CYTOMETER HAVING FLUID CORE STREAM POSITION CONTROL

• US 20080124805A1
• Filed: 05/04/2007
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Fritz, Bernard S., Cox, James A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,760,351 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 436/53
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1404 Handling flow, e.g. hydrodynamic focusing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/118339 with formation of a segmented stream

Abstract

A cytometer having two or more chambers or regions in a containment structure of sheathing fluid that may be used to provide hydrodynamic focusing of another fluid having particles to be observed. The latter fluid may be a core stream which may have its lateral position in a flow or measurement channel affected by control of at least one of the parameters of the several segments of the sheathing fluid. The lateral position of the core stream may be aligned with a light source and detector for a count and observation of the particles. Electrical signals from the detector may be fed back to a processor which may control one or more parameters of the sheathing fluid in the various chambers or regions via pumps, valves, and flow and pressure sensors. This control of parameters may provide for the positioning of the core stream. This cytometer may be miniaturized.

Claims

1. An integrated fluid positioning system, comprising:

a cartridge including;

a hydrodynamic focusing region;

a channel region situated downstream and fluidly coupled to the hydrodynamic focusing region;

a plurality of sheathing fluid regions fluidly coupled to the hydrodynamic focusing region;

at least one sheathing fluid reservoir fluidly coupled to the plurality of sheathing fluid regions;

a core fluid region fluidly coupled to the hydrodynamic focusing region;

a waste fluid reservoir situated downstream and fluidly coupled to the channel region;

an illumination and detection region proximate to the channel region; and

wherein the plurality of sheathing fluid regions are separated by at least one barrier that extends from a side wall in the sheathing fluid regions inward toward the core fluid region.

2. The system of claim 16, wherein a core fluid from the core fluid region is sheathed with a sheathing fluid from each of the plurality of sheathing fluid regions into a core stream by the hydrodynamic focusing region.

3. The system of claim 17, wherein:

each sheathing fluid from each of the plurality of sheathing fluid regions has a parameter changeable by a parameter controller; and

the core stream has a position that is changeable by the parameter of at least one sheathing fluid.

4. The system of claim 18, wherein the core stream is positioned in the illumination and detection region.

5. The system of claim 19, further comprising an interface connecting at least two parameter-controllers for positioning the core stream in the illumination and detection region.

6. A cytometer system comprising:

a flow channel;

a hydrodynamic focusing channel situated upstream and fluidly connected to the flow channel;

an injection channel situated upstream and fluidly connected to the hydrodynamic focusing channel, for injecting a sample into the hydrodynamic focusing channel;

three or more sheath fluid regions situated upstream and fluidly connected to the hydrodynamic focusing channel for delivering a corresponding sheath fluid to a different part of the hydrodynamic focusing channel, collectively around the sample injected by the injection channel.

7. A cytometer system comprising:

a flow channel;

a hydrodynamic focusing channel situated upstream and fluidly connected to the flow channel;

an injection channel situated upstream and fluidly connected to the hydrodynamic focusing channel, for injecting a sample into the hydrodynamic focusing channel; and

two or more sheath fluid regions situated upstream and fluidly connected to the hydrodynamic focusing channel for delivering a corresponding sheath fluid to a different part of the hydrodynamic focusing channel, collectively around the sample injected by the injection channel, wherein each of the two or more sheath fluid regions are separated from adjacent sheath fluid regions by at least one barrier that extends from a side wall inward toward the injection channel.