MINIATURIZED BENCH-TOP ANALYTICAL CELL SORTER

THE PURPOSE OF THIS WORK IS TO DEVELOP AN INSTRUMENT WHICH INTEGRATES FLOW CYTOMETRY, CELL SORTING, AND IMAGE CYTOMETRY. THE SYSTEM SORTS CELLS IN A LIQUID MEDIUM USING FLUORESCENCE CYTOMETRY. THE SYSTEM THEN PRESENTS THE SELECTED CELLS FOR MICROSCOPIC EXAMINATION. THE TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION CONSISTS OF (1) A SINGLE ASSEMBLY WHICH IDENTIFIES, SORTS, AND ACCUMULATES SELECTED CELLS, (2) THE ENTIRE DEVICE IS COMPACT SO THAT IT MAY BE MOUNTED DIRECTLY ON A MICROSCOPE STAGE. THE ABILITY TO SORT AND ACCUMULATE CELLS OF INTEREST IN THE FIELD OF THE MICROSCOPE FOR IMAGE ANALYSIS CAN GREATLY EXPEDITE THE EVALUATION OF A SPECIMEN. THIS WOULD BE USEFUL IN MANY TYPES OF TUMOR ANALYSIS INCLUDING LYMPHOMAS, HODGKIN'S DISEASE, MYELOMA, HAIRY CELL LEUKEMIA, AND MYCOSIS FUNGOIDS.