Suppression of non-biological motion

Abstract

A method for analyzing a cell or cells by suppressing non-biological movement. The method includes the steps of placing the cell or cells in a solution having a viscosity enhancement medium. There can be the step of measuring the motility of the cell, or other desired attributes of the cell or cells.

1 . A method for analyzing a cell by suppressing non-biological movement comprising the steps of: 
 placing the cell in a solution having a viscosity enhancement medium; and    measuring the motility of the cell in the solution.    
     
     
         2 . A method as described in  claim 1  wherein the viscosity enhancement medium is methyl cellulose.  
     
     
         3 . A method as described in  claim 1  wherein the viscosity enhancement medium is hyaluronic acid or chondroitin sulfate or cellulose ester or poly sacharide.  
     
     
         4 . A method as described in  claim 1  wherein multiple cells are measured in parallel.  
     
     
         5 . A method as described in  claim 1  wherein the placing step includes the step of placing the cell in the solution of between 0.1% to 0.2% by total volume of methyl cellulose for 2D analysis of motility.  
     
     
         6 . A method as described in  claim 2  wherein the placing step includes the step of placing the methyl cellulose solution having a concentration of between 0.1% and 1.2% methyl cellulose onto cells in culture medium to provide a layer of methyl cellulose-containing medium for 2D analysis of motility.  
     
     
         7 . A method as described in  claim 6  wherein the placing step includes the step of placing the cell in the solution having a viscosity of 100-5000 centipoise.  
     
     
         8 . A method as described in  claim 1  wherein the placing step includes the step of placing cells in solution having a concentration of between 0.3% to 2.5% weight per volume methyl cellulose for analysis of motility in 3D.  
     
     
         9 . A method for analyzing a cell by suppressing non-biological movement comprising the steps of: 
 placing the cell in a solution; and    measuring the motility of the cell in the solution when there is no attachment of the cell involved.    
     
     
         10 . A method for analyzing a cell by suppressing non-biological movement comprising the steps of: 
 placing the cell in a solution; and    identifying and quantifying short lived effects or transient effects of added moiety on motility of the cell in the solution.    
     
     
         11 . A method for analyzing a cell comprising the steps of: 
 placing the cell in a solution having a viscosity of about 100-5000 centipose; and    performing two-dimensional or three-dimensional migration analysis on the cell in the solution.    
     
     
         12 . A method for analyzing a cell comprising the steps of: 
 placing the cell in a solution having a viscosity of about 100-5000 centipose; and    analyzing migration of the cell in the solution which occurs without adherence.    
     
     
         13 . A method for analyzing a cell by suppressing non-biological movement comprising the steps of: 
 placing the cell in a solution; and    controlling ambient motion of the cell in the solution as a reproducible method for analysis of motion in a 2D or 3D environment with non-adherent cells.    
     
     
         14 . A method for analyzing a cell by suppressing non-biological movement comprising the steps of: 
 placing the cell in a solution; and    analyzing 3D motion of the cell in the solution in the absence of a solid matrix upon which the cell can attach.    
     
     
         15 . A method for analyzing a cell by suppressing non-biological movement comprising the steps of: 
 placing the cell in a solution; and    suppressing the ambient non-biological motion of the cell in the solution on a 2D surface when there is no attachment involved of the cell.    
     
     
         16 . A method as described in  claim 1  wherein the placing step includes the step of placing the cell in the solution of between 1% to 5% by total volume of methyl cellulose and a concentration of between 0.08% and 0.12% of methyl cellulose.  
     
     
         17 . A method for analyzing a cell comprising the steps of: 
 placing the cell in a solution having a viscosity of about 100-5000 centipose; and    measuring motility of the cell in the solution, where surface attachment by the cell is not utilized.    
     
     
         18 . A method for analyzing a cell by suppressing non-biological movement comprising the steps of: 
 placing the cell in a solution; and    forming a thin film in the solution whose viscosity resists brownian and other non-biological sources of motion but does not interfere with active cell biological motion.    
     
     
         19 . A method for analyzing a cell by suppressing non-biological movement comprising the steps of: 
 placing the cell in a solution;    adding a protein or other biological or chemical moiety to the solution; and    analyzing the effect of the protein on cell motility, morphology, phenotype, division rate, cell death, or blebbing or disease state.    
     
     
         20 . A method as described in  claim 23  wherein the protein is a human protein, antibody, growth factor, cytokine, kinase or protease.  
     
     
         21 . A method as described in  claim 23  wherein the protein is transduced or transfected into the cell.  
     
     
         22 . A method for analyzing a cell by suppressing non-biological movement comprising the steps of: 
 placing the cell in a solution;    adding a protein to the solution; and    analyzing the protein function regarding the cell using cell motility as an analytical marker.    
     
     
         23 . A method for analyzing a cell by suppressing non-biological movement comprising the steps of: 
 placing the cell in a solution; and    placing methyl cellulose in the solution to reduce ambient motion of the cell in the solution and eliminate convective motion.    
     
     
         24 . A method for suppressing non-biological movement of a cell comprising the steps of: 
 placing the cell in a solution; and    forming a layer of methyl cellulose 34 to 137 Um thick in the solution.    
     
     
         25 . A method for analyzing a cell by suppressing non-biological movement comprising the steps of: 
 placing the cell in a solution; and    using methyl cellulose in the solution for stopping the effects of gravity on the cell in the solution.    
     
     
         26 . A method for analyzing a cell by suppressing non-biological movement comprising the steps of: 
 placing the cell in a solution; and    using methyl cellulose in the solution for reducing or eliminating the effects of micro-turbulances due to thermal convection in the solution.    
     
     
         27 . A method for analyzing a cell comprising the steps of: 
 placing the cell in a solution; and    introducing methyl cellulose in the solution for stopping motion of the cells due to mechanical movement of a plate on which the cells are disposed.    
     
     
         28 . A method for analyzing a cell comprising the steps of: 
 placing the cell in a solution; and    introducing a viscous fluid having a viscosity of about 100-5000 centipose in the solution for stopping or reducing the effects of gravity on the cell.    
     
     
         29 . A method for analyzing a cell comprising the steps of: 
 placing the cell in a solution; and    introducing a viscous fluid having a viscosity of about 100-5000 centipose in the solution for reducing the effects of micro-turbulences due to thermal convection.    
     
     
         30 . A method for analyzing a cell comprising the steps of: 
 placing the cell in a solution; and    introducing a viscous fluid having a viscosity of about 100-5000 centipose in the solution for stopping motion of the cells due to mechanical movement of the plate.    
     
     
         31 . A method for analyzing a cell by suppressing non-biological movement comprising the steps of: 
 placing the cell in a solution; and    using methyl cellulose or any viscous fluid to separate biological motility from ambient motility.    
     
     
         32 . A method for analyzing cells comprising the steps of: 
 placing the cells in a solution; and    measuring biological cell motility for adherent or nonadherent cells in the solution.    
     
     
         33 . A method for analyzing cells comprising the steps of: 
 placing the cells in a solution; and    measuring biological motility of both adherent and nonadherent cells using visible and fluorescent images.    
     
     
         34 . A method for analyzing a cell comprising the steps of: 
 placing the cell in a solution; and    measuring swimming vs moving of cells in the solution in a 2D plane, as cells move up into a viscous layer of the solution.    
     
     
         35 . A method for analyzing a cell comprising the steps of: 
 placing the cell in a solution; and    measuring the effect tilt has on cell motion, by changing the angle a plate is tilted on which the cell is disposed and looking for changes in motion or cell attachment of the cell.    
     
     
         36 . A method for analyzing a cell comprising the steps of: 
 placing the cell in a solution having methyl cellulose;    removing the methyl cellulose from the solution;    treating the cell with a desired material; and    reintroducing the methyl cellulose into the solution.    
     
     
         37 . A method for analyzing cells comprising the steps of: 
 placing the cells in a solution; and    identifying specific subpopulations of cells of similar phenotype which show similar specific responses in motile behavior toward various stimuli.