Process for identifying and treating specified cell types

Abstract

A process for identifying and treating cells in a living organism. The cells are labeled, circulated within the organism, detected with an implanted detector, and then either isolated or ablated.

1 . An apparatus for identifying and treating cells within a living organism, comprising means for disposing said cells within a reservoir within said living organism, means for labeling said cells within said reservoir with a marker to produce labeled cells, means for circulating said labeled cells within said living organism to produce circulating labeled cells, and means for detecting said circulating cells within said living organism with an implanted detector to produce detected cells.  
     
     
         2 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising means for isolating said detected cells.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising means for ablating said detected cells.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said marker is a non-toxic fluorescent marker.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said marker is green fluorescent protein.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said marker is luciferase.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising means for labeling said cells with a cytotoxic chromophore.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said cells are detected by means of an implantable stent.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 8 , further comprising means for estimating the positions of said circulating cells with a three-dimensional, multivariate particle velocity and location estimation algorithm.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 9 , further comprising means for monitoring the deformability of said stent with a multiplicity of stress/strain sensors.