Microfluidic devices comprising biochannels

• US 20050009101A1
• Filed: 07/07/2004
• Published: 01/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Blackburn, Gary
• Application Number:
  US10/886,408
• Publication Number:
  US 20050009101A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/7.100
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00511 Walls of reactor vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00644 the porous medium being present in discrete locations, e.g. gel pads
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00722 Nucleotides
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0684 Venting, avoiding backpressure, avoid gas bubbles
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0689 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/10 Integrating sample preparation and analysis in single entity, e.g. lab-on-a-chip concept
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0636 Integrated biosensor, microarrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0645 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0819 Microarrays; Biochips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0822 Slides
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/088 Channel loops
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1822 using Peltier elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0415 electrical forces, e.g. electrokinetic
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0487 fluid pressure, pneumatics
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0688 surface tension valves, capillary stop, capillary break
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5027 by integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g. lab-on-a-chip B01L3/5023 takes precedence; micromixers B01F33/30; microreactors for synthesis B01J19/0093; microcapillary devices in general B81B1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502707 characterised by the manufacture of the container or its components by shaping or joining plastic parts B29C59/00, B29C65/00; by laminating B32B37/00; manufacture of microstructural devices in general B81C
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502723 characterised by venting arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50273 characterised by the means or forces applied to move the fluids micropumps F04B19/006, of the membrane type F04B43/043
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502753 : characterised by bulk separation arrangements on lab-on-a-chip devices, e.g. for filtration or centrifugation separation in general B01D; microapparatus for analysis using electrophoresis G01N27/44791; sample preparation G01N1/28
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502761 : specially adapted for handling suspended solids or molecules independently from the bulk fluid flow, e.g. for trapping or sorting beads, for physically stretching molecules investigating characteristics of particles G01N15/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/52 : with provision for submitting samples to a predetermined sequence of different temperatures, e.g. for treating nucleic acid samples amplification or hybridisation processes per se C12Q1/68; controlling sequential reactions for synthesis B01J19/0046

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a variety of microfluidic devices with configurations including the use of biochannels or microchannels comprising arrays of capture binding ligands to capture target analytes in samples. The invention provides microfluidic cassettes or devices that can be used to effect a number of manipulations on a sample to ultimately result in target analyte detection or quantification.

Claims

1. A microfluidic device comprising:

i) a substrate comprising a plurality of biochannels, wherein said biochannels comprise a plurality of spatially distinct regions comprising electrodes upon which capture binding ligands are immobilized;

ii) at least one recirculating arm(s); and

iii) a pump; and

wherein the recirculating arm(s) and pump are configured to recirculate a test sample back into at least one of the plurality of biochannels.

2. A microfluidic device according to 1, wherein said substrate is fabricated from a material selected from the group consisting of silicon, silicon dioxide, glass, plastic and ceramic.

3. A microfluidic device according to claim 1, further comprising at least a first entrance port and at least a first exit port coupled to at least one of the plurality of biochannels for the transportation of at least one test sample.

4. A microfluidic device according to claim 3, further comprising at least one valve in said exit port.

5. A microfluidic device according to claim 1, wherein said electrode detects a target.

6. A microfluidic device according to claim 1, further comprising a second electrode and wherein the electrodes form a pump.

7. A microfluidic device according to claim 1, further comprising an electrophorectic biochannel.

8. A microfluidic device according to claim 1, wherein said spatially distinct regions comprise porous polymer with said capture binding ligands bound to the porous polymer.

9. A microfluidic device according to claim 1, wherein said spatially distinct regions comprise beads with said capture binding ligands bound to the bead.

10. A microfluidic device according to claim 1, wherein said electrode detects an electrical signal.

11. A microfluidic device according to claim 1, further comprising an optical signal detector.

12. A microfluidic device according to claim 1, further comprising a fluorescence signal detector.

13. A microfluidic device according to claim 1, wherein at least one biochannel is at least partially formed from a substrate comprising glass.

14. A microfluidic device according to claim 1, wherein at least one biochannel is at least partially formed from a substrate comprising plastic.

15. A microfluidic device according to claim 1, wherein at least one biochannel is at least partially formed from a substrate comprising polymer.