MANIPULATION OF FLUIDS, FLUID COMPONENTS AND REACTIONS IN MICROFLUIDIC SYSTEMS
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- providing a microfluidic network comprising a first region and a microfluidic channel in fluid communication with the first region;
flowing a first fluid in a first direction in the microfluidic channel;
flowing a second fluid in the first direction in the microfluidic channel;
partitioning at least a portion of the first fluid at the first region, at least in part through action of the second fluid, so as to form a first droplet of the first fluid at the first region; and
maintaining the droplet at the first region while the second fluid is flowing in the first direction.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Microfluidic structures and methods for manipulating fluids, fluid components, and reactions are provided. In one aspect, such structures and methods can allow production of droplets of a precise volume, which can be stored/maintained at precise regions of the device. In another aspect, microfluidic structures and methods described herein are designed for containing and positioning components in an arrangement such that the components can be manipulated and then tracked even after manipulation. For example, cells may be constrained in an arrangement in microfluidic structures described herein to facilitate tracking during their growth and/or after they multiply.
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Citations
55 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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providing a microfluidic network comprising a first region and a microfluidic channel in fluid communication with the first region; flowing a first fluid in a first direction in the microfluidic channel; flowing a second fluid in the first direction in the microfluidic channel; partitioning at least a portion of the first fluid at the first region, at least in part through action of the second fluid, so as to form a first droplet of the first fluid at the first region; and maintaining the droplet at the first region while the second fluid is flowing in the first direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 15, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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7-9. -9. (canceled)
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12-14. -14. (canceled)
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16-23. -23. (canceled)
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33. (canceled)
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34. A method, comprising:
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providing a microfluidic network comprising at least a first inlet to a microfluidic channel, a first and a second region for forming a first and a second droplet, respectively, the first and second regions in fluid communication with the microfluidic channel; flowing a first fluid in the microfluidic channel; partitioning a first portion of the first fluid at the first region, at least in part through action of the second fluid, so as to form the first droplet at the first region; and partitioning a second portion of the first fluid at the second region, at least in part through action of the second fluid, so as to form the second droplet at the second region.
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35-53. -53. (canceled)
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54. A method, comprising:
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flowing a fluid containing a plurality of components in a microfluidic system comprising a chamber having a flow direction, a chamber inlet, a chamber outlet, and a chamber bypass channel extending from the chamber between the chamber inlet and the chamber outlet; positioning a component in the chamber, the chamber having a cross-sectional area, perpendicular to the flow direction, less than 2 times the largest cross-sectional area of the component perpendicular to the flow direction; flowing a fluid through the chamber while maintaining the component at its position in the chamber; and flowing a portion of the plurality of components in the chamber bypass channel.
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55-79. -79. (canceled)
Specification