Breakable Membrane Tissue Container for Sample Preservation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tissue sample storage containers fail to maintain the structural and molecular integrity of biological samples during storage and transportation due to environmental stress-induced degradation, particularly when immediate analysis is impractical.
Innovation Solution
A container with a housing that separates into two chambers by a breakable membrane, allowing for controlled introduction of a stabilizing reagent to the sample, enabling precise regulation of contact time and preventing degradation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the sample is stored in a single integral cavity container with fixative reagent, then the sample can be preserved during storage and transportation, but the structural and molecular integrity of the sample degrades due to environmental stress exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into two separate chambers: a first chamber for holding the biological sample and a second chamber for holding the fixative reagent. These chambers are separated by a breakable membrane that prevents direct contact between the sample and reagent during storage and transportation, thereby maintaining sample integrity while still enabling preservation when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
A breakable membrane serves as an intermediary barrier between the sample chamber and reagent chamber. This membrane allows the system to maintain separation (preserving integrity) while enabling controlled interaction (enabling preservation) when the membrane is deliberately broken, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining integrity and achieving preservation.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the sample is subjected to fixative reagent immediately after collection, then molecular changes are prevented, but immediate analysis is often impossible or impractical
Solution Approach 1:
The container separates the sample and reagent into different chambers, allowing the sample to be stored for extended periods without immediate reagent contact. The breakable membrane can be fractured at any time to initiate reagent contact, providing flexibility in timing between collection, storage, and preservation steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a static separated state during storage to a dynamic mixed state when the membrane is broken. This dynamic transition allows the system to adapt to different temporal requirements - maintaining separation during storage and enabling interaction when needed, thus resolving the time loss issue.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the container uses a breakable membrane to separate chambers, then controlled reagent contact is enabled, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The breakable membrane is implemented as a thin film or foil barrier that is simple in structure but effective in function. This thin film provides the necessary separation and controlled contact capability without adding significant structural complexity to the container system.
Solution Approach 2:
The breakable membrane is designed as a single-use, disposable component that is inexpensive and simple in structure. Once the membrane is broken, the container cannot be reused in the same configuration, but the simplicity and low cost of the membrane minimize the overall device complexity while providing the necessary adaptability.
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
The container effectively maintains the integrity of biological samples by allowing controlled exposure to stabilizing reagents, reducing degradation and ensuring high-quality RNA and DNA for molecular and histological diagnostics.
Implementation Method 1
at least one breakable membrane separating the container interior into at least a first chamber and a second chamber. The second chamber is in fluid isolation from the first chamber
Implementation Method 2
allowing for controlled introduction of a stabilizing reagent to the sample, enabling precise regulation of contact time and preventing degradation
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A
AI summary
A container for storing a biological sample for molecular diagnostic testing and/or histological testing is provided. The container includes a first chamber for receiving a sample holder therein, a second chamber, and a closure for enclosing the container. A breakable membrane, such as a piercable foil, extends within the container and separates the two chambers. When the breakable membrane is broken, fluid can pass between the first and second chambers. The membrane may be broken through an activator on the closure, such as a depressible member or a rotatable carrier, causing the sample holder to break through the membrane.