Dissection tool and methods of use
AssigneeThe United States of America, as represented by the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services
InventorSoojung Shin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure provides cutting tools which include a handle coupled to a rotatable shaft having shallow grooves that extend substantially entirely across the surface of the rotatable shaft. The grooves define sharp cutting edges. In particular examples, the cutting edges are continuous, such as being defined by helical threads. The present disclosure also provides methods of dissecting a substrate of cultured cells. The substrate of cultured cells is separated into separated portions with a cutting tool. The cutting tool includes a rotatable shaft having a cutting blade which extends around the shaft. The cutting blade is rolled through the substrate to cut the substrate into portions. The portions are separated from one another to dissect the substrate.
Claims14
A method of dissecting a substrate of cultured cells, comprising:
- separating the substrate of cultured cells into separated portions with a cutting tool that comprises a rotatable shaft having a shallow thread member that forms a continuous groove extending around the rotatable shaft and across a width of the rotatable shaft, the continuous groove extending upward on both sides into sharp crests that define a continuous cutting surface across the width of the rotatable shaft, the continuous groove comprising a shallow, concavely curved surface that has a generally constant thread height across a width of the rotatable shaft, wherein the sharp crests of the continuous cutting surface are rolled through the substrate to cut the substrate into the portions without collecting a substantial amount of substrate in the shallow, concavely curved surface of the continuous groove;
- and
- separating the portions from one another to dissect the substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.