Cellular screening substratum and manufacturing process for it, and method and apparatus for cellular screening with it

Abstract

The present invention provides cellular screening substrata which can be formed in simple processing steps. The cellular screening substrata can be formed which are characterized in that plural cellular screening substances are positioned and immobilized at predetermined positions on a base by micro-droplet discharging means, and plural areas having different cellular screening functions are formed thereon.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A cellular screening substratum, wherein plural cellular screening substances are positioned and immobilized at predetermined areas on a base by micro-droplet discharging means to form plural areas having different functions for cellular screening.  
     
     
         2 . The cellular screening substratum according to  claim 1 , wherein said plural areas comprise plural areas having a different combination of the immobilized cellular screening substances each other.  
     
     
         3 . The cellular screening substratum according to  claim 1 , wherein said plural areas comprise plural areas having a different density of the immobilized cellular screening substances each other.  
     
     
         4 . The cellular screening substratum according to  claim 1 , wherein each area or each area group of two or more areas is formed within a sunken part.  
     
     
         5 . The cellular screening substratum according to  claim 1 , wherein each area or each area group of two or more areas is surrounded by a rising wall-shaped structure.  
     
     
         6 . A process for manufacturing a cellular screening substratum, comprising the steps of positioning each of cellular screening substances at predetermined areas on a base by micro-droplet discharging means; and immobilizing the cellular screening substances at each area on the substratum.  
     
     
         7 . The process for manufacturing a cellular screening substratum according to  claim 6 , wherein the micro-droplet discharging means is adopting thermal ink-jet method.  
     
     
         8 . The process for manufacturing a cellular screening substratum according to  claim 6 , wherein the micro-droplet discharging means is adopting piezoelectric ink jet method.  
     
     
         9 . The process for manufacturing a cellular screening substratum according to  claim 6 , wherein said immobilization step further comprises the step of applying external immobilization energy.  
     
     
         10 . A method for cellular screening using a cellular screening substratum according to  claim 1 , comprising the step of culturing cells in a culture medium in con tact with the areas of the immobilized screening substances on the cellular screening substratum.  
     
     
         11 . The method for cellular screening according to  claim 10 , comprising the step of adding a substance required for screening said cells to the culture medium in contact with the areas of the immobilized screening substances.  
     
     
         12 . The method for cellular screening according to  claim 10 , wherein the areas of the immobilized screening substances are in contact with the flow of the culture medium.  
     
     
         13 . The method for cellular screening according to  claim 10  further comprising the step of observing morphological change of the cells.  
     
     
         14 . The method for cellular screening according to  claim 13 , wherein the cells are stained upon evaluation.  
     
     
         15 . The method for cellular screening according to  claim 10 , comprising the step of measuring quantitatively a substance which has been synthesized within the cells.  
     
     
         16 . The method for cellular screening according to  claim 10 , comprising the step of measuring quantitatively a substance which has been incorporated into the cells.  
     
     
         17 . The method for cellular screening according to  claim 15 , comprising the step of measuring quantitatively the substance by determining the amount of radiation, fluorescence, light emission or absorbance.  
     
     
         18 . The method for cellular screening according to  claim 16 , comprising the step of measuring quantitatively the substance by determining the amount of radiation, fluorescence, light emission or absorbance.  
     
     
         19 . An apparatus for cellular screening using a cellular screening substratum according to  claim 1 , wherein said apparatus comprises means for culturing the cells in a culture medium in contact with the areas of the immobilized screening substances on the cellular screening substratum.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus for cellular screening according to  claim 19 , further comprising at least one of means for observing morphological changes of cells, means for measuring quantitatively a substance which has been synthesized within the cells, and means for measuring quantitatively a substance which has been incorporated into cells by said culturing means.  
     
     
         21 . The apparatus for cellular screening according to  claim 19 , further comprising means for manufacturing the cellular screening substratum.