Patent ID: 8546145

Claim:
A method for fast identification and isolation of cells having a particular phenotype, comprising (a) encapsulating the cells into microcapsules capable of allowing exchange of solvents through the microcapsule wall but retaining all or a fraction of a gas formed by a gas-liberating enzyme; (b) culturing the microcapsules encapsulating the cells under conditions supporting the expression of the particular phenotype and the formation of the gas-liberating enzyme; (c) incubating the microcapsules encapsulating the cells in a reaction liquor containing a dissolved substrate for the gas-liberating enzyme until gas bubbles are formed in at least one of the microcapsules encapsulating the cells; (d) separating microcapsules encapsulating the cells floating on the surface of the reaction liquor due to a reduction in specific density caused by the gas bubble formation, optionally in a time-dependent manner; and (e) isolating the cells from the separated microcapsules encapsulating the cells, wherein, optionally, the expression of the particular phenotype is coupled to the amount of the gas-liberating enzyme in the cells and/or to increased growth of the cells.