Method and apparatus for the discretization and manipulation of sample volumes
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a flow channel having a flow axis, the flow channel being in selective fluid communication with a source of a continuous fluid comprising an aqueous solution;
a first fluidic harbor offset from the flow axis and fluidically coupled to the flow channel at a first location of the flow channel and at a second location of the flow channel;
a second fluidic harbor offset from the flow axis and fluidicially coupled to the flow channel at a first plurality of locations upstream of the first location along the flow channel;
a third fluidic harbor offset from the flow axis and fluidically coupled to the flow channel at a second plurality of locations downstream of the second location along the flow channel; and
a primer solution immiscible with the aqueous solution, the primer solution disposed within at least two of the fluidic harbors;
wherein the first location is upstream of the second location along the flow channel.
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Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and apparatuses for the discretization and manipulation of sample volumes that is simple, robust, and versatile. It is a fluidic device that partitions a sample by exploiting the interplay between fluidic forces, interfacial tension, channel geometry, and the final stability of the formed droplet and/or discretized volume. These compartmentalized volumes allow for isolation of samples and partitioning into a localized array that can subsequently be manipulated and analyzed. The isolation of the discretized volumes along with the device'"'"'s inherent portability render our invention versatile for use in many areas, including but not limited to PCR, digital PCR, biological assays for diagnostics and prognostics, cancer diagnosis and prognosis, high throughput screening, single molecule and single cell reactions or assays, the study crystallization and other statistical processes, protein crystallization, drug screening, environmental testing, and the coupling to a wide range of analytical detection techniques for biomedical assays and measurements. The minimal fluid interconnects and simple flow geometry makes the device easy to use and implement, economical to fabricate and operate, and robust in its operations.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a flow channel having a flow axis, the flow channel being in selective fluid communication with a source of a continuous fluid comprising an aqueous solution; a first fluidic harbor offset from the flow axis and fluidically coupled to the flow channel at a first location of the flow channel and at a second location of the flow channel; a second fluidic harbor offset from the flow axis and fluidicially coupled to the flow channel at a first plurality of locations upstream of the first location along the flow channel; a third fluidic harbor offset from the flow axis and fluidically coupled to the flow channel at a second plurality of locations downstream of the second location along the flow channel; and a primer solution immiscible with the aqueous solution, the primer solution disposed within at least two of the fluidic harbors; wherein the first location is upstream of the second location along the flow channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An apparatus comprising:
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a flow channel having a flow axis, the flow channel being in selective fluid communication with a source of a first continuous liquid and in selective fluid communication with a source of a second continuous liquid immiscible with the first liquid; a first fluidic harbor offset from the flow axis and fluidically coupled to the flow channel at a first location of the flow channel and at a second location of the flow channel, wherein the first location is upstream of the second location along the flow channel; a second fluidic harbor offset from the flow axis and fluidically coupled to the flow channel at a first plurality of locations upstream of the first location along the flow channel; a third fluidic harbor offset from the flow axis and fluidically coupled to the flow channel at a second plurality of locations downstream of the second location along the flow channel; and a primer fluid contained within at least one of the plurality of fluidic harbors, wherein the primer fluid is immiscible with the first continuous liquid. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification