Uses of parylene membrane filters
AssigneesCalifornia Institute of Technology, University of Southern California
InventorsYu-Chong Tai, Siyang Zheng, Henry Lin, Ram Datar, Richard Cote
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Abstract
The invention provides parylene membrane filters, filter devices and methods of making them and using them in the mechanical separation of cells and particles by size. The provision of parylene membrane filters with high figures of merit and finely controlled hole sizes allows the separation of cells and particles in a variety of biological and other fluids according to sizes.
Claims14
A method for isolating a cancer cell from a urine sample, the method comprising passing the urine sample under pressure through at least a first membrane filter consisting of
- a parylene substrate, a portion of the membrane filter having a first plurality of holes having a predetermined geometric design, wherein the first plurality of holes is between 5000 and 40,000 per square millimeter;
- a pressure generating device coupled to the filter for applying pressure to a sample to be filtered;
- and
- a housing surrounding the membrane filter wherein the portion is suspended free of the housing, thereby isolating the cancer cell from the urine sample.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.