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).

  • Patent number: 11926808
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
    Inventors: Nancy L. Allbritton, Christopher E. Sims, Yuli Wang, Pavak Kirit Shah
  • Patent number: 11920115
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignees: 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
  • Publication number: 20240026265
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2023
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Inventors: Nancy L. Allbritton, Christopher E. Sims, Yuli Wang, Pavak Kirit Shah
  • Publication number: 20240010960
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2023
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventors: Nancy L. Allbritton, Yuli Wang, Raehyun Kim
  • Publication number: 20230147744
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2021
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Inventors: Nancy L. Allbritton, Yuli Wang, Christopher E. Sims, Cecilia Villegas Novoa
  • Publication number: 20230098968
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Inventors: Nancy L. Allbritton, Yuli Wang, Raehyun Kim
  • Patent number: 11566213
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
    Inventors: Nancy L. Allbritton, Yuli Wang, Christopher Sims
  • Publication number: 20210395657
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Inventors: Nancy L. Allbritton, Christopher E. Sims, Yuli Wang, Pavak Kirit Shah
  • Publication number: 20210395661
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Inventors: Nancy L. Allbritton, Yuli Wang
  • Publication number: 20210324313
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Inventors: Nancy L. Allbritton, Christopher E. Sims, Yuli Wang, Pavak Kirit Shah
  • Publication number: 20210087515
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2019
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Applicant: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
    Inventors: Nancy L. Allbritton, Yuli Wang, Raehyun Kim, Peter Joseph Attayek
  • Publication number: 20200231917
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Publication date: July 23, 2020
    Inventors: Nancy L. Allbritton, Yuli Wang, Christopher Sims
  • Publication number: 20200080046
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Inventors: Steven C. Gebhart, Robert W. McClellan, Nicholas C. Trotta, Nancy L. Allbritton, Peter Joseph Attayek, Paul Michael Armistead
  • Publication number: 20190256817
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2017
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Applicants: Cell Microsystems, Inc., The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
    Inventors: Steven C. Gebhart, Robert W. McClellan, Nicholas C. Trotta, Nancy L. Allbritton, Peter Joseph Attayek, Paul Michael Armistead
  • Publication number: 20190136170
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Inventors: Nancy L. Allbritton, Yuli Wang, Christopher E. Sims, Nicholas C. Dobes, Steven C. Gebhart, Nicholas C. Trotta
  • Patent number: 6335201
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2002
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Nancy L. Allbritton, Christopher E. Sims, Michael W. Berns, Gavin D. Meredith, Tatiana B. Krasieva, Bruce J. Tromberg
  • Patent number: 6156576
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Nancy L. Allbritton, Christopher E. Sims, Michael W. Berns, Gavin D. Meredith, Tatiana B. Krasieva, Bruce J. Tromberg
  • Patent number: 5773227
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: Molecular Probes, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Kuhn, Tobias Meyer, Nancy L. Allbritton