INTEGRATED, AUTOMATED SYSTEM FOR THE STUDY OF CELL AND TISSUE FUNCTION

摘要

The present invention provides for an automated, high-throughput, multi-parameter integrated analysis system to monitor, in parallel, cellular parameters descriptive of cell function and associated physiology both singly and in interactions with other cells in tissues. Parameters may be measured with cell or tissue samples confined in arrays of chambers microfabricated in cassettes. System variants provide for cell or tissue harvesting for (optionally destructive) further analysis. The present invention relates to a system for biological laboratory automation, providing for full automation of cell manipulation using capillary micropipettes and associated robotics. This invention provides a robust and flexible technology that can be deployed in research and corporate laboratories, enabling new experimental protocols. Applications include microinjection and high-throughput, single- to multi-cell, multi-parameter monitoring of parameters such as respiration rates, moiety of interest concentrations, metabolic fluxes, chemotactic gradients, gene expression and transcription, translation to proteins (intracellular, membrane, and extracellular), membrane integrity, and cellular ion gradients.