Container for single cell analysis and single cell analysis method using same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025312792-A1
Application number	US-202318859440-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 24, 2023
Priority date	Jun 16, 2022
Publication date	Oct 9, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention relates to a container for single cell analysis and a single cell analysis method using the same. The present invention also relates to an automated device for performing single cell analysis using the container for single cell analysis. Specifically, the present invention provides a container for single cell analysis which includes: a reaction substrate including a cell trapping portion on which a cell is trapped, and one or a plurality of microreaction chambers arranged immediately below the cell trapping portion and filled with a solid phase; and a cell holding portion having the reaction substrate as a bottom and configured to hold a solution containing cells.

First claim

1 . A container for single cell analysis comprising:
a reaction substrate comprising a cell trapping portion on which a cell is trapped, and one or a plurality of microreaction chambers arranged immediately below the cell trapping portion and filled with a solid phase; and a cell holding portion having the reaction substrate as a bottom and configured to hold a solution containing cells.

2 . The container according to claim 1 , further comprising a fixture for fixing the container to a single cell analysis device.

3 . The container according to claim 1 , further comprising an auxiliary tool for removing the container from a single cell analysis device.

4 . The container according to claim 1 , wherein the solid phase is a bead.

5 . The container according to claim 1 , wherein the solid phase is a magnetic bead.

6 . The container according to claim 1 , wherein a single cell is trapped per the cell trapping portion.

7 . The container according to claim 1 , wherein the reaction substrate comprises a layer having an aspiration through-hole provided on a side opposite to the cell holding portion.

8 . A single cell analysis method using a single cell analysis device, in the single cell analysis device to which the container according to claim 1 is fixed, the method comprising the steps of:
introducing a solution containing cells into the container;
trapping the cells in the cell trapping portion;
reacting nucleic acid derived from the trapped cells in the microreaction chamber;
removing the container from the single cell analysis device after the reaction; and
collecting the solid phase from the removed container.

9 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein the step of collecting the solid phase comprises immersing the container in another container containing a solution and vibrating the container.

10 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the solid phase is a magnetic bead, and the method comprises collecting the solid phase in the another container by a magnet, with the vibration or after the vibration.

11 . An automated single cell analysis device comprising:
a single cell analysis device configured to fix the container according to claim 1 ; a mechanism that is configured to remove the container from the single cell analysis device and move the container to another container; a mechanism that is configured to vibrate the container in the another container; and a control device, wherein the control device is configured to remove the container from the single cell analysis device after a reaction in the single cell analysis device, and to control a movement of the container to the another container and a vibration of the container in the another container.

12 . The device according to claim 11 , wherein the control device is configured to control a fixture fixing the container to the single cell analysis device to be removed.

13 . The device according to claim 11 , wherein the control device is configured to control the container to be pressed against the single cell analysis device to prevent air leakage when aspirating a reaction solution from the container.

Assignees

• Hitachi Ltd

Inventors

• Taniguchi Kiyomi
• Shirai Masataka

Classifications

• G01N2035/00524

  Mixing by agitating sample carrier · CPC title

• G01N35/0099

  comprising robots or similar manipulators (robots per se B25J) · CPC title

• G01N35/0098

  involving analyte bound to insoluble magnetic carrier, e.g. using magnetic separation (magnetic particles used in immunoassays G01N33/54326; magnetic separation in general B03C) · CPC title

• B01L2200/0668

  Trapping microscopic beads · CPC title

• C12M41/46

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