# US 5,702,915 A · Toxicity detecting biosensor system

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- Number: US 5,702,915 A
- Document ID: US5702915A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/542,021
- Filed: 1995-10-12
- Granted: 1997-12-30
- Earliest claimed: 1993-03-15
- Assignees: NEC Corporation
- Inventors: Shigeyuki Miyamoto
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5702915A

## CPC

- C12Q 1/025: {for testing or evaluating the effect of chemical or biological compounds, e.g. drugs, cosmetics (antimicrobial activity C12Q1/18)}
- C12Q: MEASURING OR TESTING PROCESSES INVOLVING ENZYMES, NUCLEIC ACIDS OR MICROORGANISMS (immunoassay G01N33/53); COMPOSITIONS OR TEST PAPERS THEREFOR; PROCESSES OF PREPARING SUCH COMPOSITIONS; CONDITION-RESPONSIVE CONTROL IN MICROBIOLOGICAL OR ENZYMOLOGICAL PROCESSES

## Abstract

A biosensor for detecting the toxicity of a sample includes a solid-state area image pickup element, a culture container positioned on an upper surface of a light-receiving portion of the element, at least a bottom surface of the culture container being formed of transparent material, a cell cultured in the culture container, and culture medium for growing the cell.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A biosensor for detecting the toxicity of a sample comprising:
a solid-state area image pickup element;
a culture container positioned on an upper surface of a light-receiving portion of said element, a bottom surface of said culture container being formed of one of transparent plastics and transparent glass;
a cell cultured in said culture container; and
culture medium for growing said cell.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A biosensor in accordance with claim 1, wherein between said culture container and said element is positioned any one selected from the group consisting of a lens, a filter, an iris, a pinhole, a slit, a deflecting plate, a light scattering plate, a color filter for picking out incident light having a specified wave length and a combination thereof.

### Claim 3

A biosensor for detecting the toxicity of a sample comprising:
a solid-state area image pickup element;
a culture container positioned on an upper surface of a light-receiving portion of said element, a bottom surface of said culture container being formed of one of transparent plastics and transparent glass;
a cell cultured in said culture container;
culture medium for growing said cell; and
a light source for radiating light toward said culture container.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

A biosensor in accordance with claim 3 further comprising a controller for controlling the strength of the light radiated from said light source.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

A biosensor in accordance with claim 3, wherein said light source is selected from the group consisting of an electric-light bulb, a light emitting diode, and an electroluminescence.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

A biosensor in accordance with claim 3 further comprising an enclosure for interrupting external light so as not to enter said culture container, said light source being disposed in said enclosure.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A biosensor in accordance with claim 1, wherein said cell is positioned on the bottom surface of said culture container.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A biosensor in accordance with claim 1, wherein said cell is selected from cells having high sensitivity to substances to be detected.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

A biosensor in accordance with claim 1, wherein a plurality of kinds of cells are cultured in said culture container.

### Claim 10 (depends on 3)

A biosensor in accordance with claim 3, wherein a plurality of kinds of cells are cultured in said culture container.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

A biosensor in accordance with claim 9, wherein each kind of cell has its own area in which it is located on said bottom surface of said culture container.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

A biosensor in accordance with claim 10, wherein each kind of cell has its own area in which it is located on said bottom surface of said culture container.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

A biosensor in accordance with claim 1, wherein said cell is a photogenic one.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

A biosensor system for detecting the toxicity of a sample comprising:
at least one biosensor in accordance with claim 1; and
a driver for driving said element provided in said biosensor.

### Claim 15 (depends on 3)

A biosensor system for detecting the toxicity of a sample comprising:
at least one biosensor in accordance with claim 3; and
a driver for driving said element provided in said biosensor.

### Claim 16

A method of detecting the toxicity of a sample comprising the steps of:
positioning a culture container on an upper surface of a light-receiving portion of a solid-state area image pickup element, a bottom surface of said culture container being formed of one of transparent plastics and transparent glass;
providing a cell and culture medium in said culture container;
providing a sample to be tested in said culture container so that the sample comes into contact with said cell;
radiating external light over said cell;
taking out data about said cell from said element; and
indicating said data on a display.

### Claim 17

A method of detecting the toxicity of a sample comprising the steps of:
positioning a culture container on an upper surface of a light-receiving portion of a solid-state area image pickup element, a bottom surface of said culture container being formed of one of transparent plastics and transparent glass;
providing a cell and culture medium in said culture container;
providing a sample to be tested in said culture container so that the sample comes into contact with said cell;
radiating light over said cell with external light being interrupted so as not to enter said culture container, the strength of said light being controlled by a controller;
taking out data about said cell from said element; and
indicating said data on a display.