Apparatus for measuring cell activity and method for analyzing cell activity

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016348058-A1
Application number	US-201615233951-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 11, 2016
Priority date	Mar 30, 2012
Publication date	Dec 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus that uses shadow images of cells to continuously measure cell activity at a high processing rate in order to provide cell activity and cell number results. According to one embodiment of the present invention, instead of a highly experienced examiner or technician using a microscope, ELISA reader, etc. having to collect various cell activity measurements and cell numbers, the collection of said information can be automated so as to reduce cost and largely reduce errors in measurements through the development of computer software coupled with hardware using low cost and compact optoelectronic components and simple image processing techniques.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A cell activity measurement apparatus comprising:
a cell chip providing a cell storage place configured to receive a culture fluid and a cell injected therein, the cell chip having a small thickness of 0.1 mm-1.0 mm for a bottom surface thereof; a light-emitting element positioned over the cell chip and configured to emit light in a direction of the cell chip; and an image sensor positioned under the cell chip and configured to capture a shadow image of the cell.

2 . The cell activity measurement apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a distance adjustment part coupled with the image sensor and configured to adjust a distance between the image sensor and the cell chip.

3 . The cell activity measurement apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
an analysis module configured to analyze an activity state of the cell by using at least one of an SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) value, an SD (shadow diameter) value, a maximum pixel value, a position of a pixel having a maximum value, a minimum pixel value, a position of a pixel having a minimum value, a diameter of a first bright ring, a diameter of a first dark ring, a width between a bright ring and a dark ring, an area of the shadow image, and a circularity of the shadow image, extracted from the shadow image captured by way of the image sensor.

4 . The cell activity measurement apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the analysis module analyzes the activity state of the cell by using a degree of similarity between a pixel for the shadow image captured by way of the image sensor and a particular shape.

Assignees

• Univ Korea Res & Bus Found

Inventors

• Seo Sung-Kyu
• Jin Geon-Soo
• Ha Un-Hwan
• Paek Se-Hwan
• Pack Seung-Pil

Classifications

• G01J1/0295

  Constructional arrangements for removing other types of optical noise or for performing calibration · CPC title

• C12M41/46 Primary

  of cellular or enzymatic activity or functionality, e.g. cell viability · CPC title

• G01N2021/1765

  Method using an image detector and processing of image signal · CPC title

• G01N33/48735 Primary

  Investigating suspensions of cells, e.g. measuring microbe concentration (by chemical means C12Q1/04; colony counters C12M1/34; concentration of particle suspensions in general G01N15/06) · CPC title

• G01N21/17

  Systems in which incident light is modified in accordance with the properties of the material investigated (where the material investigated is optically excited causing a change in wavelength of the incident light G01N21/63) · CPC title