Imaging-Guided Cell Picking for High-Throughput Single-Cell Sorting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cell sorting technologies, such as mouth pipette and fluorescence-activated cell sorting, suffer from low throughput, high labor intensity, and inaccurate cell sorting, reducing efficiency and precision.
Innovation Solution
A cell sorting apparatus with a support mechanism, imaging mechanism, picking mechanism, and control mechanism that automates the selection and recovery of cells meeting preset requirements, improving throughput and accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If mouth pipette technology or limiting dilution method is used for single-cell separation, then cell sorting precision can be maintained, but throughput is low and labor intensity is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical pipetting operations with an automated picking mechanism that uses a sucking member controlled by a control mechanism. This substitution maintains cell sorting precision while dramatically increasing throughput by automating the cell selection and transfer process, eliminating the need for manual micromanipulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The imaging mechanism automatically identifies and locates target cells meeting preset requirements, and the control mechanism autonomously controls the picking mechanism to transfer selected cells. This self-service automation eliminates manual intervention while maintaining sorting accuracy, resolving the contradiction between precision and throughput.
2Productivity
If fluorescence-activated cell sorting technology is used, then throughput can be improved, but cell sorting precision and accuracy become difficult to control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces fluorescence-activated cell sorting with an automated visual picking system that uses an imaging mechanism to directly observe and identify target cells. This substitution maintains high throughput through automation while improving sorting accuracy by allowing direct visual verification of cell characteristics before selection.
Solution Approach 2:
The imaging mechanism provides real-time visual feedback on cell characteristics, allowing the control mechanism to make accurate selection decisions. This feedback loop ensures high sorting accuracy while maintaining automated high-throughput operation, overcoming the limitations of fluorescence-activated sorting.
3Device complexity
If manual cell sorting methods are used, then device complexity is low, but labor intensity is high and sorting efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the cell sorting system into distinct functional modules: support mechanism for holding samples, imaging mechanism for cell identification, picking mechanism for cell transfer, and control mechanism for coordination. This segmentation allows each component to perform its function efficiently while maintaining overall system manageability and high throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual labor with automated mechanisms while keeping the overall system design relatively simple. The automation of cell selection and transfer through the picking mechanism dramatically increases sorting efficiency without requiring excessively complex system architecture.
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 apparatus enables high-throughput, high-accuracy cell sorting with reduced human interference, ensuring consistency and purity of sorted cells, and facilitating single-cell screening.
Implementation Method 1
a picking mechanism configured to suck a cell meeting a preset requirement in the to-be-sorted member, where the picking mechanism is configured to be mounted on the body, the picking mechanism includes a sucking member movable relative to the body, and the sucking member is configured to suck and release the cell meeting the preset requirement
Data Source
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AI summary
This disclosure relates to a cell sorting apparatus. The cell sorting apparatus includes: a body; a support mechanism, where the support mechanism includes a first support member configured to carry and place a to-be-sorted member for accommodating to-be-sorted cells; an imaging mechanism, configured to obtain image information of the to-be-sorted cells placed in the support mechanism; a display mechanism, configured to display the image information of the to-be-sorted cells obtained by the imaging mechanism; a picking mechanism, configured to suck a cell meeting a preset requirement in the to-be-sorted member; and a control mechanism, configured to control the suck and release of the cell meeting the preset requirement. The cell meeting the preset requirement are sucked by the picking mechanism, so that screening efficiency of the cell sorting apparatus is improved, and high-throughput cell sorting can be implemented.