Microfluidic injection and separation system and method
First Claim
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1. A method for injecting a sample comprising a plurality of charged components and separating the components by electrophoresis in a microfluidics device, wherein said microfluidics device includes:
- a separation channel, having an upstream junction at which first and second channels intersect, said first and second channels terminating in first and second reservoirs, designated T and S/D, respectively;
a first side channel, intersecting said separation channel downstream of said junction, and terminating in a first side reservoir, designated D/S;
a second side channel intersecting one of said separation channel, first channel, and second channel, and terminating in a second side reservoir, designated L;
an outlet reservoir at a downstream terminus of said separation channel; and
, for each said reservoir, an electrode in fluid contact with the reservoir;
the method comprising;
(a) placing into said channels and reservoirs, a leading electrolyte solution, comprising an ion with higher mobility in an electric field than any of said charged sample components;
(b) placing into one of said S/D reservoir and said D/S reservoir, the sample solution, and placing into said T reservoir, a terminating electrolyte solution, comprising an ion with lower mobility in an electric field than any of said charged sample components;
(c) creating a voltage gradient between the S/D reservoir and the D/S reservoir, such that the sample solution migrates into a sample-loading region of the separation channel, between said upstream junction and said first side channel;
(d) creating a voltage gradient between the T reservoir and the S/D reservoir, such that the terminating electrolyte solution migrates through the first channel, to an upstream boundary of the sample solution in the sample-loading region, and into the second channel;
(e) creating a voltage gradient between the T reservoir and the outlet reservoir, such that the sample components become stacked within a region of the separation channel which is downstream of the second side channel; and
(f) creating a voltage gradient between the L reservoir and the outlet reservoir, such that leading electrolyte solution migrates from said second side channel and through said stacked sample components, whereby the sample components move through the separation channel and separate into discrete bands according to their electrophoretic mobilities.
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Abstract
Methods of sample loading and separation in a microfluidics device are described. The methods provide high resolution and high signal intensity, using, in a preferred embodiment, a simple two-electrode injection scheme with isotachophoretic (ITP) stacking, followed by ZE separation in the same channel.
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19 Claims
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1. A method for injecting a sample comprising a plurality of charged components and separating the components by electrophoresis in a microfluidics device,
wherein said microfluidics device includes: -
a separation channel, having an upstream junction at which first and second channels intersect, said first and second channels terminating in first and second reservoirs, designated T and S/D, respectively;
a first side channel, intersecting said separation channel downstream of said junction, and terminating in a first side reservoir, designated D/S;
a second side channel intersecting one of said separation channel, first channel, and second channel, and terminating in a second side reservoir, designated L;
an outlet reservoir at a downstream terminus of said separation channel; and
, for each said reservoir, an electrode in fluid contact with the reservoir;
the method comprising;
(a) placing into said channels and reservoirs, a leading electrolyte solution, comprising an ion with higher mobility in an electric field than any of said charged sample components;
(b) placing into one of said S/D reservoir and said D/S reservoir, the sample solution, and placing into said T reservoir, a terminating electrolyte solution, comprising an ion with lower mobility in an electric field than any of said charged sample components;
(c) creating a voltage gradient between the S/D reservoir and the D/S reservoir, such that the sample solution migrates into a sample-loading region of the separation channel, between said upstream junction and said first side channel;
(d) creating a voltage gradient between the T reservoir and the S/D reservoir, such that the terminating electrolyte solution migrates through the first channel, to an upstream boundary of the sample solution in the sample-loading region, and into the second channel;
(e) creating a voltage gradient between the T reservoir and the outlet reservoir, such that the sample components become stacked within a region of the separation channel which is downstream of the second side channel; and
(f) creating a voltage gradient between the L reservoir and the outlet reservoir, such that leading electrolyte solution migrates from said second side channel and through said stacked sample components, whereby the sample components move through the separation channel and separate into discrete bands according to their electrophoretic mobilities. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification