Bayer Aktiengesellschaft

Edgar Diessel

Klaus Ochmann

Ingmar Dorn

Walter Weichel

Klaus Luttermann

Winfried Kosch

Mike Küster

Michael Habig

Markus Weidauer

The process is used for the screening of molecules from molecule libraries with regard to their individual binding behavior towards at least one given ligand. For this purpose the ligands labelled with a fluorescent dye are mixed with the molecule library which is in the form of a suspension. The mixture is plated out on a two-dimensional substrate ( ) after the excess, unbound ligands have been washed out. Then the local fluorescence intensities on the substrate are electro-optically identified in a fluorescence microscope ( ) and electronically discriminated in accordance with given selection criteria. The objects selected and localised in this way are then sequentially positioned exactly by a displacement, the coordinates of which are controlled by the image calculator, between the substrate ( ) and a separation actuator ( ) and are spatially separated from the substrate ( ) by the separation actuator ( ).

Process and device for the screening of molecules with regard to their individual binding behaviour towards at least one given ligand

The device serves for the transfer of microobjects, in particular of biological objects, from a current substrate ( ) to a target substrate. In this case, use is made of a displaceable pipette system which is connected to a pressure generating device for aspirating in and flushing out the biological objects. The pipette system is disposed in a micromanipulator ( ) and consists mainly of a substantially vertically disposed microcapillary ( ) having a clear width of 1 &mgr;m to 50 &mgr;m.

Device for separating micro objects

The sorting device is able to sort biological objects, particularly cells or viruses, in liquids as a function of physically measurable criteria or properties. The sorting apparatus is provided with a feed inlet (1) for the biological liquid which branches into a microstructured system of multi-parallel main channels (3) and sorting modules (4) each with a switch unit for distribution to two different outlet channels (19,20). Inside a sorting module (4), at least one sensor (9,10) is arranged on each main channel, and a sorting actuator (12) controlled by the relevant sensor is arranged on each switch unit (11). Finally, each outlet channel (20) is connected to a collecting channel (6) for the unselected biological cells or viruses, and each outlet channel (19) is connected to a collecting channel (5) for the selected cells or viruses. If the cells or viruses are magnetically marked, it is possible to dispense with the sensor (9,10) on the main channels (3). In that case, the sorting actuators arranged on the switch units are designed as magnetic deflection modules (37,38). In this case, the magnetic deflection modules undertake direct classification or selection as a function of the magnetic properties of the biological objects to be sorted.

Sorting device for biological cells or viruses

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Kö'ln, Germany

Edgar Diessel