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2000
Conference Paper
Titel
Automated Tissue Disintegration
Alternative
Automatisierter Gewebe-Aufschluss
Abstract
Molecular Medicine methods are increasingly used for the diagnosis of diseases. A DNA analysis procedure, for instance, offers the advantage of a higher sensitivity and the possibility to identify pathogenic diseases and their causes instantly and specifically. An essential step in DNA analysis is the preparation of samples, for which the DNA must be isolated. Many biochemical procedures exist for the isolation of DNA from liquid samples, e.g. blood. These are well established, and some of them are relatively easy to realize either through manual pipetting, or automatically using pipetting robots. To isolate DNA from tissue samples, for example from biopsies, the tissue must be homogenized and the cells disintegrated. For this procedure, presently no standardized method exists, and therefore no automation solution. The Fraunhofer Institutes IGB and IPA developed a new, mechanical tissue-disintegration method. The above-cited method has to fulfill the following requirements: capability of standardization, capability of automation and minimal cross-contamination risks. The sample carrier is disposable, made out of plastics. It integrates the complete process from samples uptake to sample leftover disposal, including sample transportation, tissue homogenization and cell disintegration. This offers the following advantages: standardized sample-carrie, avoidance of a direct handling of the open samples, thereby reduction of a cross-contamination risk, integration of filter-technology, which offers the potential to minimize or avoid the processes that follow (e.g. centrifugation) and possibility of application both in a stand-alone device as well as in a pipetting robot.
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