1. A chopper for chopping up food, with an upper portion, a push rod displaceable therein, with an actuation head and a blade, as well as a lower portion connected to the upper portion, wherein parts are inserted in the upper portion andor on the top surface of the actuation head that are made of a material which is softer than the material of the upper portion or respectively of the actuation head.
2. The chopper according to claim 1, wherein the material of the parts inserted is a rubbery elastic material such that it is able to be deformed by hand.
3. The chopper according to one of the preceding claims, wherein inserted on the top surface of the actuation head is a part made of a material which is softer than the material of the actuation head, and this part has the shape of a spherical cap.
4. The chopper according to claim 3, wherein at the edge of the part having the shape of the spherical cap at least two attachment tabs protrude, which are received in corresponding apertures of the actuation head, and are held firmly therein by means of engagement protrusions provided on the attachment tabs.
5. The chopper according to claim 3 or 4, wherein between the actuation head and the part having the shape of the spherical cap there exists a hollow space serving as an air cushion.
6. The chopper according to one of the preceding claims, wherein inserted in the upper portion are at least two parts made of a material which is softer than the material of the upper portion, and these parts have an oval shape.
7. The chopper according to claim 6, wherein the parts inserted in the upper portion each have at least two attachment tabs, which are received in corresponding apertures of the upper portion and are firmly held therein by means of engagement protrusions provided on the attachment tabs.
8. The chopper according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the upper portion has in the region of each of the parts inserted therein one opening each that is covered over by the corresponding part.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1-30. (canceled)
31. A method for storing tumor cells in a composition, said method comprising:
providing a composition and tumor cells, wherein said composition comprises a base nutritive medium and liposomes that comprise a sterol; and
storing said tumor cells in said composition at temperatures in the range of \u2212196\xb0 C. to 37\xb0 C.
32. The method of claim 31, wherein said tumor cells are stored in said composition for at least 1 day.
33. The method of claim 31, wherein said tumor cells are stored in said composition for at least 1 week.
34. The method of claim 31, wherein said tumor cells are stored in said composition for at least 1 month or at least several months.
35. The method of claim 31, wherein said tumor cells are stored in said composition for at least 1 year or at least several years.
36. The method of claim 31, wherein molecules in said tumor cells are not essentially degraded during storage and said molecules are selected from the group consisting of RNA, DNA, or RNA and DNA.
37. The method of claim 31, wherein said tumor cells can be analyzed via histological staining or in situ hybridization after storage.
38. The method of claim 31, wherein said tumor cells are capable of proliferation after storage.
39. The method of claim 31, wherein said tumor cells are stored in said composition at a temperature in the range of 4 to 37\xb0 C.
40. The method of claim 31, wherein said tumor cells are first stored in said composition at room temperature and subsequently stored in said composition at a temperature in the range of \u2212196 to 0\xb0 C.
41. The method of claim 31, wherein said tumor cells are stored in said composition at room temperature for at least 1 day and subsequently stored in said composition at a temperature in the range of \u2212196 to 0\xb0 C. for at least 1 month and the RNA, the DNA, or the RNA and DNA in the tumor cells is essentially not degraded during storage.
42. A method for freezing cells in a composition, said method comprising:
providing a composition and cells, wherein said composition comprises a base nutritive medium and liposomes that comprise a sterol; and
freezing said cells in said composition.
43. The method of claim 42, wherein said base nutritive medium comprises amino acids, salts, vitamins, nucleotides, carbohydrates, and anti-oxidants.
44. The method of claim 42, wherein said base nutritive medium comprises antimicrobial agents.
45. The method of claim 42, wherein said liposomes comprise cholesterol.
46. The method of claim 45, wherein said composition comprises at least 0.00525 gL cholesterol and is enriched with oxygen.
47. The method of claims 46, wherein said liposomes comprise a growth factor, wherein said growth factor is selected from the group consisting of an epithelial growth factor, a hepatocyte growth factor, a platelet derived epithelial growth factor, a vascular endothelial growth factor, and combinations thereof.
48. The method of claim 31, wherein said tumor cells are a tumor cell line or derived from a tumor tissue.
49. The method of claim 48, wherein said tumor tissue is a tumor biopsy or a tumor explant.
50. The method of claim 31, wherein said tumor cells are derived from a human or a mammal.
51. The method of claim 48, wherein said tumor cells are derived from a solid tumor.
52. The method of claim 31, wherein said tumor cells are derived from a human biopsy stored at room temperature for 1 to 14 days in said composition and subsequently stored in said composition at a temperature in the range of \u2212196 to 0\xb0 C. for at least 1 month, wherein said liposomes comprise cholesterol and the RNA, DNA, or RNA and DNA in said tumor cells is essentially not degraded during storage.
53. The method of claim 52, wherein said tumor cells are capable of proliferation after storage.
54. A composition comprising tumor cells, a base nutritive medium, and liposomes, wherein said liposomes comprise a sterol.
55. The composition according to claim 54, wherein said tumor cells are derived from tumor biopsies.
56. The composition according to claim 55, wherein said said base nutritive medium comprises an agent selected from the group consisting of amino acids, salts, vitamins, nucleotides, carbohydrates, or anti-oxidants; said tumor cells are derived from tumor biopsies; and said liposomes comprise cholesterol and a growth factor selected from the group consisting of an epithelial growth factor, a hepatocyte growth factor, a platelet derived epithelial growth factor, a vascular endothelial growth factor, and a combination thereof.
57. A library of tumor biopsies comprising multiple compositions according to claim 56, wherein each composition is stored in a separate container.
58. A method of screening comprising:
preparing a library of tumor biopsies according to claim 57; and
screening said library with diagnostic screening methods, for drug efficacy validation, or for identifying anti-tumor drug targets.
59. A method for preparing a pharmaceutical composition for treating cancer, said method comprising
providing tumor biopsies from a library of tumor biopsies according to claim 57;
screening said tumor biopsies with active anti-tumor substances;
formulating an active anti-tumor substance and a suitable pharmaceutical additive or carrier to obtain a pharmaceutical composition.
60. A method of preparing a composition for storing cells, said method comprising:
preparing a base nutritive medium comprising physiologically compatible concentrations of water-soluble or dispersible nutrients and phsiological salts;
preparing nanoparticles, which are liposomes comprising cholesterol, fatty acids, and cellular growth factors; and
emulsifying said base nutritive medium and said nanoparticles to form a two phase composition, wherein said composition has an osmolality of at least about 300 mOsMkg and does not contain a cryoprotective agent.