Cellomics system

Abstract

In labeling a cell, and separating and collecting the cell according to a degree of the labeling using a cell separator, effects on the cell is minimized and the use of the collected cell is facilitated, thereby, when labeling a cell, the cell is labeled in the state where interaction of each cell is retained. In the labeling, a specific labeling material present on a surface of a target cell is taken in the cell via a transporter, and the cell is dispersed one by one to separate the same with a cell separator. Immediately after the separation, the cell is put in a solution not containing the specific labeling substance to remove the specific labeling substance taken in the cell. This series of steps is continuously conducted with a cell separation chip.

1 . A sample freezing device comprising:
 a pressure-resistant vessel having a cylinder configured to accommodate a solution containing a sample without a gas phase;   a piston configured to engage with the cylinder;   a pressurizing unit configured to push the piston into the cylinder; and   a control unit configured to control the pressurizing unit to control the rate of pushing the piston into the cylinder,   wherein the control unit is configured to apply pressure to the solution while cooling the solution and keeping the temperature of the solution in the cylinder within a temperature range up to plus 4° C. from the phase transition point between ice and liquid water, and release the pressure when the solution reaches a state in which the temperature of the phase transition point between ice and liquid water is almost the lowest temperature.   
     
     
         2 . The sample freezing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the cylinder is tapered on an end face of the pressure-resistance vessel and an operation of engaging the piston with the cylinder is conducted in the state where the solution containing the sample to be accommodated in the cylinder almost overflows from the top of the cylinder. 
     
     
         3 . A sample freezing method comprising the steps of:
 cooling a sample at high pressure to a temperature below 0° C. while keeping the sample in a solution state without a gas phase therein; and   flash-freezing the sample by a rapid pressure reduction within a period of time between several micro seconds and several dozen micro seconds.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , comprising the step of cooling the sample at high pressure to a temperature around minus 10° C. while keeping the sample in a solution state without a gas phase. 
     
     
         5 . A sample freezing method comprising the steps of:
 pressurizing a solution containing a sample at a pressure range from 0.1 to 0.2 GPa while cooling the solution and keeping the temperature of the sample in a temperature range up to plus 4° C. from the phase transition point between ice and liquid water without a gas phase in the solution, and   subjecting the sample to a rapid pressure reduction.   
     
     
         6 . A rapid sample freezing device comprising:
 a pressure-resistant vessel having a cylinder configured to accommodate a solution containing a sample without a gas phase;   a piston configured to engage with the cylinder;   a pressurizing unit configured to push the piston into the cylinder; and   a control unit configured to control the pressurizing unit to control the rate of pushing the piston into the cylinder,   wherein the control unit is configured to apply pressure to the solution while cooling the solution to a temperature below 0° C. and keeping the solution in the cylinder in a state where the solution does not freeze until the temperature of the phase transition point between ice and liquid water reaches almost the lowest temperature.   
     
     
         7 . The rapid sample freezing device according to  claim 6 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the pressurizing unit to apply pressure to the solution in the cylinder in a pressure range from 0.1 to 0.2 GPa while keeping a state that does not allow the solution to freeze, and cool the solution to a temperature below 0° C., and then release the pressure.