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US 2003/0203374 A1Published application
Method of cell detection
AssigneeMatforsk; Norwegian Food Research Institute
InventorKnut Rudi
Life of this patent
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AssigneeMatforsk; Norwegian Food Research Institute
InventorKnut Rudi
Estimating the term…
The present invention relates to methods of detecting cells in a sample and to obtaining quantitative information about cell populations within a sample. In particular, the present invention provides a method of distinguishing between living and dead cells in a sample, said method comprising: (a) contacting the sample with a viability probe which modifies the nucleic acid of dead cells within the sample; and (b) detecting nucleic acid from the cells in the sample. Also described is a method of detecting cells in a sample, said method comprising: (a) contacting the sample with a viability probe which labels the nucleic acid of dead cells within the sample; (b) separating the nucleic acid from the cells into labelled and non-labelled fractions; and (c) detecting the nucleic acid in one or both of the fractions.
A method of distinguishing between living and dead cells in a sample, said method comprising:
A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the viability probe modifies the nucleic acid by labelling and/or inactivating it.
A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the viability probe selectivity modifies DNA in the cells.
A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the detection method used in step (b) targets sequences of nucleic acid modified by the viability probe.
A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein after step (a), the cells are lysed.
A method of detecting cells in a sample, said method comprising:
A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the viability probe covalently binds to dead cell nucleic acid.
A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the viability probe is a dye, a peptide, an oligonucleotide or a nucleic acid degrading enzyme. oligonucleotide or a nucleic acid degrading enzyme.
A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the viability probe also modifies free nucleic acid present in the sample.
A kit for distinguishing between living and dead cells in a sample comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.