Sampling and placement device, and sampling and placement method

Abstract

A sampling and placement device (100) comprises a sampling and placement member (104), a holding arm (109), and an outer frame part (108). The sampling and placement member (104) includes a hollow-shaped sampling pin capable of cutting and collecting a material to be processed. The holding arm (109) is capable of holding the material to be processed. The outer frame part (108) is disposed around the sampling and placement member (104). One end of the holding arm (109) is fixed to the outer frame part (108). The material to be processed is immersed in a liquid (112), and the other end of the holding arm is capable of holding the material to be processed in the liquid (112).

Description

Sampling and placement device and sampling and placement method

[0001] The present invention relates to a sampling and placement device and a sampling and placement method.

[0002] In recent years, techniques for selecting target cells and cell populations have rapidly developed through analysis using single cells. For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2023-104590 (Patent Document 1), a gel plate on which a gel sheet embedded with a sample such as cells is placed is installed on a plate including a plurality of wells. In Patent Document 1, a part of the gel sheet is sampled by puncturing the gel sheet with an injection needle.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2023-104590

[0004] In Patent Document 1, the gel plate is punctured and sampled in the air. Therefore, there is a possibility that the gel sheet and the sample such as cells contained in the gel sheet may dry. Then, due to drying, the sample may be damaged.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems. An object of the present invention is to provide a sampling and placement device and a sampling and placement method capable of preventing drying of a gel sheet and a sample contained in the gel sheet and suppressing damage to the sample.

[0006] The sampling and placement device according to the present disclosure includes a sampling and placement member, a holding arm, and an outer frame portion. The sampling and placement member includes a sampling pin having a hollow shape capable of cutting and sampling a processing target material. The holding arm is capable of holding the processing target material. The outer frame portion is disposed around the sampling and placement member. One end portion of the holding arm is fixed to the outer frame portion, and the other end portion on the side opposite to the one end portion of the holding arm is capable of holding the processing target material immersed in a liquid in the liquid.

[0007] The sampling and placement method according to this disclosure involves arranging a material to be processed, including a sample to be sampled, and a placement member on which the material to be processed can be placed, so that they are immersed in a liquid filling a liquid storage member. With the material to be processed and the placement member immersed in the liquid, a hollow sampling pin is lowered to cut off the material to be processed, the gel material portion containing the sample is collected into the hollow portion of the sampling pin, and the gel material portion containing the sample is placed into the placement member.

[0008] According to this disclosure, the material to be processed is held in a state of immersion in a liquid. Therefore, it is possible to provide a sampling and placement apparatus and sampling and placement method that can prevent drying of the gel sheet and the sample contained in the gel sheet, thereby suppressing damage to the sample.

[0009] This is a schematic front view of the sampling and placement device according to this embodiment. This is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the liquid storage member and the holding arm as viewed from the direction indicated by arrow II in Figure 1. This is an enlarged view of the portion in Figure 1 where the gel plate is mounted on the holding arm. This is another example of a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the liquid storage member and the holding arm as viewed from the direction indicated by arrow II in Figure 1. This is a schematic plan view of the bottom surface inside the liquid storage member. This is a front view of the sampling and placement mechanism constituting the sampling and placement member of Figure 1 as viewed from the negative side in the Y direction. This is a side view of the sampling and placement mechanism of Figure 6 as viewed from the negative side in the X direction. This is a front view of the entire sampling and placement member of Figure 1 as viewed from the negative side in the Y direction. This is a side view of the sampling and placement member of Figure 8 as viewed from the negative side in the X direction. This is a flowchart of the sampling and placement method according to this embodiment. This is a schematic diagram of the gel plate used in the sampling and placement method of this embodiment. This is a schematic diagram of the plate used in the sampling and placement method of this embodiment. This is a schematic diagram showing the first step of the sampling and placement method according to this embodiment. This is a schematic diagram showing the second step of the sampling and placement method according to this embodiment. This is a schematic diagram showing the third step of the sampling and placement method according to this embodiment. This is a schematic diagram showing the fourth step of the sampling and placement method according to this embodiment. This is a schematic diagram showing the fifth step of the sampling and placement method according to this embodiment.

[0010] This embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. For the sake of explanation, the X, Y, and Z directions will be introduced.

[0011] (Sampling and Placing Device) Figure 1 is a schematic front view of the sampling and placing device according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the sampling and placing device 100 according to this embodiment is a device for sampling a sample from a gel sheet (part of the gel plate 6) which will be used as a material to be processed later, and for placing the sample. The sampling and placing device 100 mainly comprises a processing chamber, a stage 102 located inside the processing chamber, a sampling and placing member 104, an outer frame 108, and a holding arm 109. Although the sampling and placing device 100 in Figure 1 has only one sampling and placing member 104, it may include multiple members.

[0012] The stage 102 (holding base) is movable horizontally, i.e., along the XY direction (X direction and Y direction). Specifically, for example, a guide is installed on the underside of the stage 102. This guide is slidably connected to a guide rail installed on the bottom surface of the processing chamber. The stage 102 fixes the liquid storage member 111, which will be described later. As a result, in Figure 1, the sampling and placement member 104, the liquid storage member 111, and the stage 102 are arranged in the order from top to bottom in the Z direction.

[0013] The outer frame portion 108 is the framework that constitutes the entire sampling and placement device 100. That is, the outer frame portion 108 has a base 108A, a vertical support column 108B, and a horizontal support column 108C. The base 108A is located at the lowest point in the Z direction of the sampling and placement device 100. The base 108A is, for example, a plate-shaped member having a planar portion along the XY plane. Here, plate-shaped means, for example, a member whose thickness in the Z direction is 1 / 10 or less of the dimension in the X or Y direction. Alternatively, the base 108A may be a combination of multiple columnar members extending horizontally (along the XY plane). For example, the base 108A may be formed by four such columnar members. Here, the four columnar members mean members that are combined with two members extending in the X direction and two members extending in the Y direction to form a rectangle. However, if the base 108A is composed of columnar members, the number of such columnar members is not limited to four and is arbitrary. Here, "columnar" means that the dimension in one direction (for example, the X direction) is 10 times or more the dimensions in the other two directions that are perpendicular to the aforementioned one direction and are mutually perpendicular (for example, the Y direction and the Z direction). It is preferable that the stage 102 be attached to the base 108A.

[0014] The vertical support column 108B is a columnar member that extends in the Z direction and is located above the base 108A in the Z direction. Multiple vertical support columns 108B, which form the outer frame 108 of the sampling and placement device 100, are arranged at intervals in the X and Y directions. The number of vertical support columns 108B included in the sampling and placement device 100 is arbitrary. In Figure 1, as an example, two vertical support columns 108B are shown, arranged at one end and the other end in the X direction on the near side of the figure (negative side in the Y direction).

[0015] The horizontal support column 108C is a columnar member that extends in the X or Y direction above the base 108A in the Z direction. Multiple horizontal support columns 108C, which form the outer frame 108 of the sampling and placement device 100, are arranged at intervals in the Z direction. The number of horizontal support columns 108C included in the sampling and placement device 100 is arbitrary. In Figure 1, as an example, two horizontal support columns 108C are shown on the near side of the figure (negative side in the Y direction). The two horizontal support columns 108C are assembled to connect two vertical support columns 108B.

[0016] The area enclosed by the combination of the base 108A, vertical support 108B, and horizontal support 108C, which constitute the outer frame 108, and the area adjacent to it, is the processing chamber described above. The sampling and placement member 104 and the observation optical systems 106 and 107 are installed in the processing chamber. In other words, the outer frame 108 is arranged around the sampling and placement member 104 and the observation optical systems 106 and 107.

[0017] The retaining arm 109 is capable of holding the gel plate 6. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the liquid storage member and the retaining arm as viewed from the direction indicated by arrow II in Figure 1. In Figure 2, the internal configuration of the liquid storage member is shown as a cross-sectional view. The retaining arm 109 is, for example, a plate-shaped member. However, the retaining arm 109 may be a columnar member. The retaining arm 109 has one arm end 109A and the other arm end 109B. The arm end 109A is one end in the direction in which the retaining arm 109 extends (for example, the Y direction in Figure 2). The arm end 109B is the other end opposite to the arm end 109A in the direction in which the retaining arm 109 extends.

[0018] One end of the arm 109A is fixed to the outer frame 108. For example, as shown in Figure 2, one end of the arm 109A may be fixed to the horizontal support column 108C. However, one end of the arm 109A may also be fixed to, for example, the vertical support column 108B. The retaining arm 109 is fixed to the outer frame 108 by using the magnetic force of a screw and a magnet to fix it detachably at one end of the arm 109A. In this case, the material of the screw may be stainless steel.

[0019] The other end 109B of the arm is capable of holding the gel plate 6. The other end 109B of the arm may have a larger dimension in the direction intersecting the extending direction of the holding arm 109 (for example, the X direction in Figure 2) compared to the one end 109A of the arm. However, the dimensions of the other end 109B and the one end 109A of the arm in the aforementioned intersecting direction (X direction) may be equal.

[0020] The holding arm 109 is made of metal such as stainless steel or plastic. The holding arm 109 has a gel sheet loading section 109C. The gel sheet loading section 109C is located on at least a portion of the other end 109B of the arm. The gel sheet loading section 109C is made of metal, but may also be made of resin.

[0021] Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the portion of Figure 1 in which the gel plate is mounted on the holding arm. As shown in Figure 3, the gel plate 6 comprises a film 2 and a gel sheet 4 placed on the film 2. The gel sheet 4 is the material to be processed, and the sample 4B to be collected is supported, for example, by embedding in a solidified gel 4D. However, in this case, the gel plate 6 may also be considered the material to be processed. The sample 4B is cells to be collected, for example. The gel plate 6 may be installed so that the lower surface of the film 2 is in contact with the upper surface of the gel sheet loading section 109C. The gel plate 6 may also be gripped by the other end 109B of the arm, for example, by sandwiching one end and the other end of the film 2 in the X direction. The other end 109B of the arm may also be able to fix the gel plate 6 by bonding the lower surface of the film 2 with an adhesive.

[0022] Figure 4 is another example of a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the liquid storage member and the holding arm as viewed from the direction indicated by arrow II in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 4, the entire gel plate 6 may be positioned outside the gel sheet loading section 109C in the Y direction. In Figure 4, the gel plate 6 is loaded on the gel sheet loading section 109C in the depth direction (X direction), which is not shown in the figure. In this case, the film 2 of the gel plate 6 may be attached so as to adhere to the gel sheet loading section 109C. In both examples of Figure 2 and Figure 4, the gel sheet loading section 109C may be detachable from the holding arm 109.

[0023] As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the holding arm 109 may have its other end 109B positioned lower in the Z direction than its other end 109A. From this viewpoint, the holding arm 109 may have a bent portion. For example, as shown in Figure 2, the holding arm 109 may have two bent portions that are bent at approximately right angles. The holding arm 109 may have more bent portions than the example in Figure 2, with three or more. This allows the gel plate 6 immersed in the liquid 112 in the liquid storage member 111 to be held by the other end 109B of the holding arm 109 extending from the one end 109A. In other words, by inserting the other end 109B of the arm into the liquid storage member 111 from above in the Z direction, the other end 109B of the arm can easily grasp the gel plate 6 in the liquid 112. Therefore, the other end 109B of the arm may be immersed in the liquid 112.

[0024] In this embodiment, the gel plate 6 is immersed in liquid 112 by the support of the holding arm 109. To achieve this, a liquid storage member 111, as shown in Figure 2, is used. The liquid storage member 111 may or may not be included in the sampling and placement device 100. The liquid storage member 111 is a container-shaped member. The liquid storage member 111 can be filled with liquid 112. The liquid storage member 111 can store the gel plate 6 in a state of being immersed in liquid 112 by the support of the holding arm 109. The gel plate 6 is supported in a state of being immersed in liquid 112 by the gripping of the other end 109B of the holding arm 109. The liquid storage member 111 can further store a plate 8 in a state of being immersed in liquid 112. The plate 8 has a plurality of wells 9A formed therein. A gel material portion (gel material portion 4E described later), which is a gel sheet 4 that has been partially cut out, can be placed in the wells 9A. For this reason, the plate 8 is a placement member in which the gel material portion 4E is placed.

[0025] Figure 5 is a schematic plan view of the bottom surface inside the liquid storage member. As shown in Figure 5, the liquid storage member 111 has grooves 111B formed in its internal bottom surface 111A. The grooves 111B are provided to fix the plate 8 to the bottom surface 111A. The plate 8 is, for example, rectangular in shape when viewed from the Z direction. In this case, four grooves 111B may be formed to fit each of the four corners of the rectangular outer edge of the plate 8. Alternatively, the grooves 111B may be movable on the bottom surface 111A. In this way, the position of the grooves 111B can be changed as appropriate according to the size of the plate 8 when viewed from the Z direction.

[0026] The liquid storage member 111 may be formed from any material selected from the group consisting of glass, acrylic, and polystyrene. Alternatively, the liquid storage member 111 may be formed from a resin material other than polystyrene.

[0027] As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 4, it is preferable that the liquid storage member 111 has a magnet 111C attached to the outer surface facing the bottom surface 111A of the member having a bottom surface 111A. In this case, the magnet 111C is also installed on the upper surface of the stage 102. The magnet 111C on the stage 102 and the magnet 111C at the bottom of the liquid storage member 111 attract each other, thereby fixing the liquid storage member 111 on the stage 102.

[0028] The sampling and placement member 104 and the observation optical system 106 are connected to a member that is movable in the Z direction, such as a Z-axis table. The Z-axis table may be installed on a vertical support column 108B or a horizontal support column 108C. In other words, the sampling and placement member 104 and the observation optical system 106 are held within the sampling and placement device 100 so as to be movable in the Z direction. As shown in Figure 1, an observation optical system 107 may also be provided. The observation optical systems 106 and 107 observe and measure the position of the sample to be collected contained in the gel plate 6. In other words, the observation optical systems 106 and 107 select the sampling position, which is the part of the gel sheet 4 of the gel plate 6 to be punctured by the sampling pin 141. The sampling position is, for example, a position that includes the sample 4B to be collected. The observation optical systems 106 and 107 also select a predetermined position to place a part of the gel sheet 4 that has been cut out by the puncture of the sampling pin 141. The predetermined position is, for example, a well 9A where the collected part of the gel sheet 4 should be placed. The observation optical systems 106 and 107 may be equipped with CCD cameras that convert observed images into electrical signals. Observation of the gel plate 6 by the observation optical systems 106 and 107 may be performed using visible light. However, observation of the gel plate 6 is not limited to visible light; it may also be performed using infrared light, X-rays, ultrasound, etc. Depending on the material of the gel plate 6, it may be possible to observe the gel plate 6 using magnetism. The gel plate 6 observed by means other than visible light does not need to be transparent or translucent; it may be opaque.

[0029] In the sampling and placement device 100, it is preferable that at least one of the sampling and placement member 104 and the holding arm 109 is movable in both the X and Y directions. This is based on the viewpoint of being able to adjust the position of each member in the X and Y directions in the process shown in Figure 14, which will be described later, and enabling the sampling and placement of the sample. This makes it possible to change the horizontal position of the sampling pin 141 of the sampling and placement member 104. To achieve this, it is preferable that at least one of the sampling and placement member 104 and the holding arm 109 is fitted with a guide portion (guide rail) that extends in both the X and Y directions, although this is not shown. The guide portion (guide rail) is fixed to the outer frame portion 108 of the sampling and placement device 100. It is preferable that at least one of the sampling and placement member 104 and the holding arm 109 is slidable in both the X and Y directions by this guide portion (guide rail).

[0030] (Configuration of the sampling and placement mechanism) Figure 6 is a front view of the sampling and placement mechanism that constitutes the sampling and placement member of Figure 1, viewed from the negative side in the Y direction. Figure 7 is a side view of the sampling and placement mechanism of Figure 6, viewed from the negative side in the X direction. Referring to Figures 6 and 7, the sampling and placement member 104 of Figure 1 includes the sampling and placement mechanism 104A, which is a part thereof. The sampling and placement mechanism 104A mainly comprises a sampling pin 141, a placement pin 142, and a fixing holder 143. The sampling pin 141 is a pin (needle-shaped member) for cutting and sampling the material to be processed, including the sample. The placement pin 142 is a pin for releasing the sample and other material collected and grasped by the sampling pin 141 and placing it in a desired position. The sampling pin 141 and the placement pin 142 are made of metal such as stainless steel or plastic.

[0031] The sampling pin 141 comprises a sampling pin body 141A and a sampling pin holder 141B. The sampling pin body 141A is pin-shaped (pipe-shaped) and has a hollow shape in the center of a cross-section that intersects the extending direction (up and down direction in Figures 6 and 7: Z direction). The sampling pin holder 141B is inserted onto the outer circumferential surface of the upper part of the sampling pin body 141A. Therefore, the sampling pin holder 141B also has a hollow shape in the center of a cross-section that intersects the Z direction in Figures 6 and 7. The sampling pin holder 141B is fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the sampling pin body 141A by press-fitting. Alternatively, the sampling pin holder 141B is bonded to the outer circumferential surface of the sampling pin body 141A with adhesive 141C. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the sampling pin holder 141B may be configured such that, for example, its uppermost surface is aligned with the XY plane, but its lowermost surface is inclined with respect to the XY plane, and the outer circumference is smaller in the Z direction than the inner circumference. As a result, the sampling pin 141 has a hollow shape overall.

[0032] The placement pin 142 comprises a placement pin body 142A and a placement pin holder 142B. The placement pin body 142A is pin-shaped and extends in the Z direction. The placement pin body 142A may, for example, be solid inside. However, the placement pin body 142A only needs to have a closed bottom surface in the Z direction that does not have a hole in the center or elsewhere, and its interior may be hollow. In other words, the placement pin body 142A may be solid or hollow. If it is hollow, the placement pin body 142A should have a shape that allows it to push out the gel material portion housed in the sampling pin body 141A downwards. The placement pin holder 142B has a larger dimension along the X direction (and Y direction) than the placement pin body 142A. The placement pin holder 142B holds the placement pin body 142A. For example, the bottom surface of the placement pin holder 142B may be connected to the top surface of the placement pin body 142A, and the two may become one unit.

[0033] The placement pin body 142A has a smaller cross-sectional dimension than the hollow portion (hollow portion 7C) of the sampling pin body 141A. Therefore, the placement pin body 142A can be inserted into the inside of the sampling pin body 141A. On the other hand, the placement pin holder 142B has a larger cross-sectional dimension than the hollow portion of the sampling pin body 141A. Therefore, the placement pin holder 142B cannot be inserted into the inside of the sampling pin body 141A.

[0034] The sampling pin body 141A presses against the material to be processed by descending, cuts off a portion of the material, and can store the cut-off portion inside a cylindrical hollow section (hollow section 7C). The material to be processed is a gel sheet in which the gel 4D supporting the sample 4B, which is the object to be collected, is formed into a sheet. Subsequently, the placement pin body 142A moves inside the sampling pin body 141A. The placement pin body 142A contacts the material to be processed inside the sampling pin 141 and presses against the material. As a result, the placement pin body 142A pushes the material to be processed stored inside the sampling pin body 141A out of the sampling pin 141. The placement pin body 142A can move vertically inside the hollow section of the sampling pin body 141A. In other words, the placement pin body 142A passes through the inside of the sampling pin body 141A. The vertical movement of the placement pin body 142A is performed by the first drive unit 144, which will be described later. This allows the cut-out material to be placed in the desired position.

[0035] However, the sampling and placement member 104 may be configured without placement pins 142. In this case, air pressure may be supplied to the hollow portion 7C of the sampling pin body 141A. Specifically, with the material to be processed housed in the sampling pin body 141A, air pressure is supplied to the hollow portion 7C, and the hollow portion 7C of the sampling pin body 141A is pressurized. As a result, the gel material portion inside the hollow portion 7C is pressed downwards and pushed out of the hollow portion 7C.

[0036] A spring 142C is installed in the area of ​​the placement pin holder 142B adjacent to the placement pin body 142A, that is, in the lowest area within the placement pin holder 142B. The spring 142C connects the placement pin holder 142B to the uppermost part of the placement pin body 142A. The spring 142C absorbs the Z-direction force applied to the placement pin holder 142B when the placement pin body 142A collides with a material to be processed, such as a substrate. The placement pin 142 does not necessarily have to have a spring 142C. If the placement pin 142 does not have a spring 142C, it will not be able to absorb the force during a collision. However, if the placement pin 142 does not have a spring 142C, the effects of the collision can be eliminated by precisely controlling the descent position of the placement pin 142.

[0037] The fixing holder 143 is capable of holding the sampling pin 141. The fixing holder 143 is located above the sampling pin 141 in Figure 6 and behind the placement pin 142. The fixing holder 143 may be, for example, plate-shaped (rectangular parallelepiped-shaped), but is not limited to this. The sampling pin 141 is fixed to the fixing holder 143. Specifically, the uppermost surface of the sampling pin holder 141B and the lowermost surface of the fixing holder 143 are in contact with and fixed to each other at the fixing portion FXD. At the fixing portion FXD, the sampling pin may be detachably fixed by the magnetic force of a screw screwed near the fixing portion FXD of the sampling pin holder 141B and a magnet embedded near the fixing portion FXD of the fixing holder 143. Alternatively, at the fixing portion FXD, the sampling pin may be detachably fixed by a screw screwed to the sampling pin holder 141B being screwed between it and the fixing holder 143. In this case, the screw material may be stainless steel.

[0038] On the front surface 143f (the negative surface in the Y direction) of the fixing holder 143, a first drive unit 144 is provided on the upper side in the Z direction of the arrangement pin holder 142B. The first drive unit 144 includes a first motor 144A, a disc member 144B, and a link member 144C. The first drive unit 144 is attached to the arrangement pin holder fixing part 145.

[0039] The arrangement pin holder fixing portion 145 has a first portion 145a and a second portion 145b. The first portion 145a is plate-shaped, and its main surface on the back side contacts the front surface 143f of the fixing holder 143, and is installed so as to be slidable on the front surface 143f. The second portion 145b is a plate-shaped portion installed on the front side main surface of the first portion 145a, opposite to the main surface that contacts the front surface 143f, so as to be substantially perpendicular to the first portion 145a. A groove, for example, may be formed on the front surface 143f of the fixing holder 143 so as to extend along the Z direction for the arrangement pin holder fixing portion 145 to slide.

[0040] The link member 144C is installed on the front side of the disc member 144B in Figure 6. The link member 144C has an elongated shape that extends in the vertical direction, i.e., the Z direction. The main surface on the back side of the disc shape of the disc member 144B is in contact with the front surface 143f of the fixing holder 143. The first motor 144A is mounted at a position that coincides with the circular center of the disc member 144B. At least a part of the first motor 144A may be placed inside the fixing holder 143. The disc member 144B is rotatable around its center by the first motor 144A. The first end of the link member 144C, which is one end in the extending direction, is fixed to a part of the outer circumference of the disc member 144B.

[0041] The second end of the link member 144C, opposite to the first end in the extending direction (Z direction) (the lower end in Figure 6), is fixed to the arrangement pin holder fixing part 145 so as to contact the first portion 145a of the arrangement pin holder fixing part 145. The second end may also be able to contact the second portion 145b of the arrangement pin holder fixing part 145. As the disc member 144B rotates due to the first motor 144A, the link member 144C moves in the vertical direction, causing the second end to move the arrangement pin 142 in the vertical direction.

[0042] To enable this operation, the placement pin holder fixing portion 145 is provided between the second end and the placement pin 142 (placement pin holder 142B), and the placement pin 142 is fixed to it. The placement pin 142 is fixed so as to be in contact with both the first portion 145a and the second portion 145b of the placement pin holder fixing portion 145. The placement pin 142 (placement pin holder 142B) and the placement pin holder fixing portion 145 (first portion 145a and second portion 145b) may be detachably fixed together, for example, by magnetic force between a magnet embedded in the placement pin holder 142B and a magnet embedded in the first portion 145a. Alternatively, they may be detachably fixed together by screws.

[0043] (Overall configuration of the sampling and placement member) Figure 8 is a front view of the entire sampling and placement member of Figure 1, viewed from the negative side in the Y direction. Figure 9 is a side view of the sampling and placement member of Figure 8, viewed from the negative side in the X direction. Referring to Figures 8 and 9, the sampling and placement member 104 further includes a second drive unit 146 in addition to the sampling and placement mechanism 104A of Figures 6 and 7. The second drive unit 146 is located on the rear side of the fixing holder 143 of Figures 6 and 7 and includes a movable holder 146A. The movable holder 146A is, for example, plate-shaped (rectangular parallelepiped-shaped) and is configured to house members inside, but is not limited to this. The movable holder 146A has a larger dimension in the Z direction than the fixing holder 143. The sampling and placement mechanism 104A is attached to the movable holder 146A.

[0044] The second drive unit 146 is a slide mechanism that slides the sampling arrangement mechanism 104A including the fixing holder 143 in the Z direction. The second drive unit 146 includes a second motor 146B, a vertically extending screw 146C, and a screw connection part 146D in addition to the movable holder 146A. The vertically extending screw 146C extends in the vertical direction, and a male screw is formed on the outer periphery. The vertically extending screw 146C is disposed in, for example, a rectangular parallelepiped-shaped movable holder 146A and has a larger dimension in the Z direction than the fixing holder 143. The vertically extending screw 146C may be accommodated in a groove extending in the Z direction formed in the front surface 146f of the movable holder 146A. A second motor 146B is attached to one end (the upper end) of the vertically extending screw 146C in the movable holder 146A. The screw connection part 146D is attached on the rear surface 143b (the surface opposite to the front surface 143f) of the fixing holder 143 so as to connect the vertically extending screw 146C and the fixing holder 143. The screw connection part 146D has a female screw formed therein, and this female screw is fastened to the male screw of the vertically extending screw 146C.

[0045] The vertically extending screw 146C is rotated by the second motor 146B. Although the vertically extending screw 146C rotates but does not move in the vertical direction, the screw connection part 146D fastened to the vertically extending screw 146C moves in the vertical direction. Thereby, the entire sampling arrangement mechanism 104A including the fixing holder 143 and the sampling pin 141 attached to the screw connection part 146D moves in the vertical direction.

[0046] The sampling pin 141 may have a structure capable of applying a constant air pressure from the upper part to the lower part in the Z direction. The purpose of doing so is to suppress the intrusion of the liquid 112 in the liquid storage member 111 into the hollow-shaped portion of the sampling pin 141. As a specific example for this, it is preferable to apply an air pressure supplied from a compressor or the like at the upper part of the sampling pin 141. Alternatively, it is preferable that a hydrophobic coating film 141D is disposed on the wall surface of the inside (hollow-shaped portion) of the sampling pin 141 which is hollow-shaped. The hydrophobic coating film 141D has a contact angle of pure water of 90° or more. In this way, the intrusion of the liquid 112 in the liquid storage member 111 into the hollow-shaped portion of the sampling pin 141 can be suppressed by capillary action.

[0047] (Sampling Arrangement Method) FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the sampling arrangement method according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 10, a processing target material and an arrangement member immersed in a liquid are installed (S10). In this step, the liquid storage member 111 is filled with the liquid 112. The liquid 112 is preferably either a culture solution or a buffer solution. The liquid 112 may be prepared on the user side. More specifically, the culture solution is preferably either DMEM (Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium) or RPMI 1640 Medium. Also, the buffer solution is preferably either DPBS (Dulbecco's Phosphate Buffered Saline) or HBSS (Hanks' Balanced Salts Solution).

[0048] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a gel plate used in the sampling arrangement method of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 11, the gel plate 6 has a gel sheet 4 and a film 2. The gel sheet 4 is a processing target material, and the sample 4B to be sampled is a gel material supported, for example, by embedding in the solidified gel 4D.

[0049] FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of a plate used in the sampling arrangement method of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 12, the plate 8 is a cell culture plate. A plurality of wells 9A as recovery portions are formed on the plate 8. The plurality of wells 9A are concave portions where the upper surface of the plate 8 is recessed. Due to the concave shape, a part of the gel sheet 4 (gel material portion 4E described later) cut out can be stored in the well 9A. The plurality of wells 9A may be formed with a spacing from each other, for example, 8 rows in the depth direction and 12 rows in the horizontal direction as shown in FIG. 12, for a total of 96. The planar shape of the well 9A is arbitrary, for example, circular.

[0050] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram showing the first step of the sampling and placement method according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 13, a gel plate 6 containing a gel sheet 4 and a film 2, and a plate 8 with a well 9A formed thereon are placed in a liquid storage member 111 filled with liquid 112. As a result, the gel sheet 4 and the plate 8 are immersed in the liquid 112. The plate 8 may be fixed to the bottom surface 111A of the liquid storage member 111 by a groove 111B (see Figure 5). The gel plate 6 is held by the other end 109B of a holding arm 109, which is fixed to a horizontal support column 108C (see Figure 1), for example. Fixing to the horizontal support column 108C here also includes cases where it is attached to a guide rail fixed to the horizontal support column 108C, for example. The gel plate 6 is positioned in the liquid storage member 111 so as to be spaced apart from the plate 8 in the Z direction. From the viewpoint of maintaining this Z-direction spacing, the holding arm 109 supports the gel plate 6 so as not to change its position in the Z direction.

[0051] To summarize, in the process shown in Figure 13, the plate 8 is fixed to the bottom of the liquid storage member 111, and, for example, the liquid storage member 111 is filled with liquid 112 while it is fixed in place. The gel plate 6 is placed directly above the plate 8 in the liquid storage member 111, maintaining a gap between it and the plate 8 in the vertical direction (Z direction).

[0052] However, the order of the steps of supplying liquid 112 into the liquid storage member 111, installing the plate 8, and installing the gel plate 6 does not matter. For example, after the liquid 112 has been supplied into the liquid storage member 111, the plate 8 and gel plate 6 may be installed as shown in Figure 13. Also, at least at the time of the step in Figure 13, the gel plate 6 may be placed at any position in the Z direction (for example, a position that does not overlap with the plate 8 in a plan view from the Z direction), not just directly above the plate 8. In this case, the positions of the plate 8 and gel plate 6 in the X and Y directions are adjusted in the next step in Figure 14. Furthermore, the plate 8 does not necessarily have to be fixed to the bottom surface 111A. The plate 8 may be fixed to the bottom of the liquid storage member 111 adjacent to the bottom surface 111A (the lowest surface of the inner wall surface of the liquid storage member 111). In other words, the plate 8 may be fixed to a member different from the lowest member of the liquid storage member 111 having the bottom surface 111A.

[0053] As shown in Figure 13, the sampling pin body 141A is positioned above the gel plate 6, spaced apart from it in the Z direction. The lower end (tip) of the sampling pin body 141A may be immersed in the liquid 112 as shown in Figure 13, but it is not required to be immersed. The positions of the plate 8, gel plate 6, and sampling pin body 141A shown in Figure 13 are their initial positions.

[0054] As shown in Figure 10, the next step is to confirm the location where the gel material should be collected and placed (S20). Specifically, the location of the gel sheet 4 to be cut out and the location of the well 9A where a portion of the cut-out gel sheet 4 should be placed are confirmed. This step is performed by observation using observation optical systems 106 and 107 (see Figure 1) after the step of setting the gel plate 6 and plate 8, etc. (S10) and before the step of collecting and placing the gel sheet 4 (S30).

[0055] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram showing the second step of the sampling and placement method according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 14, the positions of each component are moved so that the position from which the gel sheet 4 is to be cut, as identified by the observation optical systems 106 and 107, and the position of the well 9A in which it is to be placed, overlap in a plan view from the Z direction.

[0056] Specifically, for example, the liquid storage member 111 moves to the negative side of the Y direction, as shown by arrow M1 in the figure. This movement is achieved by the movement of the stage 102 on which the liquid storage member 111 is placed. Also, for example, the sampling pin body 141A moves to the positive side of the Y direction, as shown by arrow M2 in the figure. The movement of the sampling pin body 141A is achieved by the sliding of the sampling placement member 104 on a guide rail attached thereto. At this time, the holding arm 109 may be fixed by a horizontal support column 108C or the like, and kept in a state where it does not move in either the X or Y direction.

[0057] Alternatively, for example, the liquid storage member 111 may move in the direction of arrow M1 in the figure, as in Figure 14, and the gel plate 6 may move along the Y direction. The movement of the gel plate 6 is achieved by the holding arm 109 sliding along the guide rail to which it is attached. In this case, the sampling pin body 141A may be fixed in the X and Y directions and remain immobile in neither the X nor the Y direction.

[0058] In all of the above cases, as the liquid storage member 111 moves in the direction of arrow M1 in the figure, the plate 8 fixed to it also moves accordingly. As a result, the position where the gel sheet 4 is collected and the position of the well 9A where the collected gel sheet 4 is placed coincide in a plan view. In other words, the positions of the position where the gel sheet 4 is collected, the position of the well 9A where the collected gel sheet 4 is placed, and the collection pin body 141A all coincide so that they overlap when viewed from the Z direction. By arranging each component in this manner through prior observation and confirmation with the observation optical systems 106 and 107, the subsequent collection and placement process can be performed with high precision.

[0059] As shown in Figure 10, the material to be processed is then collected and placed (S30). Figure 15 is a schematic diagram showing the third step of the collection and placement method according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 15, the state in Figure 14, that is, the state in which the gel plate 6 and plate 8 are immersed in the liquid 112, is maintained. In this state, the collection pin body 141A (the part of the collection pin 141 that has a hollow shape) descends. As a result, the gel sheet 4 directly below the collection pin body 141A is cut by the blade shape of the tip (lowest part) of the collection pin body 141A. The part of the gel sheet 4 that is cut off is a gel material part 4E consisting of the sample 4B to be collected and the gel 4D that embeds it.

[0060] As shown in Figure 15, the sampling pin body 141A, which has collected the gel material portion 4E, takes the cut-off gel material portion 4E into its hollow-shaped portion. In this state, the sampling pin body 141A descends further. As a result, the sampling pin body 141A penetrates the entire gel sheet 4. The tip of the sampling pin body 141A then reaches a position adjacent to the upper surface of the plate 8.

[0061] Figure 16 is a schematic diagram showing the fourth step of the sampling and placement method according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 16, the descent of the sampling pin body 141A stops when its tip reaches a position adjacent to the upper surface of the plate 8. While the descent of the sampling pin body 141A remains stopped, the placement pin 142 descends. Consequently, the placement pin body 142A is inserted into the hollow portion of the sampling pin body 141A. The placement pin body 142A descends inside the sampling pin body 141A. As a result, the lowest part of the placement pin body 142A reaches and contacts the cut-out gel material portion 4E. The placement pin body 142A continues to descend further. As a result, the gel material portion 4E descends inside the sampling pin body 141A due to the pressure of the placement pin body 142A and is pushed out to the outside of the sampling pin body 141A. The gel material portion 4E is then discharged into the well 9A of the plate 8, which is located directly below the sampling pin body 141A. As described above, in the sampling and placement step (S30), the gel material portion 4E containing the sample 4B is placed in the desired well 9A.

[0062] Figure 17 is a schematic diagram showing the fifth step of the sampling and placement method according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 17, after the gel material portion 4E is placed in the well 9A, the placement pin body 142A rises upward in the Z direction and returns to the same position as in the steps prior to Figure 15. Then, the sampling pin body 141A rises upward in the Z direction and returns to the same position as in the steps prior to Figure 14. As a result, the sampling pin 141 and the placement pin 142 return to their initial positions. Note that the sampling pin body 141A and the placement pin body 142A may rise simultaneously.

[0063] The above process (S30) may be repeated by performing it at a different location than described above.

[0064] During the above sampling and placement process (S30), the gel sheet 4 (gel material) is held by the holding arm 109 so as to maintain a distance from the plate 8 in the Z direction. The holding arm 109 is fixed in place, which supports the gel plate 6 so that the gel sheet 4 does not move from the desired position (X and Y coordinates) in the liquid 112. As a result, the gel sheet 4 can be sampled at the desired position, and the sampled gel material portion 4E can be placed in the desired well 9A.

[0065] (Effects) The sampling and placement device 100 according to this embodiment comprises a sampling and placement member 104, a holding arm 109, and an outer frame (base 108A and vertical support 108B, horizontal support 108C). The sampling and placement member 104 includes a sampling pin 141 having a hollow shape that can cut and collect the material to be processed (gel sheet 4). The holding arm 109 can hold the material to be processed. The outer frame is arranged around the sampling and placement member 104. One end of the holding arm 109 (arm one end 109A) is fixed to the outer frame 108. The other end of the holding arm 109 opposite to one end (arm other end 109B) can hold the material to be processed (gel sheet 4) immersed in the liquid 112 in the liquid 112.

[0066] The holding arm 109 supports the material to be processed (gel sheet 4) so ​​that it remains suspended in the liquid 112. Therefore, the sample 4B (cells, etc.) to be collected contained in the gel sheet 4 is consistently immersed in the liquid 112 both before and after collection. This prevents the cells and other materials in the gel sheet 4 from drying out. In addition, the liquid 112 can constantly supply oxygen and nutrients to the cells and tissues in the material to be processed. This suppresses damage to the sample 4B due to oxygen and nutrient deficiency.

[0067] Furthermore, the material to be processed (gel sheet 4, etc.) can be collected while immersed in the liquid 112. This eliminates the possibility of leakage from the gel sheet 4 to the plate 8, which can occur, for example, when collecting a sample 4B that is encased in a culture medium to prevent drying using a collection pin 141.

[0068] In the above-described sampling and placement device 100, the sampling and placement member 104 further includes a placement pin 142. The placement pin 142 is insertable into the hollow portion that constitutes the hollow shape of the sampling pin 141. The placement pin 142 comes into contact with the material to be processed (gel sheet 4) that has been cut off by the pressure of the sampling pin 141 and stored in the hollow portion, and by pressing the material to be processed, the placement pin 142 places the material to be processed outside the sampling pin 141.

[0069] The material to be processed, cut off by the sampling pin 141, is pushed out by the placement pin 142 and placed in the desired position (such as within the well 9A). This suppresses problems such as collapse and dispersal of the sample 4B and other objects within the material to be processed, which can occur when the material to be processed is discharged from the sampling pin 141 using liquid pressure or the like. This improves the stability of the sampling process for the sample 4B and improves the positional accuracy and reproducibility of the placement process for the sample 4B and other objects.

[0070] The above-described sampling and placement device 100 further includes observation optical systems 106 and 107 for selecting a sampling position where the material to be processed is punctured with a sampling pin 141, and a predetermined position where the portion of the material to be processed cut out by the puncture is placed. For example, the observation optical system 106 observes the positions of multiple distant portions of the gel sheet 4, and their coordinates are stored, for example, in a storage device. Similarly, the observation optical system 107 observes the positions of multiple distant portions of the wells 9A contained in the plate 8, and their coordinates are stored, for example, in a storage device. In the gel sheet sampling process, processing is performed based on the stored positions of the portions of the gel sheet 4 and the wells 9A. Therefore, when overlapping the sampling position and the placement position, it is not necessary to observe and confirm the positions of the sampling position and the predetermined position again using the observation optical systems 106 and 107. As a result, the processing cycle time can be shortened compared to when the positions of the sampling position and the predetermined position are observed and confirmed again using the observation optical systems 106 and 107. In other words, it is possible to sample and place samples with a short cycle time that can handle drug discovery screening using a large amount of sample.

[0071] The above-described sampling and placement device 100 may further include a liquid storage member 111 and a holding base (stage 102). The liquid storage member 111 can store the material to be processed (gel sheet 4) and a placement member (plate 8) on which the material to be processed can be placed, both immersed in liquid 112. The stage 102 holds the liquid storage member 111. By filling the liquid storage member 111 with liquid 112, drying of the gel sheet 4 can be prevented and nutrients can be supplied to the sample on the gel sheet 4, as described above. As a result, damage to the sample on the gel sheet 4 can be suppressed.

[0072] In the sampling and placement method of this embodiment, a material to be processed (gel sheet 4) containing the sample 4B to be sampled and a placement member (plate 8) on which the material to be processed (gel sheet 4) can be placed are set up so as to be immersed in the liquid 112 filled in the liquid storage member 111. With the material to be processed and the placement member immersed in the liquid 112, a hollow sampling pin 141 is lowered to cut off the material to be processed. The gel material portion 4E containing the sample 4B is sampled into the hollow portion of the sampling pin 141. A sampling and placement step is performed in which the gel material portion 4E containing the sample 4B is placed on the placement member (plate 8).

[0073] The material to be processed (gel sheet 4) is held in liquid 112. Therefore, the sample 4B (cells, etc.) to be collected contained in the gel sheet 4 is consistently immersed in liquid 112 both before and after collection. This prevents the cells, etc. in the gel sheet 4 from drying out. In addition, liquid 112 can constantly supply oxygen and nutrients to the cells and tissues in the material to be processed. Therefore, damage to the sample 4B due to oxygen deficiency and nutrient deficiency can be suppressed.

[0074] Furthermore, the material to be processed (gel sheet 4) and the placement member (plate 8) can be collected while immersed in the liquid 112. This eliminates the possibility of leakage from the gel sheet 4 to the plate 8, which may occur when, for example, a sample 4B encased in a culture medium for preventing drying is collected with a collection pin 141.

[0075] In the above sampling and placement method, the material to be processed is a gel material (gel sheet 4) in which a sample 4B is embedded in gel 4D. The placement member is a plate 8 in which a well 9A is formed, into which a gel material portion 4E, which is a partially cut-out portion of the gel material (gel sheet 4), can be placed. In the step of setting the material to be processed and the placement member described above, the plate 8 is fixed to the bottom (for example, the bottom surface 111A) of the liquid storage member 111, the liquid storage member 111 is filled with liquid 112, and the gel material (gel sheet 4) is placed directly above the plate 8 in the liquid storage member 111, maintaining a vertical gap between the plate 8 and the gel material 4. In the above sampling and placement step, the gel material portion 4E containing the sample 4B is placed in the well 9A. This makes it possible to place the gel material portion 4E in the desired well 9A with high precision.

[0076] If sample 4B were to be immersed in culture medium, even if the positional coordinates of sample 4B to be collected were determined with high precision before collection, there is a possibility that sample 4B may shift position due to vibrations of the collection device during collection. In other words, in this case, the positional accuracy of sample 4B during collection may decrease. On the other hand, in this embodiment, sample 4B is firmly embedded in gel 4D in gel sheet 4. Therefore, the possibility of sample 4B shifting position due to vibrations of the collection and placement device 100 during collection with the collection pin 141, and a decrease in the positional accuracy of sample 4B during collection can be reduced.

[0077] In the above sampling and placement method, the gel material portion 4E collected in the hollow-shaped portion may be discharged from inside the sampling pin 141 into the well 9A by the pressure of a placement pin 142 that can be inserted inside the sampling pin 141. The placement pin 142 pushes out the material to be processed cut out by the sampling pin 141 and places it in the desired position (such as inside the well 9A). Therefore, problems such as collapse and dissipation of the sample 4B and other objects within the material to be processed, which are a concern when the material to be processed is discharged from the sampling pin 141 using liquid pressure, can be suppressed by using the placement pin 142. As a result, the stability of the sampling process for the sample 4B and other objects can be improved, and the positional accuracy and reproducibility of the placement process for the sample 4B and other objects can be improved.

[0078] In the above collection and placement method, the liquid 112 is preferably either a culture medium or a buffer solution. This allows for sufficient supply of oxygen and nutrients to the sample 4B. Therefore, an ideal environment can be provided for the sample 4B (cells, etc.).

[0079] The features described in the embodiments above may be applied in appropriate combinations to the extent that they do not contradict the technical standards.

[0080] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is indicated by the claims rather than the foregoing description, and all modifications within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims are intended.

[0081] (Note) The various aspects of this disclosure are summarized below as an appendix.

[0082] (Note 1) A sampling and placement device comprising: a sampling and placement member including a sampling pin having a hollow shape that can cut and collect the material to be processed; a holding arm capable of holding the material to be processed; and an outer frame portion arranged around the sampling and placement member, wherein one end of the holding arm is fixed to the outer frame portion, and the other end of the holding arm opposite to the one end is capable of holding the material to be processed, which is immersed in the liquid, in the liquid.

[0083] (Note 2) The sampling and placement device according to Note 1, wherein the sampling and placement member further includes a placement pin, the placement pin is insertable into the hollow portion constituting the hollow shape of the sampling pin, and the placement pin comes into contact with the material to be processed, which is cut off by the pressing of the sampling pin and stored in the hollow portion, and presses the material to be processed to place the material to be processed outside the sampling pin.

[0084] (Note 3) The sampling and placement apparatus as described in Note 2, wherein a hydrophobic coating film is placed on the wall surface of the hollow-shaped portion.

[0085] (Note 4) The sampling and placement apparatus according to any one of Notes 1 to 3, further comprising an observation optical system for selecting a sampling position for puncturing the material to be processed with the sampling pin, and a predetermined position for placing a portion of the material to be processed cut off by the puncture.

[0086] (Note 5) The sampling and placement apparatus according to any one of Notes 1 to 4, further comprising: a liquid storage member capable of storing the material to be processed and a placement member on which the material to be processed can be placed, while immersed in the liquid; and a holding stand for holding the liquid storage member.

[0087] (Note 6) A sampling and placement method comprising: a step of setting up a material to be processed, which includes a sample to be collected, and a placement member on which the material to be processed can be placed, so that they are immersed in a liquid filling a liquid storage member; and a sampling and placement step of lowering a hollow sampling pin to cut off the material to be processed, while the material to be processed and the placement member are immersed in the liquid, collecting the gel material portion containing the sample into the hollow portion of the sampling pin, and placing the gel material portion containing the sample into the placement member.

[0088] (Note 7) The sampling and placement method according to Note 6, wherein the material to be processed is a gel material in which the sample is embedded in a gel, the placement member is a plate having wells formed on it in which the gel material portion, which has been partially cut out of the gel material, can be placed, in the placement step, the plate is fixed to the bottom of the liquid storage member, the liquid is filled into the liquid storage member, and the gel material is placed directly above the plate in the liquid storage member, maintaining a vertical distance from the plate, and in the sampling and placement step, the gel material portion containing the sample is placed in the wells.

[0089] (Note 8) The sampling and placement method according to Note 7, wherein in the sampling and placement step, the gel material portion collected in the hollow-shaped portion is discharged from inside the sampling pin into the well by the pressure of a placement pin that can be inserted inside the sampling pin.

[0090] (Note 9) The sampling and placement method according to Note 7 or 8, wherein in the sampling and placement step, the gel material is held by a holding arm so as to be spaced vertically apart from the plate.

[0091] (Note 10) The sampling and placement method according to any one of Notes 7 to 9, further comprising a position confirmation step after the installation step and before the sampling and placement step, in which the position where the gel material should be sampled and the position where the gel material portion should be placed are confirmed by observation using an observation optical system.

[0092] (Note 11) The collection and arrangement method according to any one of the notes 6 to 10, wherein the liquid is either a culture medium or a buffer solution.

[0093] 2 Film, 4 Gel sheet, 4E Gel material section, 6 Gel plate, 7C Hollow shape section, 8 Plate, 9A Well, 100 Sampling and placement device, 102 Stage, 104 Sampling and placement member, 104A Sampling and placement mechanism, 106, 107 Observation optical system, 108 Outer frame section, 108A Base, 108B Vertical support, 108C Horizontal support, 109 Holding arm, 109A One end of arm, 109B The other end of arm, 109C Gel sheet loading section, 111 Liquid storage member, 111A Bottom surface, 111B Groove, 111C Magnet, 141 Sampling pin, 141A Sampling pin body, 141B Sampling pin holder, 141C Adhesive, 141D Coating film, 142 Placement pin, 142A Placement pin body, 142B Arrangement pin holder, 142C; spring, 143; fixing holder, 143b; rear view, 143f, 146f; front view, 144; first drive unit, 144A; first motor, 144B; disc member, 144C; link member, 145; arrangement pin holder fixing part, 145a; first part, 145b; second part, 146; second drive unit, 146A; movable holder, 146B; second motor, 146C; vertically extending screw, 146D; screw connection part, FXD; fixing part.

Claims

1. A sampling and placement device comprising: a sampling and placement member including a sampling pin having a hollow shape that can cut and collect a material to be processed; a holding arm capable of holding the material to be processed; and an outer frame portion arranged around the sampling and placement member, wherein one end of the holding arm is fixed to the outer frame portion, and the other end of the holding arm opposite to the one end is capable of holding the material to be processed, which is immersed in a liquid, in the liquid.

2. The sampling and placement device according to claim 1, wherein the sampling and placement member further includes a placement pin, the placement pin is insertable into a hollow portion constituting the hollow shape of the sampling pin, and the placement pin comes into contact with the material to be processed, which is cut off by the pressing of the sampling pin and stored in the hollow portion, and presses the material to be processed to place the material to be processed outside the sampling pin.

3. The sampling and placement apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a hydrophobic coating film is arranged on the wall surface of the hollow-shaped portion.

4. The sampling and placement apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising an observation optical system for selecting a sampling position for puncturing the material to be processed with the sampling pin, and a predetermined position for placing a portion of the material to be processed cut off by the puncture.

5. The sampling and placement apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: a liquid storage member capable of storing the material to be processed and a placement member on which the material to be processed can be placed, while immersed in the liquid; and a holding stand for holding the liquid storage member.

6. A sampling and placement method comprising: a step of setting up a material to be processed, which contains a sample to be collected, and a placement member on which the material to be processed can be placed, so that they are immersed in a liquid filling a liquid storage member; and a sampling and placement step of lowering a hollow sampling pin to cut off the material to be processed, collecting the gel material portion containing the sample into the hollow portion of the sampling pin, and placing the gel material portion containing the sample into the placement member.

7. The sampling and placement method according to claim 6, wherein the material to be processed is a gel material in which the sample is embedded in a gel, the placement member is a plate having wells formed on it in which a portion of the gel material, from which the gel material has been partially cut out, can be placed, in the placement step, the plate is fixed to the bottom of the liquid storage member, the liquid is filled into the liquid storage member, and the gel material is placed directly above the plate in the liquid storage member, maintaining a vertical distance from the plate, and in the sampling and placement step, the gel material portion containing the sample is placed in the wells.

8. The sampling and placement method according to claim 7, wherein in the sampling and placement step, the gel material portion collected in the hollow-shaped portion is discharged from inside the sampling pin into the well by the pressure of a placement pin that can be inserted inside the sampling pin.

9. The sampling and placement method according to claim 7 or 8, wherein in the sampling and placement step, the gel material is held by a holding arm so as to be spaced vertically apart from the plate.

10. The sampling and placement method according to claim 7 or 8, further comprising a position confirmation step, after the installation step and before the sampling and placement step, in which the position where the gel material should be sampled and the position where the gel material portion should be placed are confirmed by observation using an observation optical system.

11. The collection and arrangement method according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the liquid is either a culture medium or a buffer solution.

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