Claims
- 1. A method of lysing a cell, the method comprising:
- providing a frozen cell under atmospheric pressure;
- while maintaining the cell at a subzero temperature, exposing the cell to an elevated pressure in a pressure chamber, the elevated pressure being sufficient to thaw the frozen cell at the subzero temperature;
- depressurizing the pressure chamber to freeze the cell at the subzero temperature; and
- repeating the exposing and depressurizing steps until the cell is lysed.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the subzero temperature is about -20.degree. C. or higher, and the elevated pressure is between about 28 psi and 75,000 psi.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the pressure is raised to its final value in less than 10 second.
- 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the pressure is raised to its final value in less than 1 second.
- 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the cell is a bacterium, a fungal cell, a plant cell, an animal cell, an insect cell, and a protozoan cell.
- 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the cell is a yeast cell.
- 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the cell is a virus.
- 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the cell is from a sample selected from the group consisting of blood, urine, semen, mucal scrapings, sweat, hair, bone, pus, saliva, fecal matter, biopsy tissue, amniotic fluid, synovial fluid, plasma, blood-stained materials, prokaryotic cultures, and eukaryotic cultures.
- 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the cell is from a human tissue.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 09/016,062, filed on Jan. 30, 1998, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 08/962,280, filed on Oct. 31, 1997. Both prior applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
US Referenced Citations (4)
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Mozhaev et al., "Exploiting the Effects of High Hydrostatic Pressure in Biotechnological Applications", TIBTECH, vol. 12, pp. 493-501, (1994). |
Continuation in Parts (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
016062 |
Jan 1998 |
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Parent |
962280 |
Oct 1997 |
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