Rotatable reactor systems and methods

• US 20050106714A1
• Filed: 08/27/2004
• Published: 05/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: BioProcessors Corp.
• Original Assignee: BioProcessors Corp.
• Inventors: Flannery, Nicholas J., Stevens, Derek T., Zarur, Andrey J., Miller, Scott, Basque, Todd A., MacGregor, Ian K., Rodgers, Seth T., Russo, A. Peter
• Application Number:
  US10/927,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20050106714A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 506/43
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00317 Microwell devices, i.e. having large numbers of wells
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00704 integrated with the reactor apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00743 Cells
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0668 Trapping microscopic beads
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/12 Specific details about manufacturing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0654 Lenses; Optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0861 Configuration of multiple channels and/or chambers in a single devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/163 Biocompatibility
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1838 using fluid heat transfer medium
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/046 Chemical or electrochemical formation of bubbles
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0487 fluid pressure, pneumatics
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5025 for parallel transport of multiple samples
• 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 3/502723 characterised by venting arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/16 Microfluidic devices; Capillary tubes integrated microfluidic structures B01L3/5027; microreactors B01J19/0093
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/02 involving viable microorganisms
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/635 Photosynthetic material analysis, e.g. chrorophyll
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/47 Scattering, i.e. diffuse reflection G01N21/25, G01N21/41 take precedence G01N21/55 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/64 Fluorescence; Phosphorescence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/648 using evanescent coupling or surface plasmon coupling for the excitation of fluorescence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/7703 : using reagent-clad optical fibres or optical waveguides using measurement of total internal reflection or attenuated total reflection G01N21/552; optical fibres or waveguides per se G02B
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5005 : involving human or animal cells immunoassay G01N33/56966; immunoassays of protozoa G01N33/56905; protozoa in screening assays C12Q1/025
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/54373 : involving physiochemical end-point determination, e.g. wave-guides, FETS, gratings
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/84 : involving inorganic compounds or pH

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to chips, particularly microfluidic chips, that are rotatable and/or have a generally circular or rotationally symmetric geometry. The chips may be substantially planar in certain instances. In some cases, the chips of the invention can have more than one reaction site, which can, for example, contain cells. The reaction site can be very small, in some cases with a volume of less than about 1 ml. Reactions, transport, and/or other manipulations within the chip can be facilitated by rotating the chip, for example, at tens, hundreds or thousands of revolutions per minute (RPM). In some cases, data may also be written to and/or read from the chip. The chips of the invention can be used, for example, to move fluid from one portion of a chip to another, to concentrate and/or separate a mixture (e.g., a cell suspension), to lyse or fractionate a cell, or the like.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a chip constructed and arranged to be rotatable about an axis passing through the chip, the chip comprising a predetermined reaction site having a volume of less than about 1 ml, wherein the predetermined reaction site is constructed and arranged to maintain at least one living cell at the site.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the chip is substantially planar.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the chip is substantially circular.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the predetermined reaction site has a volume of less than about 500 microliters 1 milliliter.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the predetermined reaction site has a volume of less than about 100 microliters.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the predetermined reaction site has a volume of less than about 1 microliter.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the predetermined reaction site has a maximum dimension of less than about 1 cm.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the predetermined reaction site comprises a cytophilic region.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the chip has a port comprising an elastomeric material in fluid communication with the predetermined reaction site.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the chip has at least two layers.

4-5. -5. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

11-13. -13. (canceled)

17-65. -65. (canceled)

66. A method, comprising:

applying a differential force on a chip comprising a predetermined reaction site having a volume of less than about 1 ml, the predetermined reaction site constructed and arranged to maintain at least one living cell at the site, wherein the chip is constructed and arranged to be rotatable about an axis passing through the chip.

67-69. -69. (canceled)

70. An apparatus, comprising:

a chip comprising a predetermined reaction site having a volume of less than 1 ml, an inlet for adding at least one living cell to the predetermined reaction site, and an outlet for release of a product of a reaction involving the at least one living cell, wherein the chip is constructed and arranged to be rotatable about an axis passing through the chip.

84. An apparatus as in claim 70, further comprising a mixing unit fluidly connectable to the inlet of the chamber, wherein the mixing unit is attachable to and separable from the reaction unit.

90. An apparatus as in claim 70, further comprising a heating and dispersion unit having an inlet, and an outlet connectable to the inlet of the chip, the heating and dispersion unit separable from and attachable to the chip.

94. An apparatus as in claim 70, wherein the chip has a surface adapted for immobilization of at least one cell.

100. An apparatus as in claim 70, further comprising at least one sensor of temperature, pH, oxygen concentration, or pressure.

101. An apparatus as in claim 100, comprising sensors of each of temperature, pH, and oxygen concentration.

103. An apparatus as in claim 100, comprising at least 10 predetermined reaction sites constructed and arranged to operate in parallel, each of the predetermined reaction sites, attachable to and separable from each other, constructed and arranged to operate in parallel.

109. An apparatus as in claim 70, wherein the reaction comprises producing a protein.

71-83. -83. (canceled)

85-89. -89. (canceled)

91-93. -93. (canceled)

95-99. -99. (canceled)

102. (canceled)

104. An apparatus as in claim 102, comprising at least 100 predetermined reaction sites constructed and arranged to operate in parallel.

105-108. -108. (canceled)

110-113. -113. (canceled)