Patent ID: 7172739

Claim:
A method for fractionating a tissue sample to separate a fraction of cellular components from the tissue sample, the method comprising: (a) providing a perforated perfusion chamber; (b) placing a tissue sample in the chamber, wherein the sample is held in the chamber; (c) exposing the tissue sample in the chamber to a fractionating solution by: (i) flowing the fractionating solution into the chamber though and/or around the sample at a rate calculated to permit fractionation of the sample; or (ii) flowing the fractionating solution into the chamber and maintaining the solution in the chamber for a time sufficient to permit fractionation of the sample, (d) concurrently with (c)(i) or following (c)(ii), flowing the fractionating solution out of the chamber to form a bubble or droplet of solution or an array of bubbles or droplets under oil, the fractionating solution comprising the fraction of the cellular components of the tissue sample, wherein the remainder of the tissue sample is held in the chamber.