Method for enrichment of fetal cell population from maternal whole blood samples
AssigneeBioSeparations, Inc.
InventorsDavid W. Sammons, Michael Manley, Joseph G. Utermohlen, Garland E. Twitty
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for enriching rare cell populations from a whole blood sample by separating rare cell fractions from whole according to the relative charge density and/or the relative binding affinity for a leukocyte depletion solid phase matrix. The enrichment method may be operated stand alone, or as a pre or post-processing step in conjunction with a charge-flow separation method.
Claims10
A method for enriching a maternal whole blood sample for desired fetal cell populations within the maternal whole blood sample, comprising the steps of:
- a) density gradient centrifugation of the maternal whole blood sample in the presence of a Ficoll gradient having a density of at least about 1.119 g/ml at less than or equal to about 500 g;
- b) recovering a desired fraction containing fetal cell population from the density gradient centrifugation and passing the desired fraction containing fetal cell population through a counterflow stabilized charge-flow separator apparatus, in which the mobility of each cellular component in the maternal blood sample in the presence of an applied electrical field is opposed by a buffer counterflow, thereby concentrating desired fraction containing fetal cell population;
- c) retrieving at least one fraction eluting from the charge-flow separator apparatus having a concentrated desired fraction containing fetal cell population from step (b);
- d) depleting unwanted cells from the concentrated desired fraction containing fetal cell population;
- and
- e) recovering an enriched desired fetal cell population for analysis.
A method for recovering a desired fetal cell population from a maternal whole blood sample, comprising the steps of:
- a) depleting a major fraction of unwanted cells from the maternal whole blood sample, thereby concentrating a desired fetal cell population;
- b) passing the concentrated desired fetal cell population through a counterflow stabilized charge-flow separator apparatus, in which the mobility of each cellular component in the depleted blood sample in the presence of an applied electrical field is opposed by a buffer counterflow, thereby concentrating the desired fetal cell population from other cellular blood components;
- c) retrieving at least one fraction eluting from the charge-flow separator apparatus having a concentrated desired fetal cell population;
- and
- d) recovering an enriched desired fetal cell population for analysis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.