SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF DROPLET-BASED SELECTION
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- providing a plurality of fluidic droplets contained within a liquid, wherein at least some of the fluidic droplets contain cells able to secrete a species;
culturing the cells to secrete the species; and
causing the secreted species to associate with the cells.
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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 se 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.
117 Citations
54 Claims
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1. 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 cells able to secrete a species; culturing the cells to secrete the species; and causing the secreted species to associate with the cells. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. 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; causing a species secreted by the non-immortal cells within the fluidic droplets to associate with the cells within the fluidic droplets; and determining a characteristic of the species secreted by the non-immortal cells within the fluidic droplets. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method, comprising:
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providing a plurality of fluidic droplets contained within a liquid, wherein some of the fluidic droplets contain cells able to secrete an species and some of the fluidic droplets contain cells not able to secrete the species; causing the species secreted by the cells able to secrete the species to associate therewith; and at least partially separating the fluidic droplets containing the cells able to secrete the species from the fluidic droplets containing the cells not able to secrete the species. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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36. 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 antibody-producing cells; culturing the antibody-producing cells to secrete antibodies or portions thereof; and causing the secreted antibodies or portions thereof to associate with the antibody-producing cells. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A composition, comprising:
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a fluidic droplet, contained in a liquid, containing a first binding partner immobilized relative to a first enzyme portion, and a second binding partner immobilized relative to a second enzyme portion, wherein association of the first binding partner and the second binding partner causes the first and second enzyme portions to exhibit enzymatic activity. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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Specification