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Stem Cell Related Patent Number US6043066
| Title: | Cell separation using electric fields | | Inventors: | Mangano, Joseph A.; Vienna, VA, USA
Eppich, Henry M.; Andover, VA, USA | | Summary: | Described herein are methods of separating selected subpopulations of cells from cell samples via a process of subjecting the samples to electric fields which allow the separation of the cells on the basis of electroporation characteristics or size. The invention relates to methods and devices which enable discrete objects having a conductive inner core and which are surrounded by a dielectric membrane to be selectively inactivated by electric fields via irreversible breakdown of their dielectric membrane. Further disclosed are methods by which electric fields may be utilized to selectively inactivate and render non-viable particular subpopulations of cells in a suspension, while not adversely affecting other desired subpopulations such that the cells are selected on the basis of intrinsic or induced differences in their characteristic electroporation threshold, which can depend on such parameters as a difference in cell size or a critical dielectric membrane breakdown voltage. Claims of the invention include an advantageous separation of cells by this process without the need to employ undesirable exogenous agents, such as toxins or antibodies, and with a low degree of trauma or modification being incurred by the desired, selected cells. Therapeutic applications are included for the enrichment and isolation of stem cells and in the purging cancer cells. | | Abstract: | The present invention involves methods and devices which enable discrete objects having a conducting inner core, surrounded by a dielectric membrane to be selectively inactivated by electric fields via irreversible breakdown of their dielectric membrane. One important application of the invention is in the selection, purification, and/or purging of desired or undesired biological cells from cell suspensions. According to the invention, electric fields can be utilized to selectively inactivate and render non-viable particular subpopulations of cells in a suspension, while not adversely affecting other desired subpopulations. According to the inventive methods, the cells can be selected on the basis of intrinsic or induced differences in a characteristic electroporation threshold; which can depend, for example, on a difference in cell size and/or critical dielectric membrane breakdown voltage. The invention enables effective cell separation without the need to employ undesirable exogenous agents, such as toxins or antibodies. The inventive method also enables relatively rapid cell separation involving a relatively low degree of trauma or modification to the selected, desired cells. The inventive method has a variety of potential applications in clinical medicine, research, etc., with two of the more important foreseeable applications being stem cell enrichment/isolation, and cancer cell purging. | | US Patent Website: | Click Here for Full Text of Patent | | Title Number: | US6043066 | | Application Number: | US1998000148620 | | Date Filed: | 04/09/1998 | | Date Published: | 28/03/2000 | | Assignee: | None |
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