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US 4,397,954 AGranted
Flowcell fractionator
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorSiddhartha Sarkar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Enriched quantities of male and female sperm are obtained in physically separate fractions utilizing the hydrodynamic behavior of sperm in laminar flow. A flowcell fractionator is provided for performing the method, and includes a specially constructed pipette, valve and infusion pump combination.
Claims10
An apparatus for fractionating cells comprising:
- a vessel defining an elongate chamber;
- a cell suspension fluid inlet centrally positioned at one end of the chamber;
- a plurality of nutrient fluid inlets positioned at the one end of the chamber surrounding the cell suspension fluid inlet;
- means for pumping a nutrient fluid through the nutrient fluid inlets at a substantially constant rate;
- and
- means for injecting a predetermined quantity of a cell suspension fluid through the cell suspension fluid inlet;
- the cell suspension and nutrient fluid inlets being directed to establish a laminar flow longitudinally of the chamber as the nutrient fluid is pumped therethrough and so that the quantity of cell suspension fluid injected through the cell suspension fluid inlet is focussed at a central confluence region of the laminar flow.
4 more elements
An apparatus for fractionating sperm comprising:
- a vertically extending chamber;
- means for injecting a sperm suspension fluid into the chamber;
- means for establishing a vertical laminar flow of a nutrient fluid within the chamber to establish a vertical gradient of different fractions of the sperm;
- and
- a plurality of vertically spaced extraction valve means for permitting fluid samples containing individual ones of the sperm fractions to be withdrawn from the chamber.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.