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US 6,534,295 B2Granted
Cell lysis device
AssigneeCalifornia Institute of Technology
InventorsYu-Chong Tai, Sang-Wook Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A micromachined cell lysis device with electrodes that are spaced by less than 10 μm from one another. The cells are attracted to the space between the.electrodes and then lysed.
Claims18
A cell lysis apparatus, comprising:
- a substrate formed of a material that can be micromachined;
- an insulator, covering at least a portion of the substrate;
- a first electrode, formed on said insulator, and having a first area over which the first electrode forms a first sharp edge;
- a second electrode, also formed on said insulator, and having a second area, spaced from said first area, said second area forming a second sharp edge which is spaced from and facing said first sharp edge;
- a distance between said first and second sharp edges being less than 100 microns;
- and
- a power supply connection, enabling specified voltages to be applied between said first and second electrodes in a way which enables cell lysing.
4 more elements
A method of lysing, comprising:
- providing a first electrode with a first sharp-edged area and providing a second electrode with a second sharp edged area facing said first extended sharp edged area and separated therefrom by 100 microns or less, said area defining a cell holding area therebetween;
- first energizing said first and second electrodes with a first voltage less than 50 volts peak to peak and which is effective to attract cells into said area between said first and second electrode dielectrophoretically;
- and
- second energizing said first and second electrodes with a second voltage, greater than said first voltage, and which is effective to lyse said cells.
1 more element
A cell lysis apparatus, comprising:
- a substrate;
- an insulator, covering at least a portion of the substrate;
- a first array, comprising:
- a first electrode, formed on said insulator, and having a first area over which the electrode forms a first sharp edge;
- a second electrode, also formed on said insulator, and having a second area spaced from said first area, said second extended area forming a second sharp edge which is spaced from and facing said first sharp edge:
- a distance between said first and second sharp edges being less than 100 microns, and a cell holding area being formed between said first and second sharp edges;
- a second array, comprising:
- a first electrode, formed on said insulator, and having a first area over which the first electrode forms a first sharp edge;
- a second electrode, also formed on said insulator, and having a second area spaced from said first area, said second extended area forming a second sharp edge which is spaced from and facing said first sharp edge;
- a distance between said first and second sharp edges being less than 100 microns, and a cell holding area being formed between said first and second sharp edges;
- and
- a power supply connection, enabling specified voltages to be applied between said first and second electrodes of each of said first and second array in a way which first enables attraction of cells and then enables lysing of cells which are attracted.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.