MICROFLUIDIC DEVICE ADAPTED FOR POST-CENTRIFUGATION USE WITH SELECTIVE SAMPLE EXTRACTION AND METHODS FOR ITS USE

• US 20110008818A1
• Filed: 07/06/2010
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Corporation Of America (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Corporation Of America (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Durack, Gary P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,735,088 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/29
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/027 for microfluidic devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0605 Metering of fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0647 Handling flowable solids, e.g. microscopic beads, cells, particles
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0652 Sorting or classification of particles or molecules
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/10 Integrating sample preparation and analysis in single entity, e.g. lab-on-a-chip concept
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0864 comprising only one inlet and multiple receiving wells, e.g. for separation, splitting
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0867 Multiple inlets and one sample wells, e.g. mixing, dilution
• 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 3/502738 characterised by integrated valves microvalves F16K99/0001
• 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: B01L 3/502761 specially adapted for handling suspended solids or molecules independently from the bulk fluid flow, e.g. for trapping or sorting beads, for physically stretching molecules investigating characteristics of particles G01N15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/4077 by other techniques involving separation of suspended solids
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/149 specially adapted for sorting particles, e.g. by their size or optical properties
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00237 Handling microquantities of analyte, e.g. microvalves, capillary networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/491 by separating the blood components G01N15/05 takes precedence

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to microfluidic devices adapted for post-centrifugation use with selective sample extraction, and methods for their use. Certain embodiments make use of a dye-selective sample extraction. Other embodiments make use of a geographically-selective sample extraction. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of analyzing a sample fluid in a microfluidic cytometry system, the method comprising the steps of:

a) supplying a sample to a sample well in a microfluidic device;

b) centrifuging the microfluidic device to create a first sample layer and a second sample layer within said sample well;

c) extracting first fluid from said first sample layer; and

d) analyzing said extracted first fluid using cytometry while said extracted first fluid is in the microfluidic device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

e) sorting a first portion of said extracted first fluid into a first well based upon results obtained in step (d); and

f) sorting a second portion of said extracted first fluid into a second well based upon results obtained in step (d).

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said sorting at steps (e) and (f) is selected from the group consisting of:

greater than a binary sort, greater than a tertiary sort, greater than a quaternary sort.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said sorting at steps (e) and (f) employs a predetermined number of microfluidic channels, said predetermined number selected from the group consisting of:

at least five channels, at least ten channels, at least 100 channels, and at least 256 channels.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

g) extracting second fluid from said second sample layer; and

h) analyzing said extracted second fluid using cytometry while said extracted second fluid is in the microfluidic device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of:

i) sorting a third portion of said extracted second fluid into a third well based upon results obtained in step (h).

7. The method of claim 5, wherein:

said extracted first fluid is extracted from said sample well at a first location; and

said extracted second fluid is extracted from said sample well at a second location, said second location being different than said first location.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

e) adding a chemical additive to said sample well prior to performing step (a).

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

e) adding Ficoll-Hypaque to said sample well prior to performing step (a).

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

e) adding a dye to said sample well prior to performing step (a).

11. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises supplying a sample of human blood to a sample well on a microfluidic device

12. A microfluidic device, comprising:

a sample well having a sample input port for receiving a sample into the microfluidic device, said sample well having a first end and a second end; and

a sample output port in fluid communication with said sample well, said sample output port located between said first end and said second end;

wherein sample may be withdrawn through said sample output port to form a withdrawn sample and said withdrawn sample is not withdrawn at said first end or at said second end.

13. The microfluidic device of claim 12, further comprising:

a sorting well;

a waste well; and

a channel coupled to said sorting well and said waste well;

a valve disposed in said channel for directing fluid flowing in said channel into either said sorting well or said waste well.

14. The microfluidic device of claim 12, further comprising a chemical additive disposed in the sample well prior to receiving a sample.

15. The microfluidic device of claim 14, wherein said chemical additive comprises Ficoll-Hypaque.

16. The microfluidic device of claim 14, wherein said chemical additive comprises a dye.

17. A microfluidic device, comprising:

a sample well having a sample input port for receiving a sample into the microfluidic device, said sample well having a first end and a second end;

a first sample output port in fluid communication with said sample well, said first sample output port located between said first end and said second end; and

a second sample output port in fluid communication with said sample well, said second sample output port located between said first sample output port and said second end;

wherein sample may be withdrawn through said first sample output port to form a first withdrawn sample and said first withdrawn sample is not withdrawn at said first end or at said second end; and

wherein sample may be withdrawn through said second sample output port to form a second withdrawn sample and said second withdrawn sample is not withdrawn at said first end or at said second end.

18. The microfluidic device of claim 17, further comprising:

a first sorting well;

a second sorting well;

a waste well; and

a channel coupled said first sorting well, said second sorting well and said waste well;

a valve disposed in said channel for directing fluid flowing in said channel into either said first sorting well, said second sorting well or said waste well.

19. The microfluidic device of claim 17, further comprising a chemical additive disposed in the sample well prior to receiving a sample.

20. The microfluidic device of claim 19, wherein said chemical additive comprises Ficoll-Hypaque.

21. The microfluidic device of claim 19, wherein said chemical additive comprises a dye.