Patent ID: 6692702
Filing Date: 2004-02-17
Classification: B01D,G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
An apparatus for automatically removing interferants from a sample of cells containing cells of interest and interferants, the apparatus comprising:al a vacuum source, b) a filtration device comprising: i. an impermeable housing that forms an extramembrane chamber, wherein said housing contains at least three ports and wherein at least one port is connected by a conduit to the vacuum source; and ii. a filter in said chamber that selectively retains cells of interest while allowing interferants to pass through the filter, said filter comprising a microporous hollow fiber membrane having a plurality of pores, wherein the microporous hollow fiber membrane is fashioned into at least one tube defining a lumen, said tube having a first opening at one end of the tube, and a second opening at the opposite end of the tube, c) a sample transporting conduit from one of said ports in said housing through which a cell sample passes from a sample container into the filtration device by operation of said vacuum source, wherein the first opening of said tube of said filter is fluidly connected to the sample transporting conduit such that the sample of cells can be moved from the cell sample container through the first opening into the lumen; and d) a buffer transporting conduit from one of said ports in said housing which fluidly connects to a buffer reservoir, which provides a means for buffer to enter into said filtration device to recover the retained cells through one of said ports, wherein the second opening of said tube of said filter is fluidly connected to the buffer transporting conduit such that the buffer can be moved from the buffer reservoir through the second opening into the lumen.