Patent ID: 6828157
Filing Date: 2004-12-07
Classification: G01N,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
A method of processing cells comprising the steps of:a) providing a suspension of cells in a liquid medium, said cells including a population of first cells and a population of second cells, said second cells and said fist cells being in groups which do not overlap, b) contacting a group of fist beads with said suspension and contacting a group of second beads with said suspension, said first beads being distinguishable from said second beads, each of said fist beads being coated with a binding substance or being magnetic such that each first bead is specifically adapted to bind to at least one of said first cells, each of said second beads being coated with a binding substance or being magnetic such that each second bead is specifically adapted to bind to at least one of said second cells, c) incubating said first beads with said suspension for a period of time effective to permit said first cells to bind to said first beads to form first bead-first cell complexes, each first bead-first cell complex comprising a first bead and a first cell, and incubating said second beads with said suspension for a period of time effective to permit said second cells to bind to said second beads to form second bead-second cell complexes, d) simultaneously separating said first bead-first cell complexes and said second bead-second cell complexes from said suspension by filtration through a filter, wherein said filter permits effective separation of said first bead-first cell complexes and said second bead-second cell complexes from said suspension, and transferring to a glass slide said first bead-first cell complexes and said second bead-second cell complexes separated by said filtration, and e) examining said separated first bead-first cell complexes and said separated second bead-second cell complexes and characterizing said first cells and said second cells.