Cancer Analysis System
AssigneeXcell Biosciences, Inc.
InventorJames Lim
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Abstract
The invention provides for detecting target subpopulations of cells that have high proliferative and renewal properties in animals, including circulating tumor cells, cancer stem cells, hematopoietic stem cells and endothelial progenitor cells. The invention utilizes a defined substrate and media of known property to enrich target cell subpopulations which can be used for future genetic, proteomic and morphological analyses. The method can use image-capture and analysis software to characterize cells based on physical properties, such as size, morphology and kinetic properties.
Claims31
A method to capture and enrich target cell subpopulations from a heterogeneous cell population, comprising:
- (a) contacting the cells from said heterogeneous population of cells to a substrate;
- (b) incubating the cells in enrichment medium for a time sufficient to allow enrichment of the said target subpopulation of cells;
- wherein the said target subpopulation of cells are isolated based their physical and kinetic properties.
A method to capture, enrich, and identify a target subpopulation of cells from a heterogeneous cell population, comprising:
- (a) contacting the cells from the said heterogeneous cell population to a substrate;
- (b) incubating the said target subpopulation of cells in enrichment media for a time sufficient to allow enrichment of the said target subpopulation of cells;
- (c) using an apparatus to obtain images of the said target cell subpopulation over time;
- and
- (d) using software to perform analysis of the said images
- wherein the said software can automatically classify cells based on their physical and kinetic properties.
A method to capture and enrich CTCs from a human subject, comprising:
- (a) drawing blood from said human;
- (b) contacting the cells contained within said blood to a substrate;
- (c) incubating said cells in a media for a time sufficient to allow enrichment of CTCs;
- and
- (d) using an apparatus to automatically perform image analysis of the CTCs and classification of CTCs
- wherein using said classification to direct treatment for a cancer patient.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.