Electric Pulse Platelet Activation Without Blood Sample Clotting

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional platelet activation methods using animal-based thrombin for ex vivo applications can cause allergic reactions and contamination, and existing alternatives are expensive and may still induce allergic reactions, while methods for growth factor release without clotting are complex and time-consuming.

Innovation Solution

A non-transitory computer-readable memory storing processor-executable routines that apply a sequence of electric pulses to a blood sample to trigger growth factor release without inducing clotting, using a pulse generation system with electrodes and control circuitry to generate pulses with specific durations and strengths, potentially with or without additives like calcium chloride or ADP blockers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If animal-based thrombin is used to induce platelet activation, then platelet activation and growth factor release are achieved, but allergic reactions and contamination risks occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveplatelet activation reliabilityVSAvoidallergic reactions and contamination
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses electric field pulses as an intermediary physical stimulus to activate platelets, replacing the chemical mediator (thrombin) that causes allergic reactions. The electric field acts as a neutral mediator that triggers platelet activation through membrane depolarization without introducing foreign proteins or contaminants into the PRP sample.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the biochemical system (thrombin-protein interaction) with a physical system (electric field application). Instead of using chemical substances to induce platelet activation, the invention applies controlled electric pulses that directly stimulate platelet membranes, substituting chemical mechanisms with physical fields.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If alternative platelet activators are used to avoid animal-based thrombin, then contamination risks are reduced, but cost increases and allergic reactions may still occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontamination reductionVSAvoidactivator system complexity and cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables platelets to activate themselves through direct electrical stimulation of their membranes. The electric field pulses cause depolarization of the platelet membrane, triggering calcium influx and subsequent activation cascades endogenously. This self-service approach eliminates the need for external chemical activators, reducing both cost and complexity while avoiding allergic reactions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the activation parameter from chemical concentration (thrombin units) to physical parameters (electric field strength, pulse duration, frequency). By controlling electric field parameters such as voltage amplitude (e.g., 100-1000 V/cm), pulse width (e.g., 1-100 microseconds), and repetition rate, platelet activation is achieved through physical parameter optimization rather than chemical additives.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If light exposure methods are used to trigger growth factor release without clotting, then selective growth factor release is achieved, but experimental set-up becomes complex and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveselective growth factor release capabilityVSAvoidexperimental set-up complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the optical system (light exposure apparatus) with an electrical system (pulse generator and electrode assembly). Instead of using complex light sources, filters, and exposure timing mechanisms, the invention uses simple electric pulse delivery through electrodes, achieving comparable or superior selective activation while dramatically simplifying the experimental setup.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs periodic electric pulses with specific frequencies and duty cycles to achieve selective growth factor release. By controlling the repetition rate and duration of electric pulses, the system can trigger platelet activation and growth factor secretion without initiating the clotting cascade, using temporal parameter control rather than complex optical filtering.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

4Adaptability or versatility

If light exposure is used for growth factor release, then clotting is avoided, but treatment time increases due to long exposure requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegrowth factor release without clottingVSAvoidtreatment time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent rushes through the activation process by applying high-intensity electric pulses that immediately trigger platelet activation within milliseconds to seconds. Instead of prolonged light exposure requiring minutes or hours, the electric pulse method rapidly depolarizes platelet membranes and initiates activation cascades, compressing the treatment time from minutes/hours to seconds while achieving the same growth factor release without clotting.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #21Skipping (Rushing through)

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

Effectively releases growth factors from platelets without causing clotting, allowing for efficient wound healing treatments by using electric pulses to activate platelets, which can be used in medical settings with existing equipment, and avoids allergic reactions and contamination risks.

Implementation Method 1

a non-transitory computer-readable memory storing one or more processor executable routines, when executed, cause a sequence of one or more electric pulses to be applied to a blood sample to trigger release of a growth factor in the blood sample

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrical stimulation: Electrical Impedance Tomography

Data Source

PatentEP3502690B1Platelet activation and growth factor release using electric pulses
Publication Date: 2022.09.07 GENERAL ELECTRIC CO
  • EP3502690B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3502690B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP3502690B1 patent drawingFigure 6

AI summary

Systems for releasing growth factors are disclosed. In certain embodiments, a blood sample is exposed to a sequence of one or more electric pulses to trigger release of a growth factor in the sample. In certain embodiments, the growth factor release is not accompanied by clotting within the blood sample.