MODIFIED TREATMENT CHAMBER FOR TREATING CELLS

Abstract

The present invention is related to a treatment unit (3) having an inlet (3a) and an outlet (3b), and a treatment space (4) being formed inside the treatment unit (3) such that it can be penetrated by electric pulses, said treatment space (4) being fluidly connected with the inlet (3a) and the outlet (3b), wherein at least a portion of an inner side face of the treatment space (4) is curved. The present invention is furthermore related to a device comprising such a treatment unit and to a method to be performed with said device, and wherein the inlet (3a) is formed in a top face of the treatment unit (3), and the outlet (3b) is formed in a bottom face of the treatment unit (3).

Claims

1.-13. (canceled)

14. A treatment unit having an inlet and an outlet, and a treatment space being formed inside the treatment unit such that it can be penetrated by electric pulses, said treatment space being fluidly connected with the inlet and the outlet, wherein at least a portion of an inner side face of the treatment space is non-planar, and wherein the inlet is formed in a top face of the treatment unit, and the outlet is formed in a bottom face of the treatment unit.

15. The treatment unit according to claim 14, wherein said portion of the inner side face of the treatment space is curved.

16. The treatment unit according to claim 15, wherein said inner side face of the treatment space has a sinusoidal shape.

17. The treatment unit according to claim 14, where-in the treatment space has a cuboid shape, with its top face being fluidly connected with the inlet and its bottom face being fluidly connected with the outlet.

18. The treatment unit according to claim 16, wherein at least one side face of the cuboid treatment space has a curved shape over the entire height.

19. The treatment unit according to claim 18, wherein said at least one side face of the cuboid treatment space has a sinusoidal shape over the entire height

20. The treatment unit according to claim 14, wherein in the region of the treatment space there are provided means for positioning electrodes for providing said electric pulses to the treatment space.

21. The treatment unit according to claim 20, wherein the means comprise blind bores inside faces of the treatment unit.

22. The treatment unit according to claim 21, wherein the inner face of the blind bores comprises a slit.

23. The treatment unit according to claim 22, wherein the slit is arranged in the center of the inner face.

24. The treatment unit according to claim 21, wherein the blind bores project towards plain side faces of the treatment space.

25. A device, comprising a unit for generating and emitting electric pulses, wherein said device comprises a treatment unit according to claim 14.

26. The device according to claim 25, wherein the unit for generating and emitting electric pulses comprises two or more electrodes or plates of a capacitor and can generate electric field strength pulses, so that a voltage increase take place between the two or more electrodes of 10% to 90% of a target voltage of the electric field strength pulses within a period of 0.1 to 1000 ns, the electric field strength pulses have a pulse duration of 5 ns to 50000 ns, and the electric field strength pulses, upon reaching the target voltage, have an electric field strength of 0.5 kV/cm to 100 kV/cm.

27. A method for treating cells for targeted inactivation, the extraction of bioactive compounds, and/or the stimulation of cell growth and/or cellular compounds, performed in a device according to claim 25, comprising the steps: a) introducing cell material through an inlet of a treatment unit into a treatment space; b) applying electric pulses to the treatment space in the treatment unit; and c) passing the cell material through the treatment space and the electric pulses penetrating the treatment space to an outlet of the treatment unit.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the cell material is provided as a suspension in an electrically conductive liquid.

29. The method according to claim 27, wherein an electric field is applied with such electric field strength pulses that a voltage increase takes place between the two electrodes or plates of a capacitor of 10% to 90% of a target voltage of the electric field strength pulses within a period of 0.1 to 1000 ns, the electric field strength pulses have a pulse duration of 5 ns to 50000 ns, and the electric field strength pulses, upon reaching the target voltage, have an electric field strength of 0.5 kV/cm to 100 kV/cm.

Description

[0061] The present invention is explained below by way of non-limiting examples and figures. Shown are:

[0062] FIG. 1 a schematic representation of an embodiment of the device of the present invention

[0063] FIG. 2 a schematic representation of the treatment unit of the embodiment of the device of the present invention according to FIG. 1

[0064] FIG. 3a a side view of the treatment unit of the embodiment of the device of the present invention according to FIG. 1

[0065] FIG. 3b another schematic representation of the treatment unit of the embodiment of the device of the present invention according to FIG. 1

[0066] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of the device (1) of the present invention.

[0067] The device has a unit (2) for generating and emitting electric pulses, for example, a pulse generator. The unit (2) is electrically connected to two electrodes (2a, 2b). A treatment unit (3) is located between the electrodes (2a, 2b). On a treatment space (4) within said treatment unit (3) (see FIG. 2), electric pulses generated by the unit (2) are applied. The electrodes (2a, 2b) are arranged perpendicularly to the direction of movement of material moving through the treatment unit (3). The material enters the treatment unit (3) through an inlet (3a) in the top face of the treatment unit (3), and leaves the treatment unit (3) through an outlet (3b) in the bottom face of the treatment unit (3).

[0068] In two side faces of the treatment unit (3), there are provided openings (5a, 5b), preferably in the form of blind bores, into which the electrodes (2a, 2b) may be inserted and secured.

[0069] FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of the treatment unit (3) of the embodiment of the device (1) of the present invention according to FIG. 1. Like reference numerals designate the same components as in FIG. 1.

[0070] In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the treatment unit (3) is a solid body with a treatment space (4) in the form of a cavity in its center. The inlet (3a) in the top face of the treatment unit (3) is fluidly connected, by means of a conduit, with the treatment space (4). In this embodiment, the fluid connection is funnel-shaped over its lower part discharging into the treatment space (4). The outlet (3b) in the bottom face of the treatment unit (3) is also fluidly connected, by means of a conduit, with the treatment space (4). In this embodiment, the fluid connection is funnel-shaped over it upper part extending from the treatment space (4).

[0071] In two side faces of the treatment unit (3), there are provided openings (5a, 5b) in the form of blind bores for insertion of electrodes. These openings are tapered in a region adjacent to the treatment space (4), i.e. they become smaller as they approach the treatment space (4). The side faces of the treatment space (4) adjacent to the openings (5a, 5b) are plain, i.e. they are not curved.

[0072] FIG. 3a is a side view of the treatment unit (3) of the embodiment of the device (1) of the present invention according to FIG. 1. Like reference numerals designate the same components as in FIG. 1.

[0073] In FIG. 3a, a side face of the treatment unit (3) is shown in which there is provided an opening (5a) in the form of a blind bore. Said blind bore is tapered in a region adjacent to the treatment space (4, not shown here), i.e. it becomes smaller with increasing depth. In the inner face of the opening (5a), preferably in the center of the inner face, there is provided a slit (6).

[0074] FIG. 3b is another schematic representation of the treatment unit (3) of the embodiment of the device (1) of the present invention according to FIG. 1. Like reference numerals designate the same components as in FIG. 1.

[0075] As compared to FIG. 2, the treatment unit (3) is turned by 90°. Thus, in FIG. 3b the side faces of the treatment space (4) are shown that are not adjacent to the openings (5a, 5b). These side faces are curved. Here, they have a sinusoidal shape over their entire height.