Blood Cell Analysis Using Dual-Wavelength Scattered Light
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional blood cell analysis methods face challenges in accurately detecting nucleated red blood cells due to the presence of red blood cell ghosts, which are remnants that hinder the discrimination between nucleated red blood cells and white blood cells, especially when using hemolysis reagents.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of fluorescence information, first scattered light information, and second scattered light information generated by staining blood cells with a fluorescent dye and irradiating them with specific wavelengths, allowing for the specification of nucleated red blood cells without the need for a hemolysis reagent.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a hemolysis reagent is used to dissolve red blood cells, then the number of red blood cells is reduced, but red blood cell ghosts remain that hinder accurate detection of nucleated red blood cells
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes red blood cells from the blood sample before analysis, leaving only nucleated red blood cells and white blood cells. This is achieved by using a hemolysis reagent that selectively dissolves mature red blood cells while preserving nucleated red blood cells and white blood cells, thereby eliminating the interference of red blood cell ghosts in the measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a hemolysis reagent as an intermediary substance that facilitates the selective dissolution of red blood cells. The hemolysis reagent acts as a mediator between the blood sample and the analysis system, enabling the separation of red blood cells from nucleated red blood cells and white blood cells through chemical action.
2Ease of manufacture
If a hemolysis reagent is used to dissolve red blood cells, then red blood cell ghosts are generated, but these ghosts make discrimination between nucleated red blood cells and white blood cells difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes mature red blood cells from the blood sample through selective hemolysis, leaving only nucleated red blood cells and white blood cells. This extraction eliminates the presence of red blood cell ghosts that would otherwise interfere with the discrimination between nucleated red blood cells and white blood cells.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by using a hemolysis reagent that selectively acts on mature red blood cells while leaving nucleated red blood cells and white blood cells intact. The hemolysis reagent exhibits different effects on different cell types based on their structural and compositional differences, enabling selective dissolution of only mature red blood cells.
3Productivity
If red blood cells are dissolved using conventional methods, then the characteristics of nucleated red blood cells are lost, but separate measurement procedures are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of red blood cell dissolution and nucleated red blood cell detection into a single integrated measurement procedure. By using a hemolysis reagent that selectively dissolves mature red blood cells while preserving nucleated red blood cells and white blood cells, the method enables simultaneous detection of both cell types without requiring separate measurement procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies universality by designing a single measurement system that can detect both nucleated red blood cells and white blood cells after selective hemolysis. The measurement system is designed to handle multiple cell types simultaneously, eliminating the need for separate procedures for different cell type detection.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables accurate detection and classification of nucleated red blood cells and white blood cells, including their subpopulations, without the interference of red blood cell ghosts, improving the precision of blood cell analysis.
Implementation Method 1
acquiring fluorescence information, first scattered light information, and second scattered light information generated by irradiating a measurement sample containing a particle stained with a fluorescent dye capable of binding to a nucleic acid with light of a first wavelength and light of a second wavelength
Implementation Method 2
the first scattered light information is information on scattered light generated from the particle by irradiating the measurement sample with the light of the first wavelength, and the second scattered light information is information on scattered light generated from the particle by irradiating the measurement sample with the light of the second wavelength
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a blood cell analysis method comprising: acquiring fluorescence information, first scattered light information, and second scattered light information generated by irradiating a measurement sample comprising a particle stained with a fluorescent dye capable of binding to a nucleic acid with light of a first wavelength and light of a second wavelength; specifying a population of nucleated cells from particles in the measurement sample based on the fluorescence information; and specifying a nucleated red blood cell from the population of nucleated cells based on the first scattered light information and the second scattered light information of the population of nucleated cells.