Abstract: A flow channel device includes an inflow unit into which a transfer fluid that transfers particles is caused to flow, a first outflow unit including an inflow port into which a part of the transfer fluid caused to flow from the inflow unit is caused to flow, a holding unit that is connected to the inflow port and holds particles, and a particle outflow port from which the particles held in the holding unit are caused to flow out to a predetermined flow channel area by the transfer fluid caused to flow from the inflow port, and a second outflow unit including a peripheral outflow channel through which another part of the transfer fluid caused to flow from the inflow unit is caused to flow out to a peripheral flow channel area that surrounds the predetermined flow channel area, the peripheral outflow channel surrounding at least the particle outflow port.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a dielectric cytometric apparatus capable of analyzing cells and sorting the cells without adopting an optical analysis method and provides a dielectric cytometric cell sorting method for the apparatus. A stenosis channel allowing a single cell to flow is created on a cell injection section of a micro flow channel device used as a portion of the dielectric cytometric apparatus. A pair of measurement electrodes is created on the stenosis channel and an analyzer connected to the measurement electrodes measures the complex dielectric constant of for every cell passing through the stenosis channel. A electric-field application section provided on the downstream side of the stenosis channel applies an electric field for changing the flow of the cells inside a flow channel on the basis of information on the measured complex dielectric constants so that the cells can be sorted by making use of branch channels.

Abstract: Provided is a flow channel device including: a flow channel through which a fluid including particles flow; a plurality of branch channels branching from the flow channel; a measurement portion that is provided at a predetermined position in the flow channel and configured to measure electrical characteristics when the particles pass the predetermined position; an operation portion that is provided on a downstream side of the measurement portion and on an upstream side of the plurality of branch channels and configured to apply a dielectrophoretic force to the particles by forming an electric field; and an electrical first guard portion provided between the measurement portion and the operation portion.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a cell sorter including a measuring electrode, working electrode, detection electrode, and output section. The measuring electrode forms a measuring electric field in a flow path to measure a complex dielectric constant of each cells flowing through the flow path. The working electrode forms, in the flow path, a working electric field to sort the cells by imparting a dielectrophoretic force to the cells and using the flow path. The detection electrode detects the presence of the cell in the fluid flowing through the flow path. The output section acquires a sorting signal based on information about the measured complex dielectric constant and a detection signal indicating the detection of the cell by the detection electrode. The output section outputs a working signal adapted to form the working electric field to the working electrode when the detection signal is acquired if the sorting signal is acquired.

Abstract: A blood coagulation analysis device and method in which information relating to the coagulability of blood is evaluated based on a change generated in a permittivity measured in a coagulation process of the blood due to addition of a substance that activates or inactivates platelets to the blood.

Abstract: There is provided an electrical measuring container of a biological sample in a liquid phase, including at least a biological sample holding section configured to accommodate a biological sample in a liquid phase and made of a resin, and an electrical conductive section fixed to the biological sample holding section. In a state in which a portion of the electrical conductive section is buried in the biological sample holding section, the biological sample holding section and the electrical conductive section are integrally formed with each other.

Abstract: A blood coagulation system analyzing method includes acquiring information relating to the coagulability of blood based on a change generated in a complex permittivity spectrum measured in a coagulation process of the blood due to addition of a substance that activates or inactivates platelets to the blood.

Abstract: A flow channel device includes a flow channel in which a fluid containing a particle flows, a plurality of branch channels branched from the flow channel, and an electrode unit. The electrode unit includes a first electrode having a first area and a second electrode having a second area different from the first area, and is configured to form a guide electrical field in the flow channel, which guides the particle to a predetermined branch channel out of the plurality of branch channels. The second electrode is opposed to the first electrode so that the flow channel is sandwiched between the first electrode and the second electrode.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for measuring physical property values of a cell based on dielectric spectroscopy and based on modeling electrical characteristics such as electric conductivity, electric permittivity, dielectric constant change, and dielectric relaxation expressions in order to obtain membrane capacitance and cytoplasmic conductivity values of the cell.

Abstract: A cell sorting apparatus includes a flow channel through which fluid including cells flows, an electric-field application section capable of applying an electric field having a gradient in a direction different from the flowing direction of the fluid at a first position on the flow channel in accordance with a cell sorting signal requesting an operation to sort the cells, and a flow splitting section configured to split the cells changing their flowing directions due to a dielectrophoretic force caused by application of the electric field at a second position on the downstream side of the first position on the flow channel.

Abstract: A blood coagulation system analyzing method includes acquiring information relating to the coagulability of blood based on a change generated in a complex permittivity spectrum measured in a coagulation process of the blood due to addition of a substance that activates or inactivates platelets to the blood.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an apparatus for sample introduction including a flow channel, a sample inlet, a metering unit, a separating unit, cell dischargers and, and a pressure controlling unit. The sample inlet is given a sample fluid such as blood. The sample inlet has a constricting hole that communicates with the flow channel for passage of a carrier fluid. The constricting hole has a diameter large enough for passage of a single cell contained in the sample fluid. The sample fluid is introduced into the flow channel through the constricting hole, and the cells in the sample fluid pass one by one through the constricting hole. The constricting hole does not exist inside the flow channel for passage of the carrier fluid, so that the diameter of the constricting hole does not affect the flow rate of the carrier fluid passing through the flow channel.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a cell sorting apparatus, including: a branch portion branching a flow path in which a fluid containing therein cells flows into a first branch flow path, and a second branch flow path; a coupling portion coupling the first branch flow path and the second branch flow path to each other; and a flowing-out portion causing liquids flowing in the first branch flow path and the second branch flow path coupled to each other by the coupling portion, respectively, to flow out to an outside.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a cell sorter including a measuring electrode, working electrode, detection electrode, and output section. The measuring electrode forms a measuring electric field in a flow path to measure a complex dielectric constant of each cells flowing through the flow path. The working electrode forms, in the flow path, a working electric field to sort the cells by imparting a dielectrophoretic force to the cells and using the flow path. The detection electrode detects the presence of the cell in the fluid flowing through the flow path. The output section acquires a sorting signal based on information about the measured complex dielectric constant and a detection signal indicating the detection of the cell by the detection electrode. The output section outputs a working signal adapted to form the working electric field to the working electrode when the detection signal is acquired if the sorting signal is acquired.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a dielectric cytometric apparatus capable of analyzing cells and sorting the cells without adopting an optical analysis method and provides a dielectric cytometric cell sorting method for the apparatus. A stenosis channel allowing a single cell to flow is created on a cell injection section of a micro flow channel device used as a portion of the dielectric cytometric apparatus. A pair of measurement electrodes is created on the stenosis channel and an analyzer connected to the measurement electrodes measures the complex dielectric constant of for every cell passing through the stenosis channel. A electric-field application section provided on the downstream side of the stenosis channel applies an electric field for changing the flow of the cells inside a flow channel on the basis of information on the measured complex dielectric constants so that the cells can be sorted by making use of branch channels.

Abstract: A sample cartridge for measuring the electrical characteristics of a liquid sample, which is made by forming an insulating material into a tubular body and is capable of holding the liquid sample in a region that is constituted by the surfaces of electrodes that are respectively inserted from openings of both ends into an inner cavity and the surface of the inner cavity, and in which a narrowing portion located between two facing electrodes and having a narrowed inner cavity is provided in the region.

Abstract: A flow channel device, a complex permittivity measuring apparatus, and a dielectric cytometry system are provided which can improve the measurement accuracy. A constriction portion having a constricted space is disposed between an inflow port and an outflow port of a flow channel. Electrodes are arranged between the inflow port and the constriction portion and between the outflow port and the constriction portion. The conductance of the constriction portion at a low-limit frequency is less than the combined conductance of an inflow channel portion and an outflow channel portion. The capacitance of the constriction portion at a high-limit frequency is less than the combined capacitance of the inflow channel portion and the outflow channel portion.

Abstract: There are provided an interaction detecting portion including an interaction region in the whole of which an electrodynamic effect is obtained, and which has a simpler structure, and the like. There is provided an interaction detecting portion 1 including at least: a reaction region 2 which provides a field for an interaction between materials, and an electrode E1 (or a group of electrodes), having the same potential, which is provided so as to face the reaction region 2. In addition, there are provided a sensor chip, such as a DNA chip or a protein chip, including the interaction detecting portion 1, and an interaction detector using the detection portion 1.

Abstract: Information on the position and displacement of a detection-subject substance T can be presented by adoption an evanescent light illumination technology. An evanescent light beam PE has a property that the intensity thereof abruptly attenuates in accordance with an exponential function with increases in distance Z from a boundary surface S capable of generating the evanescent light beam PE. The detection-subject substance T fixed on the boundary surface S is excited by the evanescent light beam PE having the property described, generating the original fluorescent light beam f of the detection-subject substance T. On the basis of the intensity I of the fluorescent light beam f, information Z on the position of the detection-subject substance T and information ?z on the displacement of the detection-subject substance T can be acquired.

Abstract: Firstly, a shape of a cell as an object of a measurement is modeled, and a complex electric permittivity response when an AC electric field is applied to the cell is obtained through a numerical analysis (Step S1). A numerical calculation is carried out based on that result while values of a membrane capacitance Cm and a cell cytoplasm electric conductivity ?i are changed, thereby calculating a dielectric spectrum (Step S2). The dielectric spectrum thus calculated is revolved to a dielectric relaxation expression, thereby obtaining a rise ?? in relative electric permittivity and relaxation time ? (Step S3). Next, dependency of (??, ?) on (Cm, ?i) is obtained, thereby creating a regression expression corresponding to the shape of the cell as the object of the measurement (Step S4).