Patent NZ-590166-A (NZ)
Title: Method and apparatus for sorting cells
Inventor: LUSCHER MARK
IPC: C12M1/34
Filed: 2009-06-30
Abstract: 590166 A method and an apparatus for detecting and selectively altering a desired subpopulation of cells in a population of specimen cells are disclosed. The apparatus comprises a fluid flow path; an interrogation area, a sheath fluid input, a specimen input, an objective lens, a detector, a logic routine and a controllable energy source. The first flow path has a first flow section having a flow axis, and a second flow section. The first and second flow sections intersecting at a measurement end of the first flow section. The interrogation area is disposed at or near the measurement end of the first flow section. The sheath fluid input and the specimen input are s in fluid flow communication with the fluid flow path. The objective lens has a nominal focal point and an optical axis, and is disposed at the measurement end of the first flow section. The objective lens is aligned with the first flow section such that the nominal focal point is along the flow axis and in the interrogation area, and such that the optical axis is generally coaxially aligned with the flow axis. The detector is disposed to detect light focused by the objective lens. The logic routine is communicatively coupled to the detector, operable to determine whether a cell in the population of specimen cells is one of the desired sub-population of cells, and is further operable to output a signal based on the determination of whether the cell is one of the desired sub-population of cells. The controllable energy source is communicatively coupled to the logic routine and is operable to selectively alter either cells in the desired sub-population of cells or cells not in the desired sub-population of cells according to at least the signal output from the logic routine A method and a system for detecting and selectively altering a desired sub-population of cells in a population of specimen cells are disclosed. The system comprises a fluid flow path having a flow axis; an interrogation area disposed within the fluid flow path; a sheath fluid input in fluid flow communication with the fluid flow path; a first pump in fluid flow communication with the sheath fluid input; a specimen fluid input in fluid flow communication with the fluid flow path; a second pump in fluid flow communication with the specimen fluid input; an objective lens having a nominal focal point and an optical axis, and disposed such that the nominal focal point is along the flow axis and in the interrogation area, and such that the optical axis is generally coaxially aligned with the flow axis in the interrogation area; a detector disposed to detect light focused by the objective lens; a controllable energy source and a processor communicatively coupled to a computer-readable storage medium, to the detector, and to the controllable energy source. The processor and the controllable energy source cooperate to selectively alter, according to an output from the processor, either cells in the desired sub-population of cells or cells not in the desired sub-population of cells. A preparation of sperm cells comprises a population of sperm cells destroyed or disabled by selective delivery of energy transmitted by a destructive or disabling energy source as the populations of cells pass through a closed flow path of a sorting flow cytometer; and a population of sperm cells unaffected by the destructive or disabling energy source. This preparation is prepared using the above disclosed method and/or apparatus.