Disposable Flow Cell with Reflection Plane for Aerosol-Free Cell Sorting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional flow cytometers and cell sorters face challenges such as biohazard risks due to aerosol dispersion, difficulty in replacing solution sending systems, and low separation purity, especially when dealing with pathogenic viruses or bacteria, and limited accuracy in separating cells using magnetic particles.
Innovation Solution
A disposable flat-plate flow cell with a reflection plane that directs sideward scattered light to a photodetector, allowing for efficient detection and separation of biological particles while preventing aerosol dispersion, and a multi-stage magnetic separation method using thermo-responsive magnetic particles for improved accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional flow cell with aerosol discharge is used, then cell separation function is achieved, but biohazard risk increases due to aerosol dispersion
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the aerosol discharge function from the flow cell system. By configuring the flow cell to prevent aerosol generation and discharge while maintaining cell separation capability, the harmful aerosol dispersion is eliminated without sacrificing the core separation function.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs a disposable flow cell that is discarded after single use. This eliminates the need for complex cleaning and sterilization processes, prevents cross-contamination, and inherently contains any potential biohazards within the disposable unit, thereby improving safety without compromising separation performance.
2Ease of operation
If a disposable flow cell is used, then replacement of solution sending system becomes easy, but detection of sideward scattered light becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions the light detection approach from a side-view configuration to a top-view or bottom-view configuration through the flow cell substrate. By detecting scattered light through the thickness dimension of the flow cell rather than along its length, the patent enables effective detection while maintaining the disposable flow cell design.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes the thin substrate of the disposable flow cell as an optical window. The substrate is designed to be optically transparent and thin enough to allow scattered light to pass through to detectors positioned on the opposite surface, enabling detection without compromising the disposable nature of the flow cell.
3Reliability
If magnetic particles are used for cell separation, then separation function is achieved, but separation purity remains low
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the separation process into multiple sequential stages. First, magnetic particles perform initial enrichment of target cells. Then, the flow cell system performs secondary separation based on optical detection and flow sorting. This segmented approach achieves high purity by combining the advantages of magnetic enrichment with precise optical sorting.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces the flow cell system as an intermediary between magnetic particle separation and final cell collection. The flow cell provides a controlled environment where magnetically separated cells can be further purified through optical detection and flow-based sorting, acting as a mediator that enhances overall separation purity.
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 efficient and safe analysis and separation of biological particles with high purity, reducing biohazard risks and improving separation accuracy by utilizing a disposable flow cell and thermo-responsive magnetic particles.
Implementation Method 1
a reflection plane which directs the sideward scattered light generated in the flow path to a photodetector
Implementation Method 2
When a cell passes through an illumination region, light scattering depending on the size, shape, and refractive index of the cell occurs
Implementation Method 3
To detect a cell specifically dyed with a fluorescent dye by fluorescence, the wavelength of the laser beam is determined in accordance with the type of the fluorescent dye
Implementation Method 4
the fluorescence as well as the scattered light for each of the cells is detected by a plurality of photodetectors based on the wavelength
Implementation Method 5
a multi-stage magnetic separation method using thermo-responsive magnetic particles for improved accuracy
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for analyzing particles in a solution includes a unit configured to place a flow cell having a flow path for flowing a sample solution containing the particles; a unit configured to illuminate the sample solution flowing through the flow path of the flow cell; a photodetector that detects a scattered light and/or fluorescence generated from the particles in the sample solution; and a unit configured to analyze the particles based on their signal intensities detected by the photodetector, wherein the flow cell has the flow path formed in a substrate, a reflection plane is formed on the side surface of the flow path, the reflection plane leads the lights generated in the flow path of the flow cell and advancing in the substrate in-plane direction to a specified region of the surface of the flow cell, and the photodetector detects the light exiting from the specified region to the outside.