Apparatus and method for determining functions of cells.

摘要

An apparatus for determining the functioning properties of cells which includes a sample containing chamber (101), a rotor (2) disposed in the chamber (101) and having a conical surface (2a) which faces the inner bottom surface (36a) of the chamber (101) at an angle of not greater than 2 DEG , a ray transmission path (28) from which a ray is projected into a sample of a cell suspension between the rotor (2) and the inner bottom surface (36a), and a transmitted ray detection path (29) from which transmittance from the sample is detected. The optical path length in the sample is not smaller than 1 cm. An adequate shear stress is applied to the sample by adjusting the gap between the rotor (2) and the inner bottom surface (36a) and rotating the rotor (2). A fine response by the cells caused by the applied shear stress, particularly the aggregation of platelets in a platelet suspension, can be accurately and quantitatively determined with a high sensitivity.