Cell holding method, cell testing method and cell handling apparatus
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsTsuyoshi Nomoto, Kohei Watanabe, Takeshi Miyazaki, Toshio Tanaka, Yasuhito Shimada
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Abstract
It is intended to provide a method for individually arranging and holding, with rapidity and few variations, the number of cells required for bioassay. The present invention provides a cell holding method including: preparing a sheet provided with a plurality of through-holes; and bringing a suspension liquid of cell-supported particles into contact with the sheet, wherein each of the holes has a size that permits only one of the particles to be held therein together with a liquid.
Claims7
A cell holding method comprising:
- preparing a sheet provided with a plurality of through-holes;
- and
- bringing a suspension liquid of cell-supported particles into contact with the sheet, wherein
- each of the holes has a size that permits only one of the particles to be held therein together with a liquid.
A cell handling apparatus comprising a holding unit for holding a sheet provided with a plurality of through-holes and further comprising at least one of the following units (A) to (G):
- (A) an arranging unit for arranging cell-supported particles to the holes in the sheet;
- (B) a controlling unit for controlling an environment surrounding the sheet to a predetermined environment;
- (C) an applying unit for applying a droplet to the holes in the sheet;
- (D) an observing unit for observing the states of the particles held in the holes in the sheet;
- (E) a transporting unit for transporting, from the sheet, the particles held in the holes in the sheet;
- (F) a recognizing unit for recognizing the positions of the holes in the sheet;
- and
- (G) a liquid exchange unit for performing liquid exchange in the holes in the sheet.
A kit for cell test or culture, comprising:
- a sheet provided with a plurality of through-holes;
- and
- particles for supporting cells, wherein
- each of the holes has a size that permits only one of the particles to be held therein together with a liquid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.