Use of a Warmer For Promoting a Biological Reaction

Abstract

The present invention relates to the use of warmers, or autonomous heat packs, for heating and maintaining a solution at a suitable temperature, for the period of time required to accomplish a chemical, biochemical or biological reaction, in particular in molecular biology or cell biology applications. Biology kits containing warmers are also part of this invention.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A process for carrying out an in vitro biochemical reaction for preparing a cell suspension from a patient's tissue sample, the process comprising:
 i) activating a warmer, the operation of which is based on an exothermic physical or chemical process,   ii) bringing said warmer into contact with a container containing a solution comprising an enzyme by placing the warmer and at least the lower part of the container in a cavity of a support,   iii) placing a tissue sample from the patient in the solution comprising the enzyme and incubating at from 30° C. to 40° C. for at least five minutes, and   iv) isolating cells disassociated from the tissue sample and suspending the cells in a solution, to thereby provide a cell suspension.   
     
     
         17 . The process as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the enzyme is trypsin. 
     
     
         18 . The process as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the contact between the warmer and the container is maintained for at least 10 minutes. 
     
     
         19 . The process as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the volume of the solution comprising the enzyme is from 3 and to 10 ml, the container containing said solution comprising the enzyme is a Petri dish having a diameter of from 7 to 11 cm or a compartment of said dish and wherein the warmer is a disk of which the thickness is from 3 to 7 mm and the diameter is from 7 to 11 cm. 
     
     
         20 . The process as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the cavity of the support is circular, with a diameter from 7 to 11.5 cm, and a depth from 5 to 20 mm. 
     
     
         21 . The process as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the solution containing trypsin has a concentration of trypsin of from 0.2% to 1%. 
     
     
         22 . The process as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the warmer comprises a hermetic plastic pouch containing a sodium acetate-saturated aqueous solution. 
     
     
         23 . The process as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the tissue sample is selected from the group consisting of cartilage, a testicular biopsy, a pancreatic biopsy, dermis and a gingival biopsy.