Patent ID: 8986945
Filing Date: 2015-03-24
Classification: C12N,G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for isolating a target cell from a biological sample containing other types of cells, said method comprising: a) enriching the sample by selectively removing at least one non-target cell type without removing the target cell; b) debulking the sample by reducing the sample volume without removing the target cell; and c) subjecting the enriched sample comprising the target cell to a downstream process that identifies, characterizes, or utilizes the target cell population wherein the target cell is an epithelial cell, a mesenchymal cell, a tumor cell, an infected cell, a mutated cell, a damaged cell, a stem cell, or a fetal cell, and 1) wherein the target cell is identified by detection of telomerase activity or by detection of a CD44 splice variant; or 2) wherein the method further comprises a step of determining whether the target cell has a therapeutic antibody bound to it; or 3) wherein the method is used to evaluate a cancer therapeutic process or to determine a clinical end point for a cancer drug evaluation process.