Devices And Method For Positioning Dried Reagent In Microfluidic Devices

• US 20140141438A1
• Filed: 10/15/2013
• Published: 05/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Applied Biosystems LLC (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Applied Biosystems LLC (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lee, Julie C., Beard, Nigel P., Chiang, Yuh-Min, Schembri, Carol, Song, Maengseok, Yang, Joon Mo, Tan, Roy H.
• Application Number:
  US14/054,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20140141438A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/6.12
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0642 Filling fluids into wells by specific techniques
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0673 Handling of plugs of fluid surrounded by immiscible fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0684 Venting, avoiding backpressure, avoid gas bubbles
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/16 Reagents, handling or storing thereof
• 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 2400/0406 capillary forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0409 centrifugal forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0487 fluid pressure, pneumatics
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/086 using baffles or other fixed flow obstructions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502723 characterised by venting arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502746 characterised by the means for controlling flow resistance, e.g. flow controllers, baffles B01L3/502738 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502784 specially adapted for droplet or plug flow, e.g. digital microfluidics automatic analysis using a stream of discrete samples in a tube system G01N35/08
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6806 Preparing nucleic acids for analysis, e.g. for polymerase chain reaction [PCR] assay C12Q1/6804 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

A microfluidic device may include a sample distribution network including a plurality of sample chambers configured to be loaded with biological sample for biological testing of the biological sample while in the sample chambers, the biological sample having a meniscus that moves within the sample chambers during loading. The sample distribution network may further include a plurality of inlet channels, each inlet channel being in flow communication with and configured to flow biological sample to a respective sample chamber, and a plurality of outlet channels, each outlet channel being in flow communication and configured to flow biological sample from a respective sample chamber. At least some of the sample chambers may include a physical modification configured to control the movement of the meniscus so as to control bubble formation within the at least some sample chambers. At least some of the sample chambers may include a dried reagent positioned within the at least some sample chambers proximate the inlet channels in flow communication with the at least some sample chambers.

Claims

1. A microfluidic device, comprising:

a sample distribution network comprising;

a plurality of sample chambers configured to be loaded with biological sample for biological testing of the biological sample while in the sample chambers,

a plurality of inlet channels, each inlet channel being in flow communication with and configured to flow biological sample to a respective sample chamber, and

a plurality of outlet channels, each outlet channel being in flow communication with and configured to flow biological sample from a respective sample chamber,

wherein at least some of the sample chambers comprise a dried reagent disposed within the at least some sample chambers proximate the inlet channels in flow communication with the at least some sample chambers.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the dried reagent is positioned within the at least some sample chambers so as to control bubble formation within the at least some sample chambers.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the at least some sample chambers are configured to control the position of the dried reagent proximate the inlet channels.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the dried reagent is positioned in the at least some sample chambers such that a surface defined by the dried reagent and facing substantially toward a center of the at least some chambers extends substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the outlet channels in flow communication with the at least some sample chambers.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the dried reagent increases the hydrophilicity of a portion of the at least some sample chambers on which the dried reagent is positioned in comparison to another portion of the at least some sample chambers.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein a pitch between locations of dried reagent in adjacent sample chambers is substantially the same.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least some sample chambers are configured to control a position of the dried reagent within the at least some sample chambers.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the at least some sample chambers comprise one of a physical modification and a surface modification configured to control the position of the dried reagent within the at least some sample chambers.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the at least some sample chambers are configured to control the position of the dried reagent such that the dried reagent is not positioned in a region of the at least some chambers between approximately a center of the at least some chambers and the outlet channels in flow communication with the at least some chambers.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein each of the at least some sample chambers comprises one of a protrusion, a groove, a ridge, a region having a greater depth than other regions of each of the at least some sample chambers, a roughened surface portion, and a surface portion having greater hydrophilicity than other surface portions of each of the at least some sample chambers.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least some sample chambers are configured to substantially prevent liquid reagent dispensed in the at least some sample chambers from spreading past a predetermined position as the liquid reagent dries.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of sample chambers comprises a dried reagent disposed within each sample chamber proximate the inlet channels in flow communication with the at least some sample chambers.

13. A method of filling a microfluidic device, the method comprising:

supplying the microfluidic device with a biological sample, the microfluidic device comprising;

a plurality of sample chambers,

a plurality of inlet channels, each inlet channel being in flow communication with and configured to flow biological sample to a respective sample chamber, and

a plurality of outlet channels, each outlet channel being in flow communication with and configured to flow biological sample from a respective sample chamber,

wherein a dried reagent is positioned within at least some of the sample chambers proximate the inlet channels in flow communication with the at least some sample chambers; and

loading the sample chambers with the biological sample.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising controlling bubble formation within the at least some sample chambers via the dried reagent during loading.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising controlling the position of the dried reagent within the at least some sample chambers.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein controlling the position of the dried reagent comprises controlling the position via one of a physical modification and a surface modification of the at least some sample chambers.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein controlling the position of the dried reagent comprises controlling the position of the dried reagent such that the dried reagent is not positioned in a region of the at least some chambers between approximately a center of the at least some chambers and the outlet channels in flow communication with the at least some chambers.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein controlling the position of the dried reagent comprises controlling the position of the dried reagent via one of a protrusion, a groove, a ridge, a region having a greater depth than other regions of each of the at least some sample chambers, a roughened surface portion, and a surface portion having greater hydrophilicity than other surface portions of each of the at least some sample chambers.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein controlling the position of the dried reagent comprises substantially preventing liquid reagent dispensed in the at least some sample chambers from spreading past a predetermined position as the liquid reagent dries.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein controlling the position of the dried reagent comprises providing a substantially uniform pitch between locations of adjacent sample chambers at which dried reagent is to be positioned.