Chemistry: molecular biology and microbiology – Measuring or testing process involving enzymes or... – Involving viable micro-organism
Reexamination Certificate
1996-06-13
2001-10-02
Fredman, Jeffrey (Department: 1655)
Chemistry: molecular biology and microbiology
Measuring or testing process involving enzymes or...
Involving viable micro-organism
C435S005000, C435S006120, C435S283100, C435S285200, C435S173300, C435S287200, C435S288700, 36, C324S437000, C324S444000, C324S445000, C324S447000, C422S082010
Reexamination Certificate
active
06297025
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a method for observing physical and chemical properties of biological tissues and cells, and an apparatus for use in such method. The method and apparatus are mainly used in the fields of environmental science, medical science, pharmacology, food science and neurophysiology.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
New chemical substances for medicines or food additives are synthesized. Strong electromagnetic fields and magnetic fields are getting close to ourselves as we come to use electrical appliances such as personal computers or portable phones. To study effects of those new factors on us, statistical studies of human beings, and experiments using animals were conducted in associated with synthesized chemical substances, electromagnetic fields or magnetic fields.
However, results from the statistical studies of human beings were apt to be less reliable because desired experimental conditions were difficult to set. With conventional methods for studying the operation of chemical reagents on animals, the chemical reagents were injected into living individuals or administered orally. Consequently, one experiment needed at least one individual of animals. The experiments using animals were very costly, because the experiments needed a number of individuals to obtain reliable results, experimenters needed large equipments for keeping those individuals and had to carefully take care of them. Therefore, the reduction in number of animals to experiment was favorable.
It is desirable that experimenters can take extract tissues or cells from animals and keep the tissues or cells in appropriate conditions and observe the change in activities of the tissues or cells over time with the conditions changed. Methods or apparatus to keep tissues or cells in appropriate conditions, to change the conditions freely, and to permit observation of the change in activities of the tissues or cells over time have been desired to conduct experiments efficiently and at a low cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To solve the problem, the invention aims to provide a method which keeps tissues or cells in appropriate conditions, changes the conditions freely, and permits observation of the change in activities of the tissues or cells over time, and an apparatus for use in such method.
To obtain the aim, the invention provides a method of observing a physical and chemical property of a tissue or cell by using an apparatus which comprises at least a cell culturing means, an environment conditioning means, an observing means and a comparing means, and the method comprises steps of (A) culturing the tissue or cell by the cell culturing means, (B) maintaining a first physical and chemical environment around the tissue or cell by the cell culturing means, (C) observing a first physical and chemical property of the tissue or cell in the first physical and chemical environment by the observing means, (D) changing the first physical and chemical environment to a second physical and chemical environment by the environment conditioning means, (E) observing a second physical and chemical property of the tissue or cell in the second physical and chemical environment by the observing means, and (F) comparing the first physical and chemical property of the tissue or cell with the second physical and chemical property of the tissue or cell by the comparing means.
It is preferable in the method of the invention that the step of changing the first physical and chemical environment to the second physical and chemical environment comprises substituting a second culture medium for use in the cell culturing means for a first culture medium used in the cell culturing means.
Further, the invention provides an apparatus for measuring a physical and chemical property of a tissue or cell, and the apparatus comprises (A) means for culturing the tissue or cell and for maintaining a physical and chemical environment around the tissue or cell, (B) means for conditioning a physical and chemical environment in which the tissue or cell is maintained, (C) means for observing a physical and chemical property of the tissue or cell, and (D) means for comparing a first physical and chemical property of the tissue or cell with a second physical and chemical property of the tissue or cell. Examples of the environment conditioning means include an incubator, thermostat, pH buffer solution, electromagnetic shield, magnetic shield, camera, optic filter and a chamber in which the humidity is kept constant.
It is preferable in the apparatus of the invention that the environment conditioning means comprises means for adding a substance to a culture medium used in the cell culturing means and means for substituting a second culture medium for use in the cell culturing means for a first culture medium used in the cell culturing means.
It is preferable in the apparatus of the invention that the observing means is a potential measurement apparatus for measurement of electric physiological characteristics of a tissue or cell, and the potential measurement apparatus comprises (A) an integrated cell holding instrument provided with a plurality of microelectrodes on a substrate, a cell holding part for placing the tissue or cell thereon, and an electric connection means for providing an electric signal to the microelectrodes and for leading out an electric signal from the microelectrodes, (B) means to be connected to the electric connection means of the integrated cell holding instrument and to provide electric stimulation to the tissue or cell, and (C) means to be connected to the electric connection means of the integrated cell holding instrument and to process an output signal arising from electric physiological activities of the tissue or cell.
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Ambros-Ingerson et al, “Waveform analysis suggests that LTP alters the kinetics of synaptic receptor channels”, Brain Research 620:237-244, 1993.*
Patent Abstracts of Japan, vol. 016, No. 75 (P-1316), Feb. 24, 1992 & JP-03-265814 A (Olympus Optical Co. Ltd.), Nov. 26, 1991 abstract considered.
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Kamei Akihito
Kobayashi Yasushi
Mitsumata Tadayasu
Sugihara Hirokazu
Taketani Makoto
Fredman Jeffrey
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd
Morrison & Foerster / LLP
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