Polymer-Modified Substrate for Microorganism Enrichment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for detecting pathogenic microorganisms in biological samples face significant interference from human-derived nucleated cells, which are much more abundant and larger than the microorganisms, leading to complicated operations and inconsistent results.
Innovation Solution
A method and device using a polymer-modified substrate to filter biological samples, capturing human-derived nucleated cells while allowing microorganisms to pass through, thereby reducing interference and enriching the microorganisms in the filtrate for detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If molecular detection methods are used to detect pathogenic microorganisms in biological samples, then detection capability is provided, but background interference from human DNAs becomes significant
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes human-derived nucleated cells from the biological sample before molecular detection. The polymer-modified substrate specifically captures human nucleated cells through their cell membranes, separating them from the sample to eliminate background interference from human DNAs while preserving pathogenic microorganisms for detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a polymer-modified substrate as an intermediary component between the biological sample and the detection system. This substrate acts as a mediator that selectively interacts with human nucleated cells through their cell membranes, enabling removal of interfering human DNAs without affecting the detection of pathogenic microorganisms.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional filtration methods are used to remove human cells, then human cell interference is reduced, but microorganism loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality modification by incorporating specific polymer structures (with functional groups like carboxyl, hydroxyl, or amino groups) into the filtration substrate. These localized chemical modifications create specific interaction sites that selectively bind to human nucleated cell membranes while maintaining pore structures that allow pathogenic microorganisms to pass through unchanged.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the filtration substrate by modifying its surface properties with polymers having specific functional groups. This parameter modification enables the substrate to selectively recognize and capture human nucleated cells based on their membrane characteristics while preserving the permeability needed for microorganism passage.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If differential lysis or methylation modification methods are used to remove human DNAs, then human DNA interference is reduced, but operation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by removing human-derived nucleated cells from the biological sample before performing molecular detection. This pre-treatment step eliminates the source of human DNA interference in advance, simplifying subsequent detection operations compared to methods requiring complex differential lysis or methylation modification procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex biochemical methods (differential lysis, methylation modification) with a physical filtration approach using a polymer-modified substrate. This substitution simplifies the overall operation by using a mechanically simple filtration process instead of complex enzymatic or chemical treatment protocols.
4Measurement precision
If filtration is applied to remove human nucleated cells, then detection rate improves, but microorganism retention decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality modification by incorporating specific polymer structures (with functional groups like carboxyl, hydroxyl, or amino groups) into the filtration substrate. These localized chemical modifications create specific interaction sites that selectively bind to human nucleated cell membranes while maintaining pore structures that allow pathogenic microorganisms to pass through unchanged.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the filtration substrate by modifying its surface properties with polymers having specific functional groups. This parameter modification enables the substrate to selectively recognize and capture human nucleated cells based on their membrane characteristics while preserving the permeability needed for microorganism passage.
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 method achieves a retention rate of microorganisms above 65% and a detection rate 2 to 40 times higher than without filtration, effectively reducing human cell interference and improving the accuracy of pathogenic examinations.
Implementation Method 1
filtering the biological sample through a polymer-modified substrate, human-derived nucleated cells in the sample are captured or separated
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed are a method and system for enriching and detecting microorganisms in a biological sample. The method allows the biological sample to be filtered through a polymer-modified substrate. The polymer-modified substrate is highly specific in capturing or separating human-derived nucleated cells, and allows the microorganisms to penetrate through it. During the process, a high level of microorganisms (bacteria, mycoplasmas, fungi, viruses, spores etc.) can be enriched in the sample and thus the interference from nucleated cells such as leukocytes can be reduced.