Multi-chambered Tissue Containment System for Molecular Diagnostics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing containers for biological samples lack effective means to maintain the structural and molecular integrity of tissues during storage, as they are prone to degradation due to environmental stresses, and often require immediate analysis which is impractical.
Innovation Solution
A container with two fluid-isolated chambers, allowing a biological sample to be initially stored in one chamber with a fixative reagent and then transferred to another chamber with a different reagent, enabling controlled storage and analysis while preventing mixing of liquids.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single-chamber container with fixative reagent is used for sample storage, then the sample can be preserved during storage, but the sample may still degrade due to environmental stresses and cannot be transferred to different reagents
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into multiple separate chambers (first chamber for initial fixation, second chamber for additional reagent) that are fluidly isolated. This segmentation allows the sample to be exposed to different reagents in sequence while maintaining preservation reliability, resolving the contradiction between sample integrity and reagent flexibility.
2Reliability
If immediate analysis is performed after sample collection, then molecular changes and degradation are avoided, but practical constraints often make immediate analysis impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The first chamber contains a fixative reagent that performs preliminary preservation action on the sample immediately upon contact, stabilizing molecular structures before any significant degradation can occur. This preliminary fixation allows the sample to be stored for extended periods without losing molecular integrity, resolving the contradiction between maintaining molecular integrity and the practical need for delayed analysis.
3Device complexity
If a single reagent is used for sample preservation, then the container design is simple, but the sample cannot undergo controlled exposure to multiple reagents for different diagnostic purposes
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into multiple separate chambers (first chamber for initial fixation, second chamber for additional reagent) that are fluidly isolated. This segmentation allows the sample to be exposed to different reagents in sequence while maintaining preservation reliability, resolving the contradiction between sample integrity and reagent flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The sample holder with the biological sample is nested within the multi-chamber container structure, allowing it to be transferred between chambers. The sample holder acts as an intermediary that can be moved from the first chamber to the second chamber, enabling multi-reagent exposure while maintaining a relatively compact overall structure.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the sample is transferred between chambers, then controlled exposure to different reagents is enabled, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sample holder with the biological sample is nested within the multi-chamber container structure, allowing it to be transferred between chambers. The sample holder acts as an intermediary that can be moved from the first chamber to the second chamber, enabling multi-reagent exposure while maintaining a relatively compact overall structure.
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
This solution maintains the integrity of biological samples by allowing controlled exposure to different reagents, reducing degradation and enabling precise handling and analysis, thus addressing the limitations of single-chamber containers.
Implementation Method 1
The first chamber includes a first reagent, such as a tissue fixative solution
Implementation Method 2
The second chamber includes a second reagent, such as a stabilizer
Data Source
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AI summary
A container (1) for storing a biological sample is disclosed. The container (1) includes a first chamber (6) having a sidewall (4) extending between an open end (9) and a closed end (8), defining a first chamber interior adapted to receive a sample holder (11) therein. The container (1) also includes a second chamber (7) having a sidewall (10) extending between an open end (9) and a closed end (8), defining a second chamber interior adapted to subsequently receive the sample holder (11) therein. The second chamber interior is in fluid isolation from the first chamber interior. A removable closure (14) encloses at least one of the open end of the first chamber and the open end of the second chamber while the sample holder is disposed within one of the first chamber interior and the second chamber interior. A first fluid may be disposed within the first chamber interior, and a second different fluid may be disposed within the second chamber interior.