Tissue Cutting with Vibrational Slicing for Viable Fragments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for cutting tissues are limited by speed and require manual steps, leading to mechanical damage and reduced tissue viability, which is undesirable for applications like ex vivo drug response determination.
Innovation Solution
A tissue cutting system with a tissue holder and cutting components that perform scoring and slicing operations in multiple dimensions, using a sacrificial tissue-support and fluid reservoir to maintain tissue integrity and precision.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional manual cutting methods are used, then tissue cutting can be performed, but the cutting speed is slow and requires multiple manual steps
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting system is divided into specialized modules: a tissue holder module for sample positioning, a scoring component for initial cuts, and a slicing component for final sectioning. Each module performs a specific function, enabling automated high-speed cutting while maintaining manageable system complexity through functional decomposition
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs dynamic elements including a rotatable tissue holder that can change orientation between scoring and slicing operations, and an oscillator that provides vibrational motion to the slicing component. These dynamic features enable automated multi-dimensional cutting without requiring complex manual repositioning
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional manual cutting methods are used, then tissue can be cut into sections, but mechanical damage occurs to the tissue
Solution Approach 1:
The slicing component incorporates an oscillator that generates high-frequency vibrational motion during the cutting process. This vibration reduces mechanical damage to the tissue by minimizing contact time and force between the cutting blade and the tissue sample, thereby preserving tissue viability while maintaining precise cuts
Solution Approach 2:
A sacrificial support structure is introduced as an intermediary element between the tissue sample and the cutting components. This support provides stable positioning during automated cutting operations, enabling precise scoring and slicing while protecting the tissue from direct mechanical contact with the holder and reducing damage
3Productivity
If conventional manual cutting methods are used, then tissue sections can be produced, but tissue viability is reduced for downstream applications
Solution Approach 1:
The oscillator-driven vibrational cutting minimizes mechanical trauma to tissue cells during automated sectioning. This approach maintains tissue viability for downstream applications such as ex vivo drug response determination by reducing cell death and structural damage that would otherwise occur with conventional manual cutting
Solution Approach 2:
The sacrificial support structure serves as a protective intermediary during automated cutting, stabilizing the tissue sample and distributing mechanical stresses away from the tissue itself. This enables high-speed automated processing while preserving tissue integrity and viability for subsequent biological assays
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 2C
AI summary
The present invention relates to devices, systems, and methods for cutting tissues. In some embodiments, the devices, systems, and methods of the invention relate to cutting tissues into fragments that find use in tissue culture and drug testing applications.