Targeted cell separation and enumeration device and the use thereof
OwnerBin Honginventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This disclosure describes a portable device that conveniently applies cancer patient blood sample into a test strip to determine the level of the patient's metastatic circulating tumor cells. Proper use of this device provides end users with the diagnostic and prognostic information of the cancer patient, and any effect of applied therapies. The device can also be used to screen effective drugs for any known metastatic phenotype disruption.
Claims9
A portable device for targeted cell separation and enumeration, comprising:
- a lid, wherein the center of said lid contains a hollowed one-way turning button with at least two stops, the edge of said lid is configured with at least two cuts, and the body of said lid comprises
- an opening at said lid's bottom surface, wherein a test strip membrane is supported on said opening through an appropriate flow-through structure;
- an inspection window embedded in a sliding cover on said lid's top surface, wherein said inspection window is above said opening;
- a base, wherein the center of said base contains a spring projection, the edge of said base is configured with at least two protuberances, wherein said protuberances fit to said cuts, and the body of said base contains at least two independent rooms, wherein said independent rooms are sized to at least hold said strip;
- said lid and said base are configured that
- said strip rests in the first said independent room;
- pressing said spring projection separates said lid and said base;
- and
- turning once of said button results a stop that transports said strip into next said independent room.
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A method to separate and enumerate circulating tumor cells (CTCs), wherein said CTCs contain at least one known metastatic specific biomarker, comprising the steps:
- a. obtaining appropriate amount of peripheral blood of a cancer patient and properly lysing the red blood cells in the peripheral blood to get a lysate for further analysis;
- b. obtaining a portable device, said device comprising:
- a lid, wherein the center of said lid contains a hollowed one-way turning button with at least two stops, the edge of said lid is configured with at least two cuts, and the body of said lid comprises:
- an opening at said lid's bottom surface, wherein a test strip membrane is supported on said opening through an appropriate flow-through structure;
- an inspection window embedded in a sliding cover on said lid's top surface, wherein said inspection window is above said opening;
- a base, wherein the center of said base contains a spring projection, the edge of said base is configured with at least two protuberances, wherein said protuberances fit to said cuts, and the body of said base contains at least two independent rooms, wherein said independent rooms are sized to at least hold said strip;
- said lid and said base are configured that
- said strip rests in the first said independent room;
- pressing said spring projection separates said lid and said base;
- and
- turning once of said button results a stop that transports said strip into next said independent room;
- c. applying said lysate into said strip, wherein the first independent room contains an absorbent material;
- d. turning said button for at least once to move said strip into next said independent rooms, wherein at each independent room said strip is sequentially
- treated with appropriate wash buffer;
- incubated with a moiety that specifically binds to said known biomarker on said CTCs;
- and
- further incubated with a substrate that specifically illustrates the binding optically;
- e. Moving said device under optical microscope and enumerate said CTCs.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.