Method and Apparatus for Selectively Targeting Specific Cells Within a cell population

Abstract

This invention provides a method and apparatus for selectively identifying, and targeting with an energy beam, specific cells within a cell population, for the purpose of inducing a response in the targeted cells. Using the present invention, every detectable cell in a population can be identified and affected, without substantially affecting non-targeted cells within the mixture.

1 . An apparatus for imaging cells in a biological specimen held in a container, comprising: 
 a lens that defines a field of view that comprises a plurality of frames of cells within said biological specimen;    an illumination source for illuminating a frame of cells within said field of view;    an image capture system that captures an image of said frame of cells; and    commands for determining a morphological or physiological characteristic of cells in said biological specimen by reference to said image.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a controllable reflective or diffractive device to facilitate the illumination and imaging of a second frame of cells within said first field of view without moving said container.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said controllable reflective or diffractive device comprises one or more galvanometric mirrors, one or more piezo-electric tilt platforms, or one or more acousto-optical deflectors.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said lens is of F-theta design.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the diameter of said field of view is greater than or equal to a value selected from the group consisting of 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18 millimeters.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the number of said plurality of frames of cells within said field of view is greater than or equal to a value selected from the group consisting of 4, 9, 12, 18, and 24.  
   
   
       7 . A method of processing a biological specimen to determine a characteristic of one or more cells in said biological specimen held in a container, comprising: 
 defining a field of view that comprises a plurality of frames of cells in a biological specimen;    illuminating a frame of cells within said field of view;    capturing an image of said frame of cells; and    determining a morphological or physiological characteristic of one or more cells in said biological specimen by reference to said image.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising illuminating one or more additional frames of cells within said field of view and capturing an image of said one or more additional frames of cells without moving said container.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said illuminating one or more additional frames of cells within said field of view and capturing an image of said one or more additional frames of cells without moving said container is accomplished by rapid movement of one or more controllable reflective or diffractive devices.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said method processes the area of said container at a rate greater than or equal to a value selected from group consisting of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 14 square centimeters per minute.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said method processes said cells at a rate greater than or equal to a value selected from the group consisting of 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 8 million cells per minute.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said morphological or physiological characteristic of said one or more cells is indicative of the action of candidate drug compounds on said biological specimen.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said determining a morphological or physiological characteristic of said one or more cells comprises evaluating the action of a candidate drug compound on cells in said biological specimen.  
   
   
       14 . An apparatus for rapidly inducing a response in cells within a specimen container, comprising: 
 a lens that defines a field of view within said specimen container;    an energy source that emits an energy beam sufficient to induce a response in at least one of said cells;    a steering device to rapidly steer said energy beam to a plurality of locations within said field of view; and    commands to coordinate the emitting of said energy beam from said energy source with said steering device to rapidly steer said energy beam to said plurality of locations.    
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of claim  22 , wherein said lens is of F-theta design.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of claim  22 , wherein the diameter of said field of view is greater than or equal to a value selected from the group consisting of 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18 millimeters.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of claim  22 , wherein said energy source is a laser that emits light of a wavelength selected from the group consisting of 355, 488, 523, 532, 633, 1064, 2100, and 2940 nanometers.  
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of claim  22 , wherein said steering device to rapidly steer said energy beam comprises one or more galvanometric mirrors, one or more piezo-electric tilt platforms, and one or more acousto-optical deflectors.  
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of claim  22 , wherein said steering device rapidly steers said energy beam to said plurality of locations at a rate greater than or equal to a value selected from the group consisting of 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, and 800 per second.  
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of claim  22 , wherein said response is selected from the group consisting of optoporation, activation of a photosensitive agent, and inactivation of a cell component.