1. A method of separating at least one target substance from at least one non-target substance in a test fluid, comprising the steps of:
mixing the test fluid with a quantity of magnetic particles to produce a suspension comprising a magnetic component and a non-magnetic component, wherein the magnetic component comprises magnetic particles bound to said target substance through at least one substance on the surface of the magnetic particles which directly or indirectly binds to said target substance and the non-magnetic component comprises the remainder of the test fluid, including said non-target substance, and wherein the magnetic particles possess properties necessary for the formation of a phase which contains both the magnetic and non-magnetic components and which is distinct from a magnetically inert fluid phase of a liquid system in which the separation of target substance occurs;
establishing the magnetically inert fluid phase in a container having a collection surface therein;
introducing said suspension into the container as a stable phase which is distinct from the magnetically inert phase, to confine the magnetic and non-magnetic components of the suspension within the distinct phase;
generating in the container, a gradient magnetic field having a region of sufficiently high intensity adjacent to the collection surface to cause disintegration of the distinct phase into its constituent magnetic and non-magnetic components;
attracting the distinct phase toward the collection surface;
disintegrating said distinct phase in said high intensity region;
collecting the magnetic component of the disintegrated distinct phase upon the collection surface when the distinct phase disintegrates; and
removing the non-magnetic component of the disintegrated distinct phase away from the collection surface, thereby separating said at least one target substance from at least one non-target substance.
2. A method of separating at least one target substance from at least one non-target substance in a test fluid, comprising the steps of:
mixing the test fluid with a quantity of first and second magnetic particles to produce a suspension comprising a magnetic component and a non-magnetic component, wherein the magnetic component comprises first magnetic particles bound to said at least one target substance through at least one substance on the surface of the first magnetic particles which directly or indirectly binds to said target substance and second magnetic particles which possess properties necessary for the formation of a phase which contains both the magnetic and non-magnetic components and which is distinct from a magnetically inert fluid phase of a liquid system in which the separation of target substance occurs, and the non-magnetic component comprises the remainder of the test fluid, including the non-target substance;
establishing the magnetically inert fluid phase in a container having a collection surface therein;
introducing said suspension into the container as a stable phase which is distinct from the magnetically inert phase, to confine the magnetic and non-magnetic components of the suspension within the distinct phase;
generating in the container, a gradient magnetic field having a region of sufficiently high intensity adjacent to the collection surface to cause disintegration of the distinct phase into its constituent magnetic and non-magnetic components;
attracting the distinct phase toward the collection surface;
disintegrating said distinct phase in said high intensity region;
collecting the magnetic component of the disintegrated distinct phase upon the collection surface when the distinct phase disintegrates; and
removing the non-magnetic component of the disintegrated distinct phase away from the collection surface, thereby separating said at least one target substance from at least one non-target substance.
3. The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein said introducing step includes conducting a flow of said suspension into said container on a continuous basis.
4. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein said substance on the surface of the magnetic particles directly binds to said target substance.
5. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein said substance on the surface of the magnetic particles is a capture agent which binds to at least one binding partner for said at least one target substance and said mixing step includes:
contacting said target substance with said binding partner and said capture agent-bearing magnetic particles thereby indirectly binding said target substance to said magnetic particles.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein each said binding partner binds to more than one target substance.
7. The method of claim 5, wherein each said capture agent binds to more than one binding partner.
8. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein said establishing step comprises:
introducing an initial quantity of said suspension into said container;
separating the magnetic component of said initial quantity from the non-magnetic component thereof;
collecting the magnetic component of said initial quantity upon a collection surface within said container; and
maintaining said non-magnetic component of said initial quantity in said container to form said magnetically inert fluid.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of introducing said initial quantity is conducted according to a first flow rate, said step of introducing said suspension into said container to form a distinct phase is conducted according to a second flow rate, and said second flow rate is greater than said first flow rate.
10. The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein said introducing step includes conducting a flow of said suspension into said container and controlling turbulence in the suspension relative to the magnetically inert fluid to maintain integrity of the distinct phase.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein said controlling of turbulence includes conducting said flow of the suspension into the container in contact with a hydrodynamic damping structure.
12. The method of claim 1 or 2, comprising retrieving at least one of said magnetic component and said non-magnetic component of said disintegrated phase for recovery of at least one of said target substance and said non-target substance, respectively.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein said retrieving step includes receiving a flow of said non-magnetic component into a collection vessel.
14. The method of claim 12, wherein said retrieving of said magnetic component includes:
removing said magnetic field from said container;
resuspending said magnetic particles within said container;
conducting a flow of wash fluid through said container to remove said resuspended magnetic particles from within said container; and
receiving said resuspended magnetic particles into a collection vessel.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein said wash fluid has a higher viscosity than said magnetically inert fluid.
16. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein said at least one target substance is either at least one biological substance of interest or at least one other biological substance and said at least one non-target substance is the other of said at least one biological substance of interest or said at least one other biological substance.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein said substance on the surface of the magnetic particles directly binds to said target substance.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein said substance on the surface of the magnetic particles is a capture agent which binds to at least one binding partner for said target substance and said mixing step includes:
contacting said target substance with said binding partner and said capture agent-bearing magnetic particles thereby indirectly binding said target substance to said magnetic particles.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein each said capture agent binds to more than one binding partner.
20. The method of claim 16, wherein each said binding partner binds to more than one target substance.
21. The method of claim 16, wherein said introducing step includes conducting a flow of said suspension into the container on a continuous basis.
22. The method of claim 16, comprising retrieving at least one of said magnetic component and said non-magnetic component of said disintegrated phase for recovery of at least one of said target substance and said non-target substance, respectively.
23. The method of claim 16, wherein said separating of at least one biological substance of interest from at least one other biological substance in a test fluid comprises purging a test fluid of at least one undesired biological substance, wherein:
said undesired biological substance is a target substance; and
said removing step further comprises retrieving said separated non-magnetic component of said disintegrated phase, to produce a sample from said test fluid, purged of said undesired biological substance.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein said undesired biological substance is selected from the group consisting of malignant cells, bacteria, fungi, viruses, microbial parasites, proteins, peptides and nucleic acids.
25. The method of claim 16, wherein said biological substance of interest and said other biological substance are selected from the group consisting of eucaryotic cells, procaryotic cells, subcellular organelles, viruses, proteins, peptides, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and complex molecules comprising a combination of at least two of nucleic acids, proteins, lipids and carbohydrates.
26. The method of claim 25, wherein said biological substance of interest and said other biological substance comprise eucaryotic cells, said characteristic determinant comprises an antigen of said eucaryotic cells, and said binding partner comprises an antibody which binds to said antigen.
27. The method of claim 26, wherein said separating of at least one biological substance of interest from at least one other biological substance in a test fluid comprises enriching at least one cell type of interest from a mixed population of cell types, wherein:
said cell type of interest is a non-target substance and at least one of said mixed population of cell types is a target substance; and
said removing step further comprises retrieving said separated non-magnetic component of said disintegrated phase, to produce a sample enriched for said cell type of interest.
28. The method of claim 27 wherein said at least one of said mixed population of cell types is malignant cells.
29. The method of claim 27, wherein said cell type of interest comprises less than about 10% of said mixed cell population.
30. The method of claim 29, wherein said cell type of interest comprises hematopoietic progenitor cells and said test fluid is selected from the group consisting of bone marrow and peripheral blood.
31. The method of claim 29, wherein said cell type of interest comprises fetal cells and said test fluid comprises fetal cells and maternal cells.
32. The method of claim 29, wherein said cell type of interest comprises genetically altered cells and said test fluid is selected from the group consisting of culture medium and a biological fluid.
33. The method of claim 26, wherein said separating of at least one biological substance of interest from at least one other biological substance in a test fluid comprises enriching at least one cell type of interest from a mixed population of cell types, wherein:
said cell type of interest is a target substance; and
said removing step further comprises retrieving said separated magnetic component of said disintegrated phase, to produce a sample enriched for said cell type of interest.
34. The method of claim 33, comprising disassociating said cell type of interest from said retrieved magnetic component of said disintegrated phase.
35. The method of claim 33, wherein said cell type of interest comprises less than about 3% of said mixed cell population.
36. The method of claim 35, wherein said cell type of interest comprises hematopoietic progenitor cells and said test fluid is selected from the group consisting of bone marrow and peripheral blood.
37. The method of claim 35, wherein said cell type of interest comprises fetal cells and said test fluid comprises fetal cells and maternal cells.
38. The method of claim 35, wherein said cell type of interest comprises genetically altered cells and said test fluid is selected from the group consisting of culture medium and a biological fluid.
39. A method of controlling the movement of a substance within a magnetically inert fluid medium, comprising:
mixing said substance with a quantity of magnetic particles which possess properties necessary for the formation of a phase which is distinct from and stable in said magnetically inert fluid medium to form a suspension;
introducing said suspension into said fluid medium as a distinct phase from said fluid medium;
applying a magnetic field to the fluid medium, said magnetic field having a gradient within said fluid medium sufficient to attract said distinct phase and having an intensity that is sufficiently low to prevent disruption of said distinct phase; and
altering the position of said magnetic field within said fluid medium to effect a desired movement of said distinct phase therein.
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