Provided is a cell wall or cell membrane disrupting device whereby cell walls and/or cell membranes of microorganisms, algae and the like contained in organic sludge and the like are disrupted, the device comprising a fixed disc, a rotating disc, a rotating shaft for driving of the rotating disc, a pressure reducing means and a housing, wherein at least one pair of the fixed disc and rotating disc are disposed facing each other, the center section of the fixed disc has a hollow section that is larger than the outer diameter of the rotating shaft passing through the center section, shearing force generated between the rotating disc and the fixed disc is applied to a target fluid having a water content of 89% or higher that has been loaded into the device, and the pressure inside the cell wall or cell membrane disrupting device is reduced to no greater than −0.08 MPa by the pressure reducing means. The device can contribute to increasing biogas, reducing sludge, culturing of algae, plant cultivation and culturing of marine products, and also to separation of CH.sub.4 and CO.sub.2, for example, as resources.

This disclosure provides methods for producing a sample of subcellular organelles, particularly nuclei, from a tissue. In some embodiments, this disclosure provides a method of processing a tissue sample involves performing enzymatic/chemical disruption of tissue in a chamber to produce disrupted tissue comprising released cells and/or nuclei and debris; separating the released cells and/or nuclei from the debris therein; and moving the released cells and/or nuclei. In some instances, the method comprises mechanical disruption of the tissue sample.

The present invention relates to a process for the cultivation of unicellular red algae (URA) optimized for the valorization of the culture products, both the biomass obtained, the phycocyanins extracted therefrom or other culture products such as porphyrins or protein extracts.

Magnetic beads having cell components of interest are translated between a sequence of processing wells in a tray without need for pipetting. The circular tray contains one or more sequences of wells each interconnected by a respective channel. The tray is rotated about a central axis and a magnet, an agitator, and a heater provided external to the tray enable magnetic bead translation, mixing, and incubation, respectively. The magnet proximate a well forms a cluster of beads. Manipulation of the tray in rotation and elevation results in translation of the cluster from one well, through a channel, and into an adjacent well. The well containing a cluster may be rotationally positioned in front of the agitator, the agitator extended into contact with the well, followed by mechanical agitation. The heater, disposed beneath the tray, may accept a well lowered thereto for selective heating.

Lysis devices, methods, and systems are disclosed including a lysis device comprising a sample vessel having an outer surface, a microchannel within the confines of the outer surface, a first port extending through the outer surface to the microchannel, and a second port extending through the outer surface to the microchannel; and an acoustic transducer bonded to the outer surface of the sample vessel to form a monolithic structure, the acoustic transducer configured to emit ultrasonic acoustic waves into and/or to induce shear forces into a blood sample within the microchannel, thereby rupturing the blood cells.

The present disclosure describes a method of treating a sample comprising cells with a process of partial lysing. Cells are exposed to a process such as bead beating that lyses some cells in the mixture. The process generates a resultant sample mixture that is suitable for both cell morphology screening and genetic screening.

This disclosure provides methods for producing a sample of subcellular organelles, particularly nuclei, from a tissue. In some embodiments, this disclosure provides a method of processing a tissue sample involves performing enzymatic/chemical disruption of tissue in a chamber to produce disrupted tissue comprising released cells and/or nuclei and debris; separating the released cells and/or nuclei from the debris therein; and moving the released cells and/or nuclei. In some instances, the method comprises mechanical disruption of the tissue sample.

An integrated sample purification system includes a housing, a sample container rack, a filter holder, and a cylindrical magnet. The sample container rack and the filter device holder are disposed in the housing. The sample container rack is configured to hold one or more sample containers, the filter device holder is configured to hold one or more filter devices. The cylindrical magnet is adjacent to and external to the sample container rack, and is rotated about a central, longitudinal axis of the magnet by an electric motor disposed in the housing to lyse cells. Molecules of interest in the lysed cells are purified using filters that bind specifically to the molecules of interest. The system is readily amenable to automation and rapid purification and analysis of molecules of interest, such as nucleic acids and proteins.

A system, methods, and apparatus are described to collect and prepare single cells, nuclei, subcellular components, and biomolecules from specimens including tissues. The system can perform enzymatic and/or physical disruption of the tissue to dissociate it into single-cells or nuclei in suspension or subcellular components including nucleic acids. In some embodiments, the titer of dissociated cells is monitored at intervals and the viability determined. In some embodiments, the processing is adjusted according to the measurements of the titer and viability. In some embodiments, the single-cells or nuclei in suspension are washed and resuspended in the buffer or media of choice. In some embodiments, the conditions are chosen to produce nuclei. In other embodiments, the single-cells or nuclei are purified by affinity paramagnetic bead processing. In some embodiments, matched bulk nucleic acid to the single-cells is produced. In other embodiments, single-cell libraries, or nuclei libraries, or matched bulk libraries, or bulk libraries are produced. The single cells or nuclei can then be further processed by FACS, DNA sequencing, mass spectrometry, fluorescence, or other methods. In other embodiments, the tissue processing is integrated with an analytical system to produce a sample-to-answer system such as a tissue-to-genomics system.

Some embodiments of the invention include a synthetic biocidal surface comprising an array of disordered nanospikes. The biocidal surface may be lethal to cells on said surface due to piercing of cell membranes by said nanospikes. Some embodiments may include a method of producing a synthetic biocidal surface comprising an array of disordered nanospikes that may include exposing a silicon comprising substrate surface to reactive-ion etching.