chamber for use in the dynamic imaging of cells. In one embodiment, the chamber includes a holding mechanism for positioning the cells against a viewing window in the chamber. A housing is positioned against the viewing window to define the closed chamber. The housing may include access ports allowing for the perfusion of fluid through the chamber, the control of the internal temperature of the chamber and the micromanipulation and electrical stimulation of the cells.
Claims17
An apparatus for imaging cells comprising:
- a chamber base assembly comprising a viewing window;
- a cell-holding bay positioned on top of the viewing window, wherein the viewing window forms at least a portion of a base of the cell-holding bay;
- a first cell-holding assembly extending through a first conduit in the chamber base assembly and having a first end positionable at a first position in the cell-holding bay;
- a second cell-holding assembly extending through a second conduit in the chamber base assembly and having a first end positionable at a second position in the sample holding bay;
- a chamber perfusion and manipulation manifold mounted on the chamber base assembly on top of the cell-holding bay,
- wherein the first ends of the first and second cell-holding assemblies are movable between a first position holding the cells against the viewing window and a second position allowing placement and removal of the cells from the cell-holding bay.
3 more elements
A microscope system for imaging cells comprising:
- an optical microscope unit;
- and
- a chamber comprising:
- a chamber base assembly comprising a viewing window;
- a cell-holding bay positioned on top of the viewing window;
- a first cell-holding assembly extending through a first conduit in the chamber base assembly and having a first end positionable at a first position in the cell-holding bay;
- a second cell-holding assembly extending through a second conduit in the chamber base assembly and having a first end positionable at a second position in the sample holding bay;
- a chamber housing mounted on the chamber base assembly and enclosing the cell-holding bay,
- wherein the first ends of the first and second cell-holding assemblies are movable between a first position holding the cells against the viewing window and a second position allowing removal of the cells from the cell-holding bay,
- wherein the chamber is positioned to allow cells held against the viewing window to be viewed through the microscope unit.
7 more elements
A method of viewing a cell, the method comprising:
- providing an apparatus comprising:
- a chamber base assembly comprising a viewing window;
- a cell-holding bay positioned on top of the viewing window, wherein the viewing window form a base of the cell-holding bay;
- a first cell-holding assembly extending through a first conduit in the chamber base assembly and having a first end positionable at a first position in the cell-holding bay;
- a second cell-holding assembly extending through a second conduit in the chamber base assembly and having a first end positionable at a second position in the sample holding bay;
- a chamber housing mounted on the chamber base assembly and enclosing the cell-holding bay,
- wherein the first ends of the first and second cell-holding assemblies are movable between a first position holding the cell against the viewing window and a second position allowing removal of the cell from the cell-holding bay;
- placing the first ends of the first and second cell-holding assemblies in the second position;
- positioning the cell on the base of the cell-holding bay between the viewing window and the first ends of the first and second cell-holding assemblies;
- moving the first ends of the first and second cell-holding assemblies to the first position to contact differing portions of the cell so as to position the cell against the viewing window;
- and
- viewing the cell through the viewing window, wherein the viewing is viewing through a microscope.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.