[Object] A target cell capture filter is provided, having an improved capture ratio per unit area, structured as a filter for extracting and capturing target cells contained in a biological sample such as blood or the like in a simple manner, in a short period of time, and with high efficiency.

[Solving Means] A target cell capture filter is structured to have a capture face for capturing target cells in a liquid. The target cell capture filter has multiple notches that allows a part of the capture face to be elastically deformed in a direction that is orthogonal to the capture face, thereby providing gaps. At least part of the plurality of notches are a first notch group including multiple notches designed such that there is a difference between the notches in a shortest distance from a greatest deformation location of the notch to an outer edge of the capture face, and such that the same elastic deformation amount is exhibited with respect to the impulse per unit area.

A cell selection and sorting process includes attaching cells of a target cell type to a first set of polymeric beads, washing the chamber through a first filter having a first pore size less than the first bead diameter to retain the first set of polymeric beads and greater than a cell diameter to remove unattached cells, releasing the cells of the target cell type from the first set of polymeric beads, and collecting the cells of the target cell type. A cell modification process includes modifying cells of the target cell type in the chamber. A cell modification system includes a cell modification chamber with entry ports and outlet ports, filters with predetermined pore sized selectably located on the outlet ports, and sets of polymeric beads with predetermined diameters being selected such that the sets of polymeric beads are separable by the filters.

An apparatus for collecting or culturing cells or cell colonies includes: a common substrate formed from a flexible resilient polymeric material and having a plurality of wells formed therein; and a plurality of rigid cell carriers releasably connected to said common substrate, with said carriers arranged in the form of an array, and with each of the carriers resiliently received in one of the wells. A method of collecting or culturing cells or cell colonies with such an apparatus is carried out by depositing a liquid media carrying cells on the apparatus so that said cells settle on or adhere to said the carriers; and then (c) releasing at least one selected carrier having said cells thereon by gradual application of release energy to each carrier from the cavity in which it is received (e.g., by pushing with a probe).

An embodiment in accordance with the present invention provides two devices for the isolation of rare cell populations such as circulating tumor cells (CTCs). Both devices use magnetic fields to manipulate cells that are bounded to paramagnetic particles (PMP). One device uses surface tension and a sieve for cell filtration, whereas the other allows for the direct transfer of cells onto a standard microscope slide. Subsequent processing steps may be directly performed on the devices thereby minimizing cell losses. The first device is referred to as the ST (surface tension) device and the second device is referred to as the DT (direct transfer) device. The ST device can also be considered as a chip for the isolation of the rare cell populations.

A device for isolating, retaining, separating and/or purifying mesenchymal stem cells from a heterogeneous population of cells. The device includes at least one inlet, at least one outlet, a housing, and at least one surface located in the housing, the surface having an affinity for mesenchymal stem cells, wherein the surface is in communication with the inlet and the outlet, and the at least one surface includes at least two portions facing each other, and separated by a distance ranging from 1 mm to 1 cm.

There is provided a connector, for introducing or extracting a material to or from at least one receptacle, comprising a housing extending between a distal end and a proximal end, the housing comprising, at least at one end, a pierceable seal; a hollow needle mounted, at least partially, within the housing between the distal end and the proximal end of the housing, a first end of the hollow needle being connected or connectable to a first corresponding receptacle, and a second end of the hollow needle facing the pierceable seal at an end of the housing; and an actuating mechanism acting on the housing or the hollow needle to enable the hollow needle to pierce the pierceable seal thereby forming a communication through the pierceable seal, such that material is able to transfer through the connector.

A closed fluid receiving and sampling container that enables transfer of valuable reaction liquid to a receptacle without risking loss of sterility. The sampling container has a dip tube subassembly with a shorter inlet tube bent towards the wall of the receptacle to prevent or reduce foaming, and a longer outlet tube used to drain the waste liquid once the magnetic beads are trapped by the magnet. The dip tube subassembly is injection molded in one piece and provides a sealed cap also with a vent tube therethrough to enable filling and draining the receptacle without removing the cap, thus keeping the process aseptic. The sampling container is especially useful in the context of magnetic bead separation processes.

Methods and apparatus for the selection or processing of particles sensitive to the application of an external stimulus to rupture/lysis at least one selected particle or the fusion of first and second selected particles are disclosed herein. Particles are organized using a first field of force by selectively energizing electrodes of an array of selectable electrodes having dimensions comparable to or smaller than those of the particles. A first configuration of stresses is applied to the electrodes; and then a second configuration of stresses is applied to the electrodes, so as to create a second field of force, located substantially close to at least one selected particle to be lysated or to a pair of first and second particles to be fused and such as to produce the application of a stimulus suited to produce their lysis or fusion.

Embodiments of the present disclosure can include a method for convective intracellular delivery including providing cells and molecules to a microchannel having compressive surfaces, wherein the compressive surfaces define compression gaps having a height of from 20 and 80% of the average cell diameter; and a plurality of relaxation spaces disposed between the compressive surfaces; flowing the cell medium through the microchannel, wherein as the cell medium flows through the microchannel, the plurality of cells undergo a convective intracellular delivery process comprising: compressing the plurality of cells, wherein the compressing causes the plurality of cells to undergo a loss in intracellular volume (V.sub.loss); and passing the plurality of cells to a first relaxation space, wherein the plurality of cells undergo a gain in volume (V.sub.gain) and absorb a portion of the plurality of molecules.

A device for mechanical fragmentation of tissues facilitates preparation of the composition of isolated cells from a tissue sample, the preparation including mechanical fragmentation of the tissue, the device including a motorized support and a container, the motorized support including a motor having a rotor secured to a coupling member, the container internally including a rotary shaft with radial arms sweeping the inside of the container as the shaft rotates, the motorized support and the container including a complementary securing unit that allow the container to be immobilized on the motorized support, the coupling member and the rotary shaft being configured in such a way as to allow axial rotation of the rotary shaft when the rotor of the motor is turning. The radial arms are of two types: rigid vane-type arms, and flexible filamentary-type arms, notably made of nylon or of metal. A corresponding method is also disclosed.