Patents by Inventor Kazunori Okano
Kazunori Okano has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 7569354Abstract: In labeling a cell, and separating and collecting the cell according to a degree of the labeling using a cell separator, effects on the cell is minimized and the use of the collected cell is facilitated, thereby, when labeling a cell, the cell is labeled in the state where interaction of each cell is retained. In the labeling, a specific labeling material present on a surface of a target cell is taken in the cell via a transporter, and the cell is dispersed one by one to separate the same with a cell separator. Immediately after the separation, the cell is put in a solution not containing the specific labeling substance to remove the specific labeling substance taken in the cell. This series of steps is continuously conducted with a cell separation chip.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2005Date of Patent: August 4, 2009Assignee: OnChip Cellomics ConsortiumInventors: Kazunori Okano, Kenji Yasuda
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Publication number: 20090042739Abstract: In labeling a cell, and separating and collecting the cell according to a degree of the labeling using a cell separator, effects on the cell is minimized and the use of the collected cell is facilitated, thereby, when labeling a cell, the cell is labeled in the state where interaction of each cell is retained. In the labeling, a specific labeling material present on a surface of a target cell is taken in the cell via a transporter, and the cell is dispersed one by one to separate the same with a cell separator. Immediately after the separation, the cell is put in a solution not containing the specific labeling substance to remove the specific labeling substance taken in the cell. This series of steps is continuously conducted with a cell separation chip.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2008Publication date: February 12, 2009Inventors: Kazunori Okano, Kenji Yasuda
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Publication number: 20090042200Abstract: In labeling a cell, and separating and collecting the cell according to a degree of the labeling using a cell separator, effects on the cell is minimized and the use of the collected cell is facilitated, thereby, when labeling a cell, the cell is labeled in the state where interaction of each cell is retained. In the labeling, a specific labeling material present on a surface of a target cell is taken in the cell via a transporter, and the cell is dispersed one by one to separate the same with a cell separator. Immediately after the separation, the cell is put in a solution not containing the specific labeling substance to remove the specific labeling substance taken in the cell. This series of steps is continuously conducted with a cell separation chip.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2008Publication date: February 12, 2009Inventors: KAZUNORI OKANO, KENJI YASUDA
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Patent number: 7368238Abstract: There is used at least one probe array obtained by arraying particles having various probes, respectively, fixed thereon (probe particles) in a definite order in a holder. A plurality of capillaries or grooves packed with various kinds, respectively, of probe particles are arrayed in parallel, and one of particles contained in each capillary or groove is injected into another capillary or groove to produce a probe array in which the various kinds of probe particles are arrayed in a constant and definite order. Various fluorophore-labeled DNA's are measured at the same time by attaching various probes to particles, respectively, of different sizes. A probe array composed of various fixed DNA probes can easily be produced, and there can be provided a probe array for detecting various DNA's which is composed of various fixed arbitrary DNA probes.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2004Date of Patent: May 6, 2008Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Hideki Kambara, Kazunori Okano
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Patent number: 7364850Abstract: There is used at least one probe array obtained by arraying particles having various probes, respectively, fixed thereon (probe particles) in a definite order in a holder. A plurality of capillaries or grooves packed with various kinds, respectively, of probe particles are arrayed in parallel, and one of particles contained in each capillary or groove is injected into another capillary or groove to produce a probe array in which the various kinds of probe particles are arrayed in a constant and definite order. Various fluorophore-labeled DNA's are measured at the same time by attaching various probes to particles, respectively, of different sizes. A probe array composed of various fixed DNA probes can easily be produced, and there can be provided a probe array for detecting various DNA's which is composed of various fixed arbitrary DNA probes.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2004Date of Patent: April 29, 2008Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Hideki Kambara, Kazunori Okano
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Publication number: 20070059763Abstract: In labeling a cell, and separating and collecting the cell according to a degree of the labeling using a cell separator, effects on the cell is minimized and the use of the collected cell is facilitated, thereby, when labeling a cell, the cell is labeled in the state where interaction of each cell is retained. In the labeling, a specific labeling material present on a surface of a target cell is taken in the cell via a transporter, and the cell is dispersed one by one to separate the same with a cell separator. Immediately after the separation, the cell is put in a solution not containing the specific labeling substance to remove the specific labeling substance taken in the cell. This series of steps is continuously conducted with a cell separation chip.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2005Publication date: March 15, 2007Inventors: Kazunori Okano, Kenji Yasuda
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Patent number: 7182916Abstract: There are provided a novel method and technology for arraying micro-particles. Micro-particle trapping capillaries each having an inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of probe-immobilized micro-particles are prepared. By vacuuming the inside of each micro-particle trapping capillary, only one of the micro-particles is vacuumed onto an opening at the tip thereof and taken out from holders holding a plurality of the micro-particles. The micro-particle vacuumed onto the opening at the tip of each micro-particle trapping capillary is positioned at the opening of the capillary or the edge of each channel provided in a chip, the channels each having an inlet and an outlet with a slightly larger width than the outer diameter of the micro-particle so as to allow passage of only one micro-particle. The micro-particle vacuumed onto the opening at the capillary tip is injected into the capillary from the opening of the capillary or the channel edge of the chip.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2002Date of Patent: February 27, 2007Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Hideyuki Noda, Yoshinobu Kohara, Kazunori Okano
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Patent number: 7163822Abstract: A small sized, cost-effective genetic testing apparatus that provides high sensitivity testing, for performing genetic testing simply and at low cost. An optical sensor array for the apparatus and method for luminometric assay comprises a means that simultaneously selects 2 pixels and detects minute amounts of chemiluminescence by obtaining the differential output of the respective signals.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2003Date of Patent: January 16, 2007Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Yoshiaki Yazawa, Hideki Kambara, Masao Kamahori, Kunio Harada, Kazunori Okano
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Publication number: 20060194307Abstract: The present invention provides a cell sorting device using an inexpensive chip capable of being exchanged for each sample for cell sorting. The cell sorting device uses flow paths formed on the substrate and has the following structure. The chip includes: a first flow path allowing a buffer fluid containing cells to flow down; second and third flow paths which put the first flow path therebetween and allow a buffer fluid not containing cells to flow down from both sides of the first flow path; a fourth flow path which allows the buffer fluid as a single flow path formed by the join of the buffer fluid in the first flow path and the buffer fluid in the second and third flow paths; a cell detecting region for detecting cells flowing with a buffer fluid down the fourth flow path; a cell sorting region for sorting the cells according to a type of the cells detected.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 27, 2005Publication date: August 31, 2006Inventors: Kenji Yasuda, Akihiro Hattori, Kazunori Okano
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Publication number: 20060183118Abstract: On a glass plate being transparent at specified wavelengths there are provided a laminated region being absorptive at the specified wavelengths; means for applying voltage to the region, the region exhibiting electrical conductivity; means for binding nucleic acids onto the region; a container for accommodating cells on the region; means for culturing cells in the container; means for observing the cells; and means for effecting localized dissociation and recovery of nucleic acid components bound on the region by heat, the heat generated locally only in the vicinity of focused light by irradiating the region with focused light of the specified wavelengths. For clarifying the distribution of nucleic acid components in cells of specified condition or the distribution of nucleic acid components in each cell of a tissue cell mass there is provided means for selectively separating and recovering nucleic acid components of specified range in each cell of specified cellular condition.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 26, 2003Publication date: August 17, 2006Inventors: Kenji Yasuda, Takanori Ichiki, Kazunori Okano
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Publication number: 20060177348Abstract: A cell sorting chip and a cell sorting technology are to be established which can positively detect and sort a specified cell for cell separation and detection using micro flow paths formed on a substrate, whereby a cell analyzing/sorting device is provided which uses an inexpensive disposable chip replaceable for each sample. To this end, micro flow paths formed on the substrate are formed, and cells are roughly sorted in a first stage and then finely sorted in a second stage. More specifically, cells are sorted roughly by using scattered light or according to intensity of luminescence in the first stage. In the second stage, the roughly sorted cells are sorted with high precision using image recognition.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 7, 2006Publication date: August 10, 2006Inventors: Kenji Yasuda, Akihiro Hattori, Kazunori Okano
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Publication number: 20060122534Abstract: A container for the suspension and filtration of stool enables quick, simple, and safe collection of cancer cells separated in stool. The container comprises (a) a stool collection container 1, (c) a stool processing container main body 20, and (d) a pushing member 30. The stool collection container 1 comprises a syringe 2 capable of collecting 0.5 g or more of stool by being thrust into stool, a stool collecting opening, a handle 3 provided on the periphery of the syringe at the opposite end to the stool collecting opening, and a cap member 4 provided at the opposite end to the stool collecting opening.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2005Publication date: June 8, 2006Inventors: Yasuhiro Matsumura, Hisayuki Matsushita, Hiroyuki Tsunoda, Kunio Harada, Kazunori Okano, Keiichi Nagai
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Patent number: 7049104Abstract: The present invention relates to a quick and simple method for genetic testing, particularly for SNP testing, using two kinds of primers which are complementary to a mutant target and a wild-type target, respectively, and different in length or migration speed in electrophoresis. These probes are allowed to hybridize with targets, fluorophore-tagged nucleotides are attached to the primers, and electrophoresis is carried out for discriminatory detection.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2003Date of Patent: May 23, 2006Assignee: Hitachi, LTDInventors: Hideki Kambara, Zheng Ping Li, Kazunori Okano, Keiichi Nagai
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Publication number: 20060039828Abstract: A droplet operation device having a substrate having a light transmissibility and subjected to a water repellent treatment, a means for supplying droplets onto the substrate, a means for transporting the droplets on the water repellent substrate, and a means for measuring the state of the droplets, comprising the light transmittable substrate (11) receiving the water repellent treatment on the surface thereof, solvent feeding ports (21), (22), and (23) for leading reagent or specimen droplets (51) onto the substrate (11), optical measuring units (61), (62), and (63), and electric field application units (71), (72), and (73), whereby the inside of the droplets can be observed with a microscope, and the results of the reaction of the droplets against the other droplets can be measured and classified by stopping and moving the droplets in any direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 26, 2003Publication date: February 23, 2006Inventors: Kenji Yasuda, Takanori Ichiki, Kazunori Okano
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Publication number: 20060014273Abstract: A microchamber comprising a glass substrate (101) which is transparent to a specific wavelength, an absorbent region (102) which absorbs the specific wavelength, and a melting substance region (103) which does not absorb the specific wavelength, is solid at room temperature and melts when heated, which regions are layered on the glass substrate. The absorbent region, is irradiated with a focused light beam (402) of the specific wavelength and locally heated in the vicinity of the converging rays, so that the melting substance region (103) is locally melted at a portion adjacent to the absorbent region, thereby forming a cavity (403) as the focused light beam moves. Accordingly, the shape of the microchamber can be arbitrarily changed in accordance with the process of cell culture.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 26, 2003Publication date: January 19, 2006Inventors: Kenji Yasuda, Takanori Ichiki, Kazunori Okano
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Publication number: 20050287549Abstract: This invention provides a method of genetic testing that enables testing of a plurality of variation sites (SNPs) in a cost-effective and simple manner, allowing realization of genetic diagnosis in clinical settings. The SNP type of the nucleic acid sample is evaluated by: allowing a nucleic acid sample having an anchor sequence at its 5? end to hybridize to a support having, immobilized on its surface, a probe containing a sequence that is complementary to the target sequence (the SNP region); extending a complementary strand from the probe utilizing the nucleic acid sample as a template; dissociating and removing the nucleic acid sample from the extended probe; extending a complementary strand using the extended probe as a template and a primer having a sequence identical to the anchor sequence; and detecting pyrophosphoric acid generated via the primer extension, based on bioluminescence.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 25, 2005Publication date: December 29, 2005Inventors: Keiichi Nagai, Kazunori Okano, Hideyuki Noda, Hiroko Matsunaga, Kiyomi Taniguchi, Yoshiaki Yazawa, Tomoharu Kajiyama
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Publication number: 20050277134Abstract: A method amplifies a nucleic acid by preparing an oligonucleotide being capable of complementarily hybridizing with a specific region of a target nucleic acid containing at least one mutation site, the oligonucleotide having at least one sequence being non-complementary to any of possible sequences of the at least one mutation site, subjecting the oligonucleotide to hybridization with the target nucleic acid, and carrying out a complementary-strand synthesis. A single-nucleotide polymorphism is analyzed using this method.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 7, 2005Publication date: December 15, 2005Inventors: Kazunori Okano, Yukie Nakashima
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Publication number: 20050250145Abstract: In enzymatic reaction carried out batch-wise, loss of the sample cannot be ignored, and according to the conventional technologies aiming at diminishment of the loss of the sample, a long time is required for reactions. In the present invention, the reaction part in which a chemical substance is immobilized is filled with a sample solution, and the sample solution is held between air at both ends for inhibition of mixing with a buffer solution. The sample solution is provided utilizing a sample introduction part, etc.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 5, 2005Publication date: November 10, 2005Inventors: Atsumu Hirabayashi, Yoshinobu Kohara, Kazunori Okano
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Patent number: 6955878Abstract: There is used at least one probe array obtained by arraying particles having various probes, respectively, fixed thereon (probe particles) in a definite order in a holder. A plurality of capillaries or grooves packed with various kinds, respectively, of probe particles are arrayed in parallel, and one of particles contained in each capillary or groove is injected into another capillary or groove to produce a probe array in which the various kinds of probe particles are arrayed in a constant and definite order. Various fluorophore-labeled DNA's are measured at the same time by attaching various probes to particles, respectively, of different sizes. A probe array composed of various fixed DNA probes can easily be produced, and there can be provided a probe array for detecting various DNA's which is composed of various fixed arbitrary DNA probes.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2002Date of Patent: October 18, 2005Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Hideki Kambara, Kazunori Okano
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Patent number: 6893823Abstract: Different probes each having a specific base sequence are immobilized to each of independent areas formed on the surface of a substrate, complementary polynucleotides in a sample solution are hybridized to the probes, and each of the independent areas on the substrate is heated and then cooled in sequence, and hence the solution is recovered to extract different polynucleotides separately corresponding to individual probes.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2001Date of Patent: May 17, 2005Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Kenji Yasuda, Kazunori Okano, Hirokazu Kato