Detection of Living Cells
AssigneeThe Curators of the University of Missouri
InventorsShramik Sengupta, Roli Kargupta, Sachidevi Puttaswamy
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Abstract
Disclosed herein are method of detecting the presence of living cells in a sample by detecting the death of those cells. Because cell death can occur more rapidly than cell growth, which is often the parameter used to detect living cells, detection by death can reduce the time to detect certain organisms. Further, the present methods can distinguish between the presence of dead cells which may leave traces of, for example, detectable genetic material, and living cells that are of concern in situations such as diagnosing an infection.
Claims23
A method of detecting the death of a target cell in a sample, the method comprising applying an AC-field to the sample and measuring the electrical impedance of the sample to measure a decrease in the bulk capacitance (Cb) of the sample corresponding to the death of the target cell, thereby detecting the death of the target cell in the sample.
A method of detecting the presence of a living target cell in a sample, the method comprising pre-treating the sample to selectively kill and/or remove non-target cells without killing or removing the target cell, then treating the pre-treated sample with a reagent that kills the target cell, and detecting the resultant death of the target cell, thereby, by detecting the death of the target cell, detecting that the living target cell is present in the sample.
(canceled)
A kit for detecting a target cell in a sample, the kit comprising two or more of (i) a reagent that selectively kills non-target cells, a (ii) reagent that kills target cell, and (iii) a reagent that kills both target and non-target cells.
21-22. (canceled)
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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.