Patent ID: 8229196

Claim:
A method for differentiating between specific macromolecule crystals irradiating UV light and crystals that do not irradiate UV light which are contained in a crystal-containing sample in solution, comprising the steps of detecting specific macromolecule crystals that irradiate UV light by irradiating the crystal-containing sample in solution with UV light and detecting a fluorescent image emitted from the specific macromolecule crystals that irradiate UV light; determining the location of the specific macromolecule crystals that irradiate UV light based upon the detecting of the fluorescent image emitted from the specific macromolecule crystals that irradiate UV light; detecting crystals that do not irradiate UV light by irradiating the crystal-containing sample in solution with visible light and detecting a visible light image emitted from crystals that are observable in visible light; determining the location of the crystals that are observable in visible light based upon the detecting of the visible light image emitted from the crystals that are observable in visible light; comparing the location of the specific macromolecule crystals that irradiate UV light and the location of the crystals that are observable in visible light; differentiating between the specific macromolecule crystals irradiating UV light and crystals that do not irradiate UV light based upon information collected in the comparing step.