Patents by Inventor Nancy L. Allbritton
Nancy L. Allbritton 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: 11926808Abstract: An apparatus for collecting or culturing cells or cell colonies includes: a common substrate formed from a flexible resilient polymeric material and having a plurality of wells formed therein; and a plurality of rigid cell carriers releasably connected to said common substrate, with said carriers arranged in the form of an array, and with each of the carriers resiliently received in one of the wells. A method of collecting or culturing cells or cell colonies with such an apparatus is carried out by depositing a liquid media carrying cells on the apparatus so that said cells settle on or adhere to said the carriers; and then (c) releasing at least one selected carrier having said cells thereon by gradual application of release energy to each carrier from the cavity in which it is received (e.g., by pushing with a probe).Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2021Date of Patent: March 12, 2024Assignee: The University of North Carolina at Chapel HillInventors: Nancy L. Allbritton, Christopher E. Sims, Yuli Wang, Pavak Kirit Shah
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Patent number: 11920115Abstract: An array of magnetic or paramagnetic micro-elements comprised of polysilsesquioxane is described having ultra-low-autofluorescence and other optical properties to improve microscopic imaging of cells or other objects present on the array. These materials are also amenable to chemical modification allowing surface attachment of affinity capture moieties or chemical reporters for selective binding or analysis of cells, macromolecules or other targets.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2018Date of Patent: March 5, 2024Assignees: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Cell Microsystems, Inc.Inventors: Nancy L. Allbritton, Yuli Wang, Christopher E. Sims, Nicholas C. Dobes, Steven C. Gebhart, Nicholas C. Trotta
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Publication number: 20240026265Abstract: An apparatus for collecting or culturing cells or cell colonies includes: a common substrate formed from a flexible resilient polymeric material and having a plurality of wells formed therein; and a plurality of rigid cell carriers releasably connected to said common substrate, with said carriers arranged in the form of an array, and with each of the carriers resiliently received in one of the wells. A method of collecting or culturing cells or cell colonies with such an apparatus is carried out by depositing a liquid media carrying cells on the apparatus so that said cells settle on or adhere to said the carriers; and then (c) releasing at least one selected carrier having said cells thereon by gradual application of release energy to each carrier from the cavity in which it is received (e.g., by pushing with a probe).Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2023Publication date: January 25, 2024Inventors: Nancy L. Allbritton, Christopher E. Sims, Yuli Wang, Pavak Kirit Shah
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Publication number: 20240010960Abstract: A method for producing tissue constructs comprising two or more distinct regions, each of which comprises a different cell population or lineage is described. The method involves providing a support substrate or substrate assembly comprising two or more physically distinct regions, wherein the two or more physically distinct regions of the support substrate or substrate assembly are different from each other; and depositing/positioning one or more cells on the support substrate or substrate assembly. The cells can form a continuous monolayer with at least two zones, e.g., a proliferative zone and a nonproliferative zone, that can act as in vitro intestinal models. The models are two-dimensional, thus facilitating rapid and facile imaging. Systems comprising the tissue constructs and methods of using the constructs to study the effects of pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and metabolites on intestinal cells are also described.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 22, 2023Publication date: January 11, 2024Inventors: Nancy L. Allbritton, Yuli Wang, Raehyun Kim
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Publication number: 20230147744Abstract: Provided are new strategies, methods and systems, described herein as vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-assisted air-liquid-interface (ALI) culture, to significantly increase the number of enteroendocrine (EEC) and enterochromaffin (EC) cells over the traditional submerged culture, while at the same time maintaining a high barrier integrity of monolayers. The new strategies, methods and systems overcome the limitations of the existing EEC enrichment methods by maintaining high cell viability and barrier integrity and without requiring complicated procedures of cocultures or genetic engineering/induction. The created EEC-enriched, contiguous monolayer platform acts as a robust analytical tool to enable functional studies of hormone secretion from EEC cells with high signal background ratio and repeatability.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 5, 2021Publication date: May 11, 2023Inventors: Nancy L. Allbritton, Yuli Wang, Christopher E. Sims, Cecilia Villegas Novoa
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Publication number: 20230098968Abstract: A method for producing tissue constructs comprising two or more distinct regions, each of which comprises a different cell population or lineage is described. The method involves providing a support substrate or substrate assembly comprising two or more physically distinct regions, wherein the two or more physically distinct regions of the support substrate or substrate assembly are different from each other; and depositing/positioning one or more cells on the support substrate or substrate assembly. The cells can form a continuous monolayer with at least two zones, e.g., a proliferative zone and a nonproliferative zone, that can act as in vitro intestinal models. The models are two-dimensional, thus facilitating rapid and facile imaging Systems comprising the tissue constructs and methods of using the constructs to study the effects of pharmaceuticals, uutraceuticais, and metabolites on intestinal cells are also described.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2019Publication date: March 30, 2023Inventors: Nancy L. Allbritton, Yuli Wang, Raehyun Kim
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Patent number: 11566213Abstract: A microfabricated device having at least one gas-entrapping feature formed therein in a configuration that entraps air bubbles upon wetting the feature with a solvent or solution is described. The device includes a sacrificial residue in contact with the gas-entrapping feature, the dissolution of which guides the wetting of the gas-entrapping feature.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2019Date of Patent: January 31, 2023Assignee: The University of North Carolina at Chapel HillInventors: Nancy L. Allbritton, Yuli Wang, Christopher Sims
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Publication number: 20210395657Abstract: An apparatus for collecting or culturing cells or cell colonies includes: a common substrate formed from a flexible resilient polymeric material and having a plurality of wells formed therein; and a plurality of rigid cell carriers releasably connected to said common substrate, with said carriers arranged in the form of an array, and with each of the carriers resiliently received in one of the wells. A method of collecting or culturing cells or cell colonies with such an apparatus is carried out by depositing a liquid media carrying cells on the apparatus so that said cells settle on or adhere to said the carriers; and then (c) releasing at least one selected carrier having said cells thereon by gradual application of release energy to each carrier from the cavity in which it is received (e.g., by pushing with a probe).Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2021Publication date: December 23, 2021Inventors: Nancy L. Allbritton, Christopher E. Sims, Yuli Wang, Pavak Kirit Shah
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Publication number: 20210395661Abstract: This presently disclosed subject matter relates to an in vitro cell culture comprising a cell monolayer comprising mucus producing cells and a mucus layer, and methods of making and using the same. The methods including culturing mucus producing cells on a cell support structure under conditions to establish a mucus layer on the luminal side of the cell monolayer, thereby producing a live cell construct comprising a cell monolayer comprising mucus producing cells and a mucus layer. The mucus layer can be substantially impenetrable to micro-objects, and have a thickness of about 1 micron to about 1 cm.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2019Publication date: December 23, 2021Inventors: Nancy L. Allbritton, Yuli Wang
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Publication number: 20210324313Abstract: An apparatus for collecting or culturing cells or cell colonies includes: a common substrate formed from a flexible resilient polymeric material and having a plurality of wells formed therein; and a plurality of rigid cell carriers releasably connected to said common substrate, with said carriers arranged in the form of an array, and with each of the carriers resiliently received in one of the wells. A method of collecting or culturing cells or cell colonies with such an apparatus is carried out by depositing a liquid media carrying cells on the apparatus so that said cells settle on or adhere to said the carriers; and then (c) releasing at least one selected carrier having said cells thereon by gradual application of release energy to each carrier from the cavity in which it is received (e.g., by pushing with a probe).Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2021Publication date: October 21, 2021Inventors: Nancy L. Allbritton, Christopher E. Sims, Yuli Wang, Pavak Kirit Shah
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Publication number: 20210087515Abstract: Disclosed herein are devices, apparatuses and methods for generating self-sustaining gaseous and non-gaseous gradients across a cell support structure and for culturing one or more cells or tissues under hypoxic conditions. Methods of generating one or more gas gradients across a cell support structure include providing a luminal container having a bottom wall that is a gas permeable membrane, positioning a cell support structure above the bottom wall, positioning one or more cells or tissues on the cell support structure, and generating one or more gas gradients between the bottom wall, across the cell support structure and into a luminal reservoir. An apparatus to produce hypoxic conditions for cell cultures includes a luminal container having a bottom wall, a cell support structure on the bottom wall, and a cover that sealably closes the open top, such that a hypoxic condition can be generated in the luminal reservoir.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 15, 2019Publication date: March 25, 2021Applicant: The University of North Carolina at Chapel HillInventors: Nancy L. Allbritton, Yuli Wang, Raehyun Kim, Peter Joseph Attayek
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Publication number: 20200231917Abstract: A microfabricated device having at least one gas-entrapping feature formed therein in a configuration that entraps air bubbles upon wetting the feature with a solvent or solution is described. The device includes a sacrificial residue in contact with the gas-entrapping feature, the dissolution of which guides the wetting of the gas-entrapping feature.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 29, 2019Publication date: July 23, 2020Inventors: Nancy L. Allbritton, Yuli Wang, Christopher Sims
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Publication number: 20200080046Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosed subject matter provide an automated method and system to isolate and collect cells using computerized analysis of images of cells and their surroundings obtained from a digital imaging device or system. Embodiments of the disclosed subject matter make use of a “microwell array,” which can comprise a formed, elastomeric grid of indentations or “wells.” Many, most, or all of the wells in a microwell array can contain a releasable, microfabricated element, which can be referred to as a “raft.” Embodiments of the disclosed subject matter provide a system and method for cell collection that includes computerized identification and collection of rafts with isolated single cells or a specific group or groups of cells, eliminating the need for continuous human identification and selection.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2019Publication date: March 12, 2020Inventors: Steven C. Gebhart, Robert W. McClellan, Nicholas C. Trotta, Nancy L. Allbritton, Peter Joseph Attayek, Paul Michael Armistead
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Publication number: 20190256817Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosed subject matter provide an automated method and system to isolate and collect cells using computerized analysis of images of cells and their surroundings obtained from a digital imaging device or system. Embodiments of the disclosed subject matter make use of a “microwell array,” which can comprise a formed, elastomeric grid of indentations or “wells.” Many, most, or all of the wells in a microwell array can contain a releasable, microfabricated element, which can be referred to as a “raft.” Embodiments of the disclosed subject matter provide a system and method for cell collection that includes computerized identification and collection of rafts with isolated single cells or a specific group or groups of cells, eliminating the need for continuous human identification and selection.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 3, 2017Publication date: August 22, 2019Applicants: Cell Microsystems, Inc., The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, The University of North Carolina at Chapel HillInventors: Steven C. Gebhart, Robert W. McClellan, Nicholas C. Trotta, Nancy L. Allbritton, Peter Joseph Attayek, Paul Michael Armistead
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Publication number: 20190136170Abstract: An array of magnetic or paramagnetic micro-elements comprised of polysilsesquioxane is described having ultra-low-autofluorescence and other optical properties to improve microscopic imaging of cells or other objects present on the array. These materials are also amenable to chemical modification allowing surface attachment of affinity capture moieties or chemical reporters for selective binding or analysis of cells, macromolecules or other targets.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2018Publication date: May 9, 2019Inventors: Nancy L. Allbritton, Yuli Wang, Christopher E. Sims, Nicholas C. Dobes, Steven C. Gebhart, Nicholas C. Trotta
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Patent number: 6335201Abstract: The activity of intracellular chemical reactions of molecules is measured by the use of fluorescently labeled substrate molecules that undergo a change in electrophoretic mobility upon chemical reaction such as that catalyzed by an enzyme. Specificity is achieved by using labeled substrate molecules that can be acted upon only by specific enzymes. Thus the activity of a specific enzyme or class of enzymes can be determined. Measurements are made with the intracellular presence of such substrate molecules, at some time of interest, typically after exposure of the cell to a stimulus that activates a particular enzymatic pathway. To ensure accuracy, measurements must be made in a timely manner so as to minimize chemical reactions occurring subsequent to the time of interest. Fast controllable laser lysis is used to obtain the contents of a single cell into which reporter substrate molecules have been introduced.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 1999Date of Patent: January 1, 2002Assignee: The Regents of the University of CaliforniaInventors: Nancy L. Allbritton, Christopher E. Sims, Michael W. Berns, Gavin D. Meredith, Tatiana B. Krasieva, Bruce J. Tromberg
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Patent number: 6156576Abstract: Fast lysis of a single cell or cellular component thereof is performed by generating a shock wave in a medium in which the cell or cellular component thereof is positioned. The cell or cellular component thereof is either positioned by laser tweezers or cultured as an adhered cell or cellular component thereof to minimize manipulation trauma. The disclosed method completely lyses a single cell or cellular component thereof in a controllable manner in milliseconds or less followed immediately by the loading of the cellular contents into a capillary for analyte separation and detection. The cell or cellular component thereof is adjacent the inlet of an electrophoretic column through which a gravity siphon flow of the medium is maintained. The lysed contents of the cell or cellular component thereof enter the electrophoretic column in less than 33 msec, are separated and analyzed by laser induced fluorescence.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 1998Date of Patent: December 5, 2000Assignee: The Regents of the University of CaliforniaInventors: Nancy L. Allbritton, Christopher E. Sims, Michael W. Berns, Gavin D. Meredith, Tatiana B. Krasieva, Bruce J. Tromberg
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Patent number: 5773227Abstract: This invention describes bifunctional polysaccharides conjugated to both a chelating group suitable for the selective complexation of metal cations, and a targeting peptide specific for a cellular substructure. These bifunctional polysaccharides are primarily useful for the regulation, detection and quantification of metal ion levels, such as Ca.sup.2+, Mg.sup.2+, Na.sup.+, K.sup.+, or Li.sup.+, in specific cellular structures. Localization within the cellular structure is accomplished by the targeting peptide, whereupon the large, water-soluble polysaccharide prevents diffusion of the chelating group from the targeted site. When the target cell structure is the nucleus of a fertilized egg cell, the polysaccharide-chelator conjugate remains sequestered within the nucleus until the breakdown of the nuclear envelope, whereupon the reagent becomes sequestered into both daughter nuclei. This means of tracking daughter cells is practical even through several cell divisions.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 1993Date of Patent: June 30, 1998Assignee: Molecular Probes, Inc.Inventors: Michael A. Kuhn, Tobias Meyer, Nancy L. Allbritton