The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 28, 2010
Filed:
Aug. 27, 2004
Sue Chow, Markham, CA;
David Hedley, Toronto, CA;
T. Vincent Shankey, Miami, FL (US);
Patricia Grom, Coral Springs, FL (US);
Sue Chow, Markham, CA;
David Hedley, Toronto, CA;
T. Vincent Shankey, Miami, FL (US);
Patricia Grom, Coral Springs, FL (US);
University Health Network, Toronto, CA;
Beckman Coulter, Inc., Fullerton, CA (US);
Abstract
This invention is directed to a method for preparation of a biological sample for measurement of protein epitopes that allows for the preservation of intracellular protein epitopes and detection of signal transduction pathways based on the ability to capture transient activation states of the epitopes. The method provided by the invention allows for the rapid fixation of biological samples containing red blood cells, to ensure that epitopes of signal transduction molecules and other intracellular protein epitopes are preserved in the active state. The method of the invention further allows for lysis of red blood cells, thereby making it a useful method for cytometric analysis of biological samples, including, for example, whole blood, bone marrow aspirates, peritoneal fluids, and other red blood cell containing samples. The invention also provides a method to recover or 'unmask' epitopes on intracellular antigens that have been made inaccessible by the cross linking fixative necessary to fix the sample. Significantly, the methods of the invention allow preservation and analysis of phospho-epitope levels in biological samples taken directly from patients to determine disease-specific characteristics.