|
|
|
Stem Cell Related Patent Number US6444436
| Title: | Evacuated container assembly for analysis of a blood sample for the presence or absence of rare event | | Inventors: | Rimm, David L.; Brandford, CT, USA
Fiedler, Paul; New Haven, CT, USA
Levine, Robert A.; Guilford, CT, USA
Wardlaw, Stephen C.; Lyme, CT, USA | | Summary: | Described herein are methods of analyzing anticoagulated whole blood for the presence or absence of target nucleated cancer or hematologic progenitor cells. The invention utilizes an evacuated rectilinear container the size of a microscope slide, with an insert, by which blood may be analyzed for the isolation, detection, enumeration and confirmation under magnification of the presence or absence of target cancer cells as well as hematologic progenitor cells, which are identified herein as “rare events” and which are known to circulate in blood. Further described are methods by which the analysis is performed in a sample of centrifuged anticoagulated whole blood, and involves both morphometric and epitopic examination of the blood sample while the blood sample is disposed in a centrifuged blood sampling container. Also provided are the means by which epitopic analysis of the presence or absence of cancer cells relies on the detection of epitopes which are known to be present on cancer cells and not on normal circulating blood cells. Claims of the invention include fluorophors with distinct emissions that are coupled with antibodies which are directed against the targeted epitopes, and a morphometric analysis which is performed by staining the cells in the blood sample with an intracellular stain, such as acridine orange, which highlights the intracellular structure. | | Abstract: | | | US Patent Website: | Click Here for Full Text of Patent | | Title Number: | US6444436 | | Application Number: | US2000000507635 | | Date Filed: | 22/02/2000 | | Date Published: | 03/09/2002 | | Assignee: | None |
|
|
