Abstract: Disclosed is a cell collection device with which switching and seeing microscope images with different magnifications can be attained in one-touch without rotating a revolver. The cell collection device includes an optical system to observe cells contained in a transparent vessel under magnification. The optical system includes a first optical system to observe the cells from upper side and a second optical system to observe the cells from lower side. The first optical system and the second optical system have different magnifications, and the optical axis of the first optical system and the optical axis of the second optical system are coincident.

Abstract: Treatment is provided at an ideal timing. Provided is an ultrasonic treatment apparatus including: a therapeutic-ultrasound-wave radiating portion that radiates therapeutic ultrasound waves for causing an ultrasonic treatment material having a tendency to accumulate in an affected area to exert a therapeutic effect; an accumulation determining portion that determines whether or not the ultrasonic treatment material has accumulated in the affected area; and a determination-result presenting portion that presents a determination result obtained by the accumulation determining portion.

Abstract: Provided is a contrast medium comprising at least one molecular probe and at least one optical probe on a surface of a substrate having an ultrasound imaging function. More specifically, a contrast medium having sensitivity to not only ultrasound but also light excellent in real-time imaging and resolution and having a size sufficient to travel into tissues through blood vessel can be provided by labelling an ultrasound imageable substrate with a molecular probe and an optical probe.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for controlling the spatial arrangement of an energy donor and an energy acceptor in a reaction complex in order to carry out the measurement with good precision and high sensitivity, and a measurement system using the method. Two types of material having affinity for the subject material to be measured are respectively labeled with a combination of reporters that give rise to energy transfer; those that have been thus obtained by labeling these materials are each further labeled with materials that have weak affinity for each other to give reagents, which are then mixed with a sample to give the reaction complex. Each of the materials is brought into spatial proximity by binding based on the affinity among the materials having weak affinity for each other in the reaction complex, and since that condition is stably maintained, a more efficient energy transfer occurs.

Abstract: In an inexpensive and convenient method for immobilizing a suspension cell, a phospholipid vesicle or the like regardless of the type of cell, on the surface of a solid phase, a cell is immobilized by causing the cell to contact a support having a hydrophobic chain and a hydrophilic chain.

Abstract: This invention provides a method to monitor a microorganism that causes infectious disease of a laboratory animal by using a micro flow channel chip immobilized with a molecular to be tested such as an antigen or an antibody of the microorganism that causes infectious disease, the method comprises flowing serum or body fluid taken from the laboratory animal through the minute flow channel of the micro flow channel chip and detecting the antigen antibody reaction on the chip. The method of this invention enabled medical inspection of an infectious disease of a laboratory animal and microorganism monitoring of a laboratory animal, by using minute amount of animal serum or body fluid in a closed system rapidly and sensitively.

Abstract: A cell in which a reaction product of a substance to be modified and an amphipathic compound is non-covalently bound to a cell membrane, wherein said compound has the following features: (1) having one or more aliphatic hydrocarbon groups at one end; (2) having one or more portions containing a hydrophilic group in a molecule; and (3) having one or more reactive functional groups which are capable of covalently binding with the substance to be modified at an end different from the end in the above (1).

Abstract: A novel method for determining interaction between VH fragment and VL fragment of the variable region of an antibody is provided by the present invention. The method according to this invention can be widely used for detection of protein interactions. If a phagemid vector containing an amber codon is used for transformation of an amber suppressor strain of E. coli according to the method of the invention to produce phages, both of the VH fragment and the VL fragment will be displayed on the phage particles. In contrast, if the same vector is used to transformation of an amber non-suppressing strain of E. coli to produce phages, for the presence of the amber codon, only the VH fragment will be displayed on the phage particles, while the VL fragment will be secreted into the culture medium by the E. coli. Thus, display switch occurs.

Abstract: Aspects of the invention can provide a method of immobilizing a chemical compound having the affinity for the cell membrane on the solid-phase surface in a desired pattern. The method of immobilizing a cell in a desired pattern on a solid-phase surface by use of a first chemical compound having an affinity for the cell and can include a step of immobilizing a second chemical compound, which is more easily immobilized on the solid-phase surface than the first chemical compound dose and has a molecular binding site that can bind to the first chemical compound, on the solid-phase surface according to the pattern.

Abstract: In an inexpensive and convenient method for immobilizing a suspension cell, a phospholipid vesicle or the like regardless of the type of cell, on the surface of a solid phase, a cell is immobilized by causing the cell to contact a support having a hydrophobic chain and a hydrophilic chain.

Abstract: The present invention provides, in the use of the energy transfer phenomenon in a detection system for the measurement of the concentration of a material, a method for controlling the spatial arrangement of an energy donor and an energy acceptor in a reaction complex in order to carry out the measurement with good precision and high sensitivity, and a measurement system using the method.

Abstract: A cell in which a reaction product of a substance to be modified and an amphipathic compound is non-covalently bound to a cell membrane, wherein said compound has the following features:

Abstract: This invention provides a system for controlling the phenotypic characteristics of cells. A pair of chimeric polypeptides is anchored in the plasma membrane, each of which has a variable region sequence and an effector sequence. The polypeptides are independent in the absence of antigen, but form a stable complex with each other when antigen is provided. This drives the effector sequences together in a manner that produces a receptor activation signal, leading to a phenotypic change. By titrating the amount of antigen present in the environment, the degree of phenotypic change can be regulated. Cells bearing chimeric polypeptides can be used to measure the concentration of antigen or select cells transfected with a therapeutic gene.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for measuring an antigen concentration in a sample, which comprises: preparing VH-domain polypeptide and VL-domain polypeptide of an antibody specific to the antigen; labeling one of the polypeptides with a reporter molecule to form labeled polypeptides, and immobilizing the other polypeptide onto solid-phase to form immobilized polypeptides; contacting the antigen-containing sample and the labeled polypeptides with the solid-phase; and measuring the reporter molecule of the labeled polypeptides bound to the immobilized polypeptides. The present invention permits simpler and quicker sandwich ELISA for measurements of an antigen concentration in high sensitivity.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for measuring an antigen concentration in a sample, which comprises: preparing VH-domain polypeptide and VL-domain polypeptide of an antibody specific to the antigen; labeling one of the polypeptides with a reporter molecule to form labeled polypeptides, and immobilizing the other polypeptides onto solid-phase to form immobilized polypeptides; contacting the antigen-containing sample and the labeled polypeptides with the solid-phase; and measuring the reporter molecule of the labeled polypeptides bound to the immobilized polypeptides. The present invention permits simpler and quicker sandwich ELISA for measurements of an antigen concentration in high sensitivity.

Abstract: A detecting apparatus is disclosed, that comprises plural measurement devices with respective sensors and a support for holding the measurement devices in such a manner that the individual sensors contact a culture broth, the turbidity, dissolved oxygen, dissolved carbon dioxide the temperature, pH, and so forth of the culture broth being obtained by the measurement devices.

Abstract: A method of feeding substrates into a tubular bioreactor incorporating a reacting vessel and a separating membrane in which the reaction and separation or collection can be continuously and surely effected in the same vessel with high efficiency.

Abstract: A cell culture method proliferates microorganisms, particularly fungi such as molds, actinomycetes, animal cells, plant cells and so on to produce useful substances such as antibiotics, enzymes, proteins, polysaccharides, physiological active substances, and animal and plant hormones. Porous material including medium and cells to be proliferated is moved, whereby air is supplied to the surface of the porous material.

Abstract: Cell culture apparatus comprises a fluidized bed culture tank body in which cell attached porous material is fluidized by air flow, and a pre-culture tank for supplying medium to the fluidized bed culture tank body according to the amount of the liquid medium which is taken out of the fluidized bed culture tank body. By the use of a drain valve which can be controlled to remove liquid medium and porous material or just liquid medium, the cell culture apparatus can continuously produce metabolite.

Abstract: In a turbidimeter for measuring a turbidity of a test solution to be measured i.e. culture solution in a fermentation apparatus, a semiconductor laser diode and a semiconductor photodiode are integrally arranged in a detection portion of the turbidimeter in such a manner that a laser beam emitted from the semiconductor laser diode is made incident upon the semiconductor photodiode through the test solution. Moreover, a protection circuit for the semiconductor laser diode and the semiconductor photodiode is also arranged in the turbidimeter to cut off a current flowed therethrough when an environmental temperature becomes above a predetermined temperature. Therefore, the turbidimeter can be made small in size and light in weight, and the turbidity can be measured accurately over wide range.