JPH0215011B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus for measuring the properties of red blood cells, particularly the ability of red blood cells to deform into various states when passing through capillaries, ie, deformability.

Among the various characteristics of red blood cells, red blood cells constantly circulate within blood vessels, and those with a diameter of approximately 8 microns can freely pass through capillaries that are less than a few microns in diameter. This is because it has this deformability, and examining this deformability can be useful in diagnosing microcirculatory disorders. On the other hand, one method for quantifying the deformability of red blood cells is to measure the negative pressure (suction pressure) required to be sucked into a glass capillary of about 3μ at a constant pH and osmotic pressure, or as another method. A method was used in which red blood cells were passed through a porous filter of about 3 to 5 microns and the flow rate was measured, but the former method was for measuring a single red blood cell under a microscope, and the measurement results did not necessarily represent the average value for all red blood cells. It is not necessarily representative, requires skill, and is not practical. Although the latter can obtain an average value for a large number of red blood cells, it is also subject to errors due to the disintegration of red blood cells, the viscosity of the liquid in which the red blood cells are suspended,
There was a drawback that it could not be determined that the flow rate was necessarily a parameter related to deformability because it was affected by temperature and other factors. Furthermore, both methods require time and effort for measurement, and the time required for measurement per sample is quite long.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and consists of a tube pump that sucks and sends out blood dilution in a sample container from one end of a tube, and a hole approximately 3 μm in diameter connected to the other end of the tube via an introduction pipe. A filter part having a large number of filters arranged at regular intervals in a holder so that the filters are sequentially moved between an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe installed opposite to the inlet pipe via the holder, an inlet pipe and an outlet. A differential pressure detection device is connected to the pipe and drives the tube pump, and the sample is connected to the lead-out pipe and passes through the filter part through a detection hole provided at the bottom of the detector to detect the electrical difference between the red blood cells and the diluent. By comprising a particle detection device that detects red blood cells based on The aim is to provide the equipment.

Hereinafter, the configuration of the present invention will be explained based on the drawings. FIG. 1 shows the entire device of the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows a filter section and a differential pressure detection device. 1 is a blood diluent, 2 is a sample container, 3 is a suction pipe, 4
is a tube pump. The tube pump 4 has a structure in which a thin tube 5 connected to the suction pipe 3 is squeezed to suck and send out. Although this tube pump 4 is concerned about tube deterioration, it is excellent in terms of chemical resistance and contamination. The tube pump 4 is equipped with a motor that is driven by a control signal from a differential pressure detection device 6 (to be described later), and a filter section connected to the other end of the tube 5 via an introduction pipe 7 is controlled by the rotational speed or on/off of the motor. The pressure applied to the filter 9 of 8 is maintained at a constant pressure.

As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of filters 9 of the filter section 8 are arranged on the same circumference on, for example, a disc-shaped holder 10, so that the holder 10 can be replaced together. The holder 10 has its peripheral edge supported by a bearing 11, and a gear 13 that meshes with a notch 12 provided on the circumferential surface of the holder 10 is rotated by a step motor 14.
is configured to sequentially move to a predetermined position. The filter 9 has a large number of narrow passages of about 3 μm that allow red blood cells to pass through only when they have deformability, and the membrane filter made of synthetic resin has a relatively uniform width and is easy to use.
suitable for use. In the filter section 8, a holder 10 is provided with a filter 9 at a predetermined position.
The inlet pipe 7 and the outlet pipe 15 face each other so as to sandwich and maintain airtightness, and the inlet pipe 7 and the outlet pipe 15 communicate with each other only through a predetermined filter.

The inlet pipe 7 and the outlet pipe 15 are provided with pipes 16 and 17 for differential pressure detection, respectively.
It is connected to the differential pressure detection device 6 via these pipes 16 and 17. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, this differential pressure detection device 6 is relatively constructed so that electrical contacts 19 and 20 are provided in a mercury U-shaped tube 18, and the mercury 21 is used as a switch to perform on/off control. Easy and highly accurate control is possible. Also mercury U
A pressure sensing semiconductor that utilizes the piezo effect can be used without using a tube. This semiconductor converts pressure into a change in resistance, and by using a V-F conversion circuit and a pulse motor for driving the pump, it is possible to control pressure with high precision. Since this method does not use harmful mercury, there is no malfunction due to spillage of mercury or poor contact, and the device can be constructed in a small size.

A particle detection device 22 is connected to the other end of the outlet pipe 15, and the sample that has passed through the filter section 8 is introduced into a detection container 23. The particle detection device 22 has almost the same configuration as a conventional hemocytometer, and has a detector 24.
A detection hole 25 with a diameter of about 100μ is provided at the bottom of the
Red blood cells are detected by electrodes 26 and 27 provided inside and outside the detector 24 based on the impedance difference between the red blood cells passing through the detection hole 25 and the diluent, and a blood cell pulse signal is sent to the counting circuit 29 via the detection circuit 28. is counted. A fluid control device 30 is connected to the upper part of the detector 24 and sucks a sample into the detector 24, and has a built-in device for quantifying the sample to be measured.

To measure the deformability of red blood cells using the apparatus configured as described above, a blood diluent is stored in the sample container 2, and the sample is supplied to the filter section 8 via the suction pipe 3. (For example 200mm
Pressure is applied before and after the filter 9 with Hg), and only deformable red blood cells pass between the filters 9, which are smaller in diameter than the red blood cells (about 8 μm), and are supplied to the detection container 23. Red blood cells with normal deformability quickly pass through the filter 9, but red blood cells with reduced deformability are captured by the filter 9 or require time to pass through. Therefore, if the sample fed into the detection container 23 within a predetermined time is measured by the particle detection device 22 and the number of particles per unit volume is counted, the absolute number of particles, the reduction rate before and after passing through the filter, or the reduction rate per unit time can be determined. Important parameters regarding deformability can be obtained from the number of particles passing through. The parameters obtained in this manner are provided as clinical data for diagnosis of microcirculatory disorders and the like. The filter used for one sample is replaced by the next filter by the step motor 14, and when all the filters are used up, the holder is replaced with another. After measurement, the detection container 23
The sample inside is discharged to the outside through the valve 31. Note that the filter and holder are not limited to disk-shaped ones as shown in FIG.
It is also possible to use one in which a large number of windows are opened in the window and a filter 9 is fixed to each window.

As explained above, according to the apparatus of the present invention, a pretreatment step is performed by the filter section at a predetermined pressure for a predetermined time, and then particle counting measurement is performed and various parameters are measured. These processes can automatically measure each sample according to a predetermined program, making it possible to perform routine sample measurements from conventional laboratory measurements. This method has the advantage that parameters related to deformability can be easily obtained without requiring any technical skills.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of the device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a filter section and a differential pressure detection device, and FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing another example of the filter section. 1...Blood diluent, 2...Sample container, 3...Suction pipe, 4...Tube pump, 5...Tube, 6...Differential pressure detection device, 7...Introduction pipe, 8
... Filter section, 9 ... Filter, 10 ... Holder, 11 ... Bearing, 12 ... Notch, 13 ...
... Gear, 14 ... Step motor, 15 ... Output pipe, 16, 17 ... Pipe, 18 ... Mercury U
Tube, 19, 20...Electric contact, 21...Mercury,
22...Particle detection device, 23...Detection container, 24
...detector, 25 ... detection hole, 26, 27 ... electrode, 28 ... detection circuit, 29 ... counting circuit, 30
... Fluid control device, 31 ... Valve, 32 ... Sprocket, 33 ... Film.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 A tube pump that aspirates and sends out the blood dilution liquid in the sample container from one end of the tube, and a tube pump with a diameter of 3μ connected to the other end of this tube via an introduction pipe.
A filter part having a large number of front and rear holes arranged in a holder at regular intervals so that the filters are sequentially moved between an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe installed opposite to the inlet pipe via the holder; A differential pressure detection device is connected to the pipe and the lead-out pipe and drives the tube pump, and a differential pressure detection device is connected to the lead-out pipe and passes the sample that has passed through the filter section through a detection hole provided at the bottom of the detector to separate the red blood cells and the diluent. 1. A device for measuring the characteristics of red blood cells, comprising a particle detection device that detects red blood cells based on electrical differences.