Patent ID: 8343440

Claim:
A cancer cell separating apparatus comprising: a primary flow channel for allowing a cell slurry including cancer cells to be introduced therein, the primary flow channel having first and second inner wall surfaces opposite to each other; a first secondary flow channel having first and second ends that are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, the first end is connected to the primary flow channel at a first branch portion so as to branch from the primary flow channel for directing the cell slurry into the first secondary flow channel, the second end is connected to the primary flow channel at a first joint portion so as to join the first secondary flow channel back to the primary flow channel so that the cell slurry is directed back into the primary flow channel, the first secondary flow channel having third and fourth inner wall surfaces opposite to each other; an n th secondary flow channel having 2n−1) th and 2n th ends that are spaced apart from each other, the (2n−1) th end is connected to an (n−1) th secondary flow channel at an n th branch portion so as to branch from the (n−1) th secondary flow channel for directing the cell slurry into the n th secondary flow channel, the 2n th end is connected to the primary flow channel at an n th joint portion so as to join the n th secondary flow channel back to the primary flow channel so that the cell slurry is directed back into the primary flow channel, the n th secondary flow channel having (2n+1) th and (2n+2) th inner wall surfaces opposite to each other, where n represents integer numbers of 2 or more; and an antibody fixation area having antibodies which bind specifically to the cancer cells fixed therein, the antibody fixation area being provided in the primary flow channel, the first secondary flow channel and the n th secondary flow channel, wherein the second and third inner wall surfaces are provided between the first and fourth inner wall surfaces, and the second and (2n+1) th inner wall surfaces are provided between the first and (2n+2) th inner wall surfaces, and the antibody fixation area is provided on the second and fourth inner wall surfaces and the (2n+2) th inner al surfaces.