Method and apparatus for tissue disaggregation
AssigneeLNIH, Inc.
InventorSteven E. Kanor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of disaggregating tissue, particularly those containing relatively soft cells of body organs, to component cells, is disclosed as well as apparatus for carrying out the method which permits obtaining relatively large quantities of single cells or small groups of cells, the membrane and contents of which are structurally and chemically intact and not adversely affected by the disaggregation process.
Claims14
A method of disaggregating cells without damaging the structure or antigenic properties of their cell membranes, comprising:
- submerging the cells to be disaggregated in a physiologic liquid between two screen elements, the surfaces of which are formed of biologically inert material free of metal ions poisonous to cell membranes and at least one of which permits passage of disaggregated cells through it to a volume of such physiologic liquid;
- and
- moving the screen elements relative to each other to disaggregate the cells for passage through said one screen element.
Apparatus for disaggregating cells without substantially damaging the structure or antigenic properties of their cell membranes, comprising:
- a first screen element;
- means constituting a mortar for holding the first screen element and including a vessel within which the first screen element is disposed having its interior surface formed of a biologically inert material, said means being mounted in the vessel to hold said screen substantially in a horizontal plane in said vessel and including a filter screen element for passing only those disaggregated cells and clusters thereof that it is desired to accept;
- a second screen element;
- means in the form of a pestle for holding the second screen element and for moving it in contact with the first screen element such that the first and second screen elements are in mutual contact over substantially their entire surfaces, said pestle having a downwardly convex head about which the second screen element is mounted and including means for sealing the circumferential space between said head and the mortar to permit relative vertical movement between the mortar and the pestle;
- all of said screen elements having a surface formed of a biologically inert material and the first and second screen elements having mesh sizes at least twice the diameter of the cells to be disaggregated.
Apparatus for disaggregating cells substantially without damaging the structure or antigenic properties of their cell membranes, comprising:
- a first screen element;
- means for holding the first screen element;
- a second flexible screen element;
- means for holding the second screen element at its periphery and for moving it in contact with the first screen element such that the first and second screen elements are in mutual contact over substantially their entire surfaces;
- said first and second screen elements having surfaces formed of a biologically inert material and having mesh sizes at least twice the diameter of the cells to be disaggregated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.