Method of separating cells and separation apparatus

A cell separation method of selectively separating only target cells in cell samples on a first substrate, each target cell containing a marker substance, the cell separation method comprising steps of:

• inserting a needle-shaped body, on which a substance that selectively binds to the marker substance within each target cell has been immobilized, into each of the cell samples on the first substrate, thereby causing the marker substance within each target cell in the cell samples to bind to the needle-shaped body through the immobilized substance that selectively binds to the marker substance, and then pulling up the needle-shaped body;
• and
• making a binding force between the needle-shaped body and each target cell in the cell samples on the first substrate when the needle-shaped body has been inserted into the target cell and the marker substance within the target cell has bound to the needle-shaped body greater than an adhesion force between the first substrate and each of the cell samples on the first substrate,
• wherein in the step of making the binding force between the needle-shaped body and each target cell in the cell samples when the needle-shaped body has been inserted into the target cell and the marker substance within the target cell has bound to the needle-shaped body greater than the adhesion force between the first substrate and each of the cell samples on the first substrate, the adhesion force between the first substrate and each of the cell samples on the first substrate is adjusted such that an adhesion force is within 500 pN-2 nN when a loading rate of the needle-shaped body, on which the substance that selectively binds to the marker substance within each target cell has been immobilized, into each of the cell samples on the first substrate is 0.4 μN/sec.