Apparatuses, systems and methods for isolating and separating biological materials

• US 20070125942A1
• Filed: 07/06/2006
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Kido, Horacio
• Application Number:
  US11/483,071
• Publication Number:
  US 20070125942A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/284
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/30 Micromixers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/451 wherein the mixture is directly exposed to an electromagnetic field without use of a stirrer, e.g. for material comprising ferromagnetic particles or for molten metal
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/71 Feed mechanisms with proportioning B01F35/80
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/71725 using centrifugal forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0681 Filter
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0803 Disc shape
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/087 Multiple sequential chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0406 capillary forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0409 centrifugal forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0688 surface tension valves, capillary stop, capillary break
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5021 Test tubes specially adapted for centrifugation purposes centrifuges B04B5/04
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502715 characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• 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: G01N 1/286 involving mechanical work, e.g. chopping, disintegrating, compacting, homogenising microtomes G01N1/06; pulverising in general B02C; mixing in general B01F
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/34 Purifying; Cleaning processes or apparatus for extracting or separating nucleic acids from biological samples C12N15/1003
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/54366 Apparatus specially adapted for solid-phase testing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/0098 involving analyte bound to insoluble magnetic carrier, e.g. using magnetic separation magnetic particles used in immunoassays G01N33/54326; magnetic separation in general B03C

Abstract

This invention relates to apparatuses, systems and methods for disrupting, separating and isolating biological materials and components thereof.

Claims

1. An apparatus for separating components of a biological material in a fluid sample, the apparatus comprising a separation unit having:

a) an inlet for receipt of a sample;

b) a first chamber coupled to the inlet, the first chamber including at least one translocatable member that translocates in response to a fluctuating magnetic field;

c) a second chamber disposed adjacent to, and in fluidic communication with, the first chamber;

d) a third chamber adjacent to, and in fluidic communication with, the second chamber; and

e) an outlet coupled to the third chamber.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first, second, or third chamber optionally includes a ventilation port.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the translocatable member that translocates in response to a fluctuating magnetic field is comprised of paramagnetic material.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the translocatable member that translocates in response to a fluctuating magnetic field is a disk or a sphere.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first chamber further comprises at least one object that does not translocate in response to a fluctuating magnetic field.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the object is a bead.

7. The apparatus of claim 6;

wherein the bead is a glass bead.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first chamber and second chamber are connected by a channel.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the channel is constricted.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the channel comprises a filter.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first chamber is a milling chamber.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second chamber is a clarification chamber.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the third chamber is a collection chamber.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first, second, or third chamber optionally includes at least one affinity region comprising an affinity matrix.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the at least one affinity region has an affinity to nucleic acids.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first, second, or third chamber optionally includes reagents sufficient to amplify nucleic acids in the biological material.

17. A system comprising:

a) at least one apparatus as set forth in claim 1;

b) a mechanism operably associated with the apparatus of a), wherein the mechanism comprises an element that induces a magnetic field in proximity to the apparatus; and

c) a mechanism for periodically or continuously fluctuating the magnetic field in proximity to the apparatus.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein fluctuating the magnetic field comprises repositioning the apparatus in relation to the element that induces a magnetic field.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein fluctuating the magnetic field comprises repositioning the element that induces a magnetic field in relation to the apparatus.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the apparatus comprises a platform comprised of multiple layers of polycarbonate material.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the apparatus is detachably associated with the apparatus.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the apparatus is permanently associated with the apparatus.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the system is operably associated with a computer.

24. A method for separating components of a biological material, the method comprising:

a) introducing a sample comprising a starting biological material in to a first chamber of an apparatus, wherein the first chamber comprises at least one translocatable member that translocates in response to a fluctuating magnetic field;

b) applying a fluctuating magnetic field to the apparatus, wherein the translocatable member is repositioned in the chamber resulting in the separation of biological material in to biological components;

c) transferring at least a portion of the biological components to a second chamber of the apparatus; and

d) isolating the biological components.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the biological material comprises cells.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the biological material comprises viral particles.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the biological material comprises tissue.

28. The method of claim 24, further comprising separating the biological components in to biological constituents.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein the first chamber further comprises at least one object that does not translocate in response to a fluctuating magnetic field.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the object is a bead.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the bead is a glass bead.

32. The method of claim 24, further including applying centrifugal force to the biological components in the second chamber.

33. A system for facilitating sample disruption, the system comprising:

a) at least one removable chamber comprising a paramagnetic object, wherein the removable chamber is detachably connected to a chamber adapter configured to confine the removable chamber;

b) a mechanism for generating a stationary magnetic field; and

c) a mechanism for translocating the chamber of a) within the stationary magnetic field generated in b), wherein the mechanism is operably associated with the chamber adapter configured to confine the removable chamber.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the removable chamber comprises a microcentrifuge tube.

35. The system of claim 33, further comprising a rotor assembly comprising fasteners configured to detachably restrain an assembly comprising the removable chamber adapter and the removable chamber.

36. The system of claim 33, further comprising a terminal adapter operably associated with a mechanism for translocating the chamber.