DROPLET-BASED SELECTION
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention generally relates to fluidic droplets, and techniques for screening or sorting such fluidic droplets. In some embodiments, the fluidic droplets may contain cells (e.g., hybridoma cells) that can secrete various species, such as antibodies, for example. In one aspect, a plurality of fluidic droplets containing cells is screened to determine proteins, antibodies, polypeptides, peptides, nucleic acids, or the like. For example, cells able to secrete species such as antibodies may be selected according to certain embodiments of the invention. Examples of such cells include, for instance, immortal cells such as hybridomas, or non-immortal cells such as B-cells. For instance, blood cells may be encapsulated within a plurality of fluidic droplets, and the cells able to produce antibodies may be determined. In some cases, expression or secretion levels may be determined using signaling entities, for example, determinable microparticles present within the fluidic droplet. Other aspects of the invention relate to kits involving such fluidic droplets, methods of promoting the making or use of such fluidic droplets, and the like.
332 Citations
214 Claims
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1-103. -103. (canceled)
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104. A method, comprising:
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providing a plurality of fluidic droplets contained within a liquid, wherein at least some of the fluidic droplets contain non-immortal cells; and determining a characteristic of a species secreted by the non-immortal cells within the fluidic droplets. - View Dependent Claims (108, 112, 113, 114)
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105-107. -107. (canceled)
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109-111. -111. (canceled)
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115-136. -136. (canceled)
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137. A method, comprising:
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providing a fluidic droplet contained within a liquid, the droplet containing an antibody-producing cell and a target; culturing the antibody-producing cell to secrete antibodies able to recognize the target; and determining association of the antibodies to the target. - View Dependent Claims (138, 139, 140, 141, 143)
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142. (canceled)
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144-172. -172. (canceled)
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173. A method, comprising:
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removing blood cells from a subject; encapsulating at least some of the blood cells in a plurality of fluidic droplets; and at least partially separating, from the plurality of fluidic droplets, droplets containing antibody-producing cells. - View Dependent Claims (177, 178, 179, 181, 182, 213)
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174-176. -176. (canceled)
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180. (canceled)
- 183. (canceled)
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185. (canceled)
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187-212. -212. (canceled)
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214-225. -225. (canceled)
Specification