Claims
- 1. A method of determining cell viability, comprising the steps of:
(a) placing a cell in an electrically conductive medium wherein the cell blocks an opening in a material which material blocks current flow; (b) applying a voltage across the cell; (c) detecting electrical current through the cell; (d) comparing the detected electrical current across the cell to a standard current and thereby determining viability of the cell.
- 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
(e) repeating steps (a)-(d) a plurality of times with a different cell each time.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the cell is held in a opening in a material which blocks current flow.
- 4. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of cells are placed in the electrically conductive medium in the opening of the material which blocks current flow.
- 5. A method of determining cell viability, comprising:
(a) applying a voltage across a group of cells; (b) detecting electrical current through a plurality of different areas of the group of cells; and (c) comparing current detected through the different areas of the group of cells and thereby deducing cell viability in the different areas.
- 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the group of cells is a tissue extracted from a live organism.
- 7. The method of claim 5, wherein the group of cells is a tissue present in a live organism.
- 8. A method of detecting electroporation, comprising the steps of:
(a) applying a voltage across a group of cells; (b) detecting electrical current through the group of cells; and (c) comparing current detected over time while changing the voltage until the current detected indicates a change denoting electroporation.
- 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the group of cells is a tissue extracted from a live organism.
- 10. The method of claim 8, wherein the group of cells is a tissue present in a live organism.
- 11. A method, comprising the steps of:
(a) placing a cell in an electrically conductive medium wherein the cell blocks an opening in a material which material blocks current flow; (b) applying a voltage across the cell; (c) detecting electrical current through the cell to obtain a first signal; (d changing a condition surrounding the cell; (e) reapplying the voltage of (b) to the cell; (f) detecting electrical current through the cell to obtain a second signal; (g) comparing the first signal to the second signal and thereby determining effects of the changed condition on the cell.
- 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the changed conditions comprises adding a compound to the electrically conductive medium.
- 13. The method of claim 11, wherein the changed condition comprises adding a biological substance to the electrically conductive medium.
- 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the biological substance is selected from the group consisting of a protein, a nucleotide sequence, a bacterial, a virus, an infectious prion, a fungus and a polysaccharide.
- 15. The method of claim 11, wherein the changed condition is selected from the group consisting of temperature, pressure, pH, and radiation.
- 16. The method of claim 12, wherein the compound is selected from the group consisting of metals, metal alloys and metal salts.
- 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the metal is a heavy metal.
- 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the heavy metal is selected from the group consisting of Cd, Hg, In, Tl, Sn, Pb, Te and Bi.
- 19. A method, comprising the steps of:
creating an electrical charge differential between a first point and a second point separated from the first point by an electrically conductive medium comprising a biological cell; measuring a first electrical parameter between the first and second points; and analyzing the measuring of the first electrical parameter and thereby determining a character of the biological cell.
- 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first electrical parameter is selected from the group consisting of current, voltage and electrical impedance.
- 21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:
adjusting a second electrical parameter in a manner which effects a membrane of the biological cell.
- 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the second electrical parameter is selected from the group consisting of current, voltage, and a combination of current and voltage.
- 23. The method of claim 19, wherein the character is the integrity of the membrane of the biological cell.
- 24. The method of claim 19, wherein the character of the biological cell is cell membrane permeability.
- 25. The method of claim 19, wherein the analyzing comprises comparing a measurement obtained with a previously obtained measurement.
- 26. The method of claim 25, wherein the previously obtained measurement is on a normal biological cell substantially the same as the biological cell in the medium.
- 27. The method of claim 25, wherein the previously obtained measurement is on a impaired biological cell of the same type as the biological cell in the medium.
- 28. The method of claim 27, wherein the cell is impaired in a manner selected from the group consisting of disease, physical trauma, chemical exposure, temperature and radiation.
- 29. A device for testing cells, comprising:
a first electrode; a second electrode; a source of electricity in electrical connection with the first and second electrodes; a means comprised of a non-conductive material for hindering the flow of electrical current between the first and second electrodes except electrical current flow through a defined route comprising an opening for the placement of a sample to be tested; and a means of measuring electrical current through the defined route.
- 30. The device of claim 29, wherein the opening has a dimension less that that of a biological cell sample to be tested.
- 31. The device of claim 29, further comprising:
a means for adjusting the source of electricity based on measured electrical current through the defined route.
- 32. A method of detecting cell viability, comprising the steps of:
(a) applying a voltage across a group of cells; (b) imaging the group of cells over a plurality of different areas with electrical impedance tomography; and (c) comparing images of the plurality of different areas of the group of cells and thereby deducing cell viability in the different areas.
- 33. The method of claim 32, wherein the group of cells is a tissue extracted from a live organism.
- 34. The method of claim 32, wherein the group of cells is a tissue present in a live organism.
- 35. A method of detecting electroporation, comprising the steps of:
(a) applying a voltage across a group of cells; (b) imaging the groups of cells with electrical impedance tomography while changing the voltages over time; and (c) observing images created and deducing occurrence of electroporation by an observed image change.
- 36. The method of claim 35, wherein the group of cells is a tissue extracted from a live organism.
- 37. The method of claim 35, wherein the group of cells is a tissue present in a live organism.
CROSS-REFERENCES
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/618,951 which was filed Jul. 19, 2001 which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/358,510 filed Jul. 21, 1999 to which is claimed priority under 35 USC §120 and which applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Continuation in Parts (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09618951 |
Jul 2000 |
US |
Child |
10079940 |
Feb 2002 |
US |
Parent |
09358510 |
Jul 1999 |
US |
Child |
09618951 |
Jul 2000 |
US |