Filtration Apparatus for Cell Viability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing filtration methods for urine samples are inefficient in collecting and maintaining the viability of cells, particularly prostate cells, due to high cell adherence and degradation issues, which affects the accuracy of cancer screening.
Innovation Solution
A filtration apparatus with a non-horizontal membrane and multiple ports allows for controlled fluid flow and backwashing, minimizing cell damage and adherence, and includes a mechanism to retain a fluid portion of the sample on the membrane, ensuring cells are collected in a viable state.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cells are filtered through known membranes, then cells are separated from the sample, but cells become lodged in the pores and adherence to the filter increases, reducing viability and recovery
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the filtration system by using a non-horizontal membrane orientation and non-vertical fluid flow path. This alters the gravitational and hydrodynamic forces acting on cells during filtration, reducing their tendency to lodge in pores and adhere to the membrane surface, thereby improving both cell recovery and viability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a spatial dimension change by orienting the membrane non-horizontally and the fluid flow path non-vertically. This three-dimensional configuration modifies how cells interact with the membrane during filtration, preventing them from becoming trapped in pores and reducing adherence losses
2Ease of operation
If urine samples are stored for many hours before centrifugation, then processing can be scheduled conveniently, but cell integrity is compromised due to lysis and degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary filtration to separate cells from urine immediately upon sample collection, before any degradation can occur. By removing cells from the degrading urine environment in advance, the system preserves cell integrity while allowing flexible scheduling of subsequent analysis
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the sample processing into separate stages: immediate filtration to isolate cells from urine, followed by separate handling of the cell fraction. This segmentation prevents cells from being exposed to the degrading urine environment, maintaining their integrity for later analysis
3Quantity of substance
If standard filtration is used to collect prostate cells from urine, then cells can be obtained, but the extremely low number of prostate cells results in insufficient material for accurate analysis
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the filtration parameters by using a non-horizontal membrane orientation and non-vertical flow path, which improves cell recovery efficiency. This increases the quantity of viable prostate cells collected from the urine sample, providing sufficient material for accurate cancer screening analysis
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 effectively isolates cells with high viability, maintaining their integrity and increasing the accuracy of cancer screening by reducing cell adherence and degradation, allowing for reliable detection of biomarkers and disease risk assessment.
Implementation Method 1
a membrane adapted to retain the target cells thereon
Implementation Method 2
means to apply a pressure differential across the membrane (generally pumping means)
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided an apparatus for collecting/isolating cells from a sample including the target cells comprising: a membrane adapted to retain the target cells thereon, a first port in fluid communication with the membrane provided towards a first side of the membrane, a second port in fluid communication with the membrane provided towards a second side of the membrane, a sample container having at least one wall defining an interior space suitable to house the sample, provided on the first side of the membrane, a cell collection container provided towards the first side of the membrane, a filtrate container provided towards the second side of the membrane, a backwash fluid container provided towards the second side of the membrane, wherein the first port is movable between a first position wherein the first port is in fluid communication with the sample container, and a second position wherein the first port is in fluid communication with the cell collection container; and wherein the second port is movable between a first position wherein the second port is in fluid communication with the filtrate container, and a second position wherein the second port is in fluid communication with the backwash fluid container.