Systems and methods for analyzing and manipulating biological samples

Abstract

A system for qualifying cells of a cell sample labeled with a magnetic or magnetizable moiety is provided. The system includes a cell sample holder for holding a cell of the cells and a first cell analyzer which includes a magnetic field source for applying a magnetic field to the cell and a sensor for qualifying and/or quantifying an effect of the magnetic field on the cell.

1 . A system for qualifying and manipulating cells of a cell sample labeled with a magnetic or magnetizable moiety comprising:
 (a) a cell sample holder for holding a cell of said cells; and   (b) a first cell analyzer including:   (i) a magnetic field source for applying a magnetic field to said cell; and   (ii) a sensor for qualifying and/or quantifying an effect of said magnetic field on said cell,   wherein said cell sample holder is a capillary tube and said magnetic field source and said sensor are each separately arranged around the circumference of said capillary tube.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second cell analyzer for qualifying and/or quantifying a feature of said cell. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said magnetic field source and said sensor are electromagnetic coils. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said magnetic field source and said sensor are incorporated into a single electromagnetic coil. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said first cell analyzer is capable of producing a transient magnetic field. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein an internal diameter of said capillary tube is selected so as to restrict passage therethrough to a single cell. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said magnetic field source is capable of generating a pulsating magnetic field. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said magnetic field source is capable of generating a magnetic field of alternating polarity. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein said magnetic field source is capable of varying a polarity shift of said magnetic field of alternating polarity. 
     
     
         10 . A method of identifying cells of interest in a cell sample with the system of  claim 1  comprising:
 (a) labeling the cells of interest with at least one type of a magnetic or magnetizable moiety; 
 (b) exposing each cell of the cell sample in said cell sample holder to a magnetic field from said magnetic field source; 
 (c) measuring a response of each cell of the cell sample to said magnetic field with said sensor; and 
 (d) identifying the cells of interest according to said response. 
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said response is current generated in a coil by a magnetic field of said magnetizable moiety. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the step of analyzing at least one feature of at least a subset of cells of the cell sample prior to, during or following step (b). 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the step of manipulating cells of interest. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the step of separating said cells of interest from the cell sample according to said response. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein step (d) is effected by measuring an effect of a magnetic field generated by said at least one magnetic or magnetizable moiety on an induction coil. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said magnetic field is a pulsating magnetic field source. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said magnetic field is of alternating polarity. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said magnetic field of alternating polarity is of varying polarity shift. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the cells of interest are stem cells.