1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device and a method of dissecting cells and tissues of an organism, and more particularly relates to a device and a method for dissecting cells and tissues by rolling contact.
2. Description of the Related Art
Operations on organisms, such as dissection and aspiration are frequently carried out in the field of biotechnology. Laser dissection techniques, such as laser capture micro-dissection (LCM), laser micro-dissection (LMD) and laser pressure catapulting (LPC) have become the main micro-dissection techniques for organisms. The three described laser dissection techniques can be conveniently applied to tiny spots but may have generate radioactive contaminants, have high-cost and are not applicable to humid environments.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,673,086 discloses a dissection device employing a needle continuously penetrating organisms for dissection. The dissecting speed of such a device is, however, low.
An embodiment of a dissection device for organisms of the invention comprises a table bearing an organism and at least one blade lifted or lowered to approach or depart from the table. The blade comprises a connecting portion, a cutting portion having a curved edge and a neck portion connecting the connecting portion and the cutting portion. When the blade is lowered to contact the table for cutting the organism, the cutting portion is rotated with respect to the neck portion to make rolling contact with the table from a first point to a second point of the edge.
Lines formed by connecting every point on the edge between the first point and the second point to the neck portion are not parallel to a moving direction of the lowered blade.
The invention further comprises a base lifted or lowered to approach the table. The connecting portion further comprises a through hole with which the base is engaged, thus, the base is connected to the connecting portion.
When the blade is lowered to contact the table, the table moves in a first direction, substantially parallel to the line formed by the first and second points to maintain rolling contact between the blade and the table.
When the blade is lowered to contact the table, the table moves in a first direction, substantially parallel to the line formed by the first and second points to maintain rolling contact between the blade and the table.
The cutting portion has a first side on which the curved edge is formed and a second side on which the neck portion is formed. The first side is opposite to the second side or adjacent to the second side.
The connecting portion, the neck portion and the cutting portion are integrally formed.
The invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
a is a schematic view of an embodiment of a blade of the invention;
b is a free body diagram of a cutting portion of the blade of
The invention discloses a dissecting device with a curved blade having an elastic structure. When the blade cuts an organism on a table, the elastic structure bends to rotate the blade. The curved blade has rolling contact with the table due to the rotation of the blade and the horizontal movement of the table. As rolling contact only occurs between the curved blade and the table, the blade cuts, rather than tears the organisms into cell pieces which have a complete shape. The structure of the dissecting device is described as follows.
Referring to
Referring to
b is a free body diagram of the edge 232. A force exerted by the base 100 to the connecting portion 210 is transferred to the cutting portion 230 via the neck portion 220. The force −Fy exerted by the base 100 has the same magnitude but the opposite direction of the force Fy exerted by the table 300 and does not align with the force Fy, thus, a moment M is generated by the forces Fy and −Fy to rotate the cutting portion 230 with respect to the neck portion 220. Only when the lines formed by the contact points of the edge 232 and the table 300 to the neck portion 220 are not parallel to the descending direction of the cutting portion 230, the forces Fy and −Fy have the same magnitude and the opposite directions without alignment, whereby a moment is generated to rotate the cutting portion 230.
In general, the blade has a thickness of 0.05˜1 mm. In the described embodiments, the blade has a thickness of 0.4 mm.
The described elastic structure allows the blade to bend and rotate, when descended for cutting an organism. When the blade descends and the table is fixed, the blade slides on the table, as shown in
The blade cuts the organism by rolling over the organism without sliding, thus, the blade does not tear the organism. Cells or tissues cut from the organism can retain their shape without affecting biological conditions.
While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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TW95148157 | Dec 2006 | TW | national |