Japan Science and Technology Agency

Tohoru Katsuragi

Akihiko Ichikawa

Fumihito Arai

Toshio Fukuda

A substance (for example, methylcellulose) that undergoes a reversible gel to sol phase transition is utilized in a recovery method for specific micromaterials such as DNA molecules, cells, microorganisms and the like, approximately several &#x3bc;m in size, from a mixture containing other micromaterials, and a micromaterial is accurately and conveniently recovered. The present invention is a method of recovering a desired micromaterial in a system comprising a medium that undergoes a reversible phase transition between a sol and a gel, a support material and micromaterials, comprising the steps of converting the medium surrounding the micromaterial to be recovered into a gel locally to immobilize said micromaterial on said support along with the gelled medium, removing the medium and micromaterials not immobilized on said support material and converting the gelled medium to a sol to recover the micromaterial.

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Osaka, Japan

Tohoru Katsuragi