Nuclear packing efficiency
OwnerRichard A. Thomasinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and devices for determining the nuclear packing efficiency (NPE) of a cell nucleus and other biological particles. An NPE can be determined by correlating at least one biochemical component, such as DNA content, to nuclear volume using a variety of mathematical techniques. Flow cytometry is particularly useful for measuring nuclear volume in terms of the electronic nuclear volume (ENV). The NPE can then be used to characterize individual cells and cell populations in terms of species and tissue source, sexing, stage of the cell division cycle, differentiation and apoptosis, as well as differentiating among benign, malignant and metastatic states to diagnose cancer.
Claims25
A method for determining the packing efficiency (NPE) of a procaryotic cell, comprising the steps of
- (a) measuring a biochemical component (BC) of the cell;
- (b) measuring a spatial displacement of the cell (SDN);
- and
- (c) determining a packing efficiency (NPE) by correlating the values of BC and SDN.
A method for determining the packing efficiency (NPE) of a virus, comprising the steps of
- (a) measuring a biochemical component (BC) of the virus;
- (b) measuring a spatial displacement of the virus (SDN);
- and
- (c) determining a packing efficiency (NPE) by correlating the values of BC and SDN.
A method for determining the nuclear packing efficiency (NPE) of a cell, comprising the steps of
- (a) measuring a biochemical component (BC) of the nucleus of a cell;
- (b) measuring a spatial displacement of the nucleus (SDN) of the cell using electronic cell volume (ECV);
- and
- (c) determining a nuclear packing efficiency (NPE) by correlating the values of BC and SDN.
A method for determining an NPE for a population of cells, comprising the steps of
- (a) for a representative number of cells in the population:
- (1) measuring a biochemical component (BC) of the nucleus of a cell;
- (2) measuring a spatial displacement of the nucleus (SDN) of the cell using electronic cell volume (ECV);
- and
- (3) determining a datapoint for BC and SDN on separate axes for BC and SDN;
- (b) identifying at least one cluster of the datapoints;
- and
- (c) determining an NPE according to a preselected geometric parameter of the cluster of datapoints.
A method for determining the nuclear packing efficiency (NPE) of a cell, comprising the steps of
- (a) measuring a biochemical component (BC) of the nucleus of a cell;
- (b) measuring a spatial displacement of the nucleus (SDN) of the cell using nuclear envelope volume;
- and
- (c) determining a nuclear packing efficiency (NPE) by correlating the values of BC and SDN.
A method for determining an NPE for a population of cells, comprising the steps of
- (a) for a representative number of cells in the population:
- (1) measuring a biochemical component (BC) of the nucleus of a cell;
- (2) measuring a spatial displacement of the nucleus (SDN) of the cell using nuclear envelope volume;
- and
- (3) determining a datapoint for BC and SDN on separate axes for BC and SDN;
- (b) identifying at least one cluster of the datapoints;
- and
- (c) determining an NPE according to a preselected geometric parameter of the cluster of datapoints.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.