Patent ID: 9733235
Date: 2017-08-15
CPC Classifications: B01D,C12M,G01N

Claim:
1. A method for isolating a viable tumor cell, said method comprising: obtaining a sample containing a viable tumor cell; and passing the sample under pressure through a membrane filter consisting of a membrane substrate having a plurality of holes having a predetermined geometric design including predetermined hole shape, dimension and filter opening factor for a time duration, said membrane filter designed by providing a membrane filter consisting of a membrane substrate having a plurality of holes having a predetermined geometric design, the geometric design includes predetermined hole shape, dimension and filter opening factor; providing a pressure source coupled to the filter for applying pressure to a sample, wherein the transfilter pressure applied to the sample is 0.05 to 0.23 psi; maintaining a substantially constant transfilter pressure drop; choosing the hole shape, filter opening factor, transfilter pressure and total filtration time in accordance with equations (I) and (II): wherein: