CELL SEPARATION IN ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS

A NOVEL CELL-SEPARATION METHOD UTILIZING OSCILLATING ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS WILL BE INVESTIGATED. THE PRINCIPLE OF SEPARATION LIES IN THE POLARIZABLE NATURE OF THE LIVE CELLS IN THE ELECTRIC FIELD. IN THIS METHOD, A SUSPENSION OF HETEROGENEOUS CELL MIXTURE IS SUBJECTED TO ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS. THEORETICAL CALCULATION OF A MODEL SYSTEM PREDICTED THAT UNIDIRECTIONAL CELL MIGRATION OCCURS. THE VELOCITY OF MIGRATION IS DETERMINED BY THE DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES AND SIZES OF THE CELLS. THEREFORE, CELLS OF DIFFREENT POLARIZATION RELAXATION FREQUENCIES AND SIZES WILL BE SORTED INTO VARIOUS FRACTIONS. THE PROCESS MAY BE COMPLETED WITHIN MINUTES. THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THIS PROPOSED METHOD WILL GREATLY FACILITATE THE CELL-SORTING PROCEDURE FREQUENTLY NEEDED IN CLINICAL AND RESEARCH LABORATORIES AND BIOENGINEERING OPERATIONS.