Microfabricated device and method for multiplexed electrokinetic focusing of fluid streams and a transport cytometry method using same
First Claim
1. An apparatus for the simultaneous spatial confinement of material streams on a substrate, comprising:
- a focusing chamber formed in a surface of the substrate;
first and second sample channels formed in the surface of said substrate for carrying sample fluid streams therethrough, said sample channels having respective first ends in fluid communication with a source of a sample fluid and respective second ends in fluid communication with said focusing chamber;
first, second, and third focusing channels formed in the surface of said substrate for carrying focusing fluid streams therethrough, said focusing channels being formed such that said first sample channel is positioned between said first and second focusing channels and said second sample channel is positioned between said second and third focusing channels, said focusing channels having respective first ends in fluid communication with a source of focusing fluid and respective second ends in fluid communication with said focusing chamber;
first and second waste channels formed in the surface of said substrate, said waste channels having respective first ends in fluid communication with said focusing chamber and having respective second ends in fluid communication with a waste reservoir; and
means operatively connected to the source of the sample fluids and the source of focusing fluid for driving the respective streams of the sample and focusing fluids through the respective channels into said focusing chamber such that the focusing fluid streams spatially confine the first and second sample fluid streams within said focusing chamber.
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Abstract
A microfabricated device and method for electrokinetic transport of a liquid phase biological or chemical material is described. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a microchip that is adapted for the simultaneous spatial confinement of electrokinetically driven fluidic material streams on a substrate. The apparatus includes a focusing chamber formed in a surface of the substrate and in fluid communication with two sample fluid channels and three focusing fluid channels. The device further includes electromotive means operatively connected to the sources of the sample fluid and the source of focusing fluid for electrokinetically driving the respective streams of the sample and focusing fluids through the respective channels into the focusing chamber such that the focusing fluid streams spatially confine the first and second sample fluid streams within the focusing chamber. In accordance with another aspect of this invention, there is provided a cytometry method for analyzing microscopic particles in a fluid medium on a microchip by utilizing the focusing function of the microchip. In the disclosed cytometry process the width of the fluid stream is narrowed in the focusing chamber. The microscopic particles in the focused sample fluid are then detected and/or measured using light scattering or other techniques.
309 Citations
23 Claims
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1. An apparatus for the simultaneous spatial confinement of material streams on a substrate, comprising:
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a focusing chamber formed in a surface of the substrate; first and second sample channels formed in the surface of said substrate for carrying sample fluid streams therethrough, said sample channels having respective first ends in fluid communication with a source of a sample fluid and respective second ends in fluid communication with said focusing chamber; first, second, and third focusing channels formed in the surface of said substrate for carrying focusing fluid streams therethrough, said focusing channels being formed such that said first sample channel is positioned between said first and second focusing channels and said second sample channel is positioned between said second and third focusing channels, said focusing channels having respective first ends in fluid communication with a source of focusing fluid and respective second ends in fluid communication with said focusing chamber; first and second waste channels formed in the surface of said substrate, said waste channels having respective first ends in fluid communication with said focusing chamber and having respective second ends in fluid communication with a waste reservoir; and means operatively connected to the source of the sample fluids and the source of focusing fluid for driving the respective streams of the sample and focusing fluids through the respective channels into said focusing chamber such that the focusing fluid streams spatially confine the first and second sample fluid streams within said focusing chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for analyzing microscopic particles in a fluid medium on a microchip comprising the steps of:
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conducting a stream of a sample fluid containing microscopic particles through a sample fluid channel to a focusing chamber; narrowing the width of the sample fluid stream in the focusing chamber by transporting a focusing fluid into the focusing chamber such that the width of the sample fluid stream in the focusing chamber corresponds substantially to a detection zone; and detecting the microscopic particles in the focused sample fluid in the detection zone. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. Apparatus for analyzing microscopic particles in a fluid medium on a microchip having a substrate, comprising:
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a focusing chamber formed in a surface of the substrate; a sample channel formed in the surface of said substrate for carrying a sample fluid stream therethrough, said sample channel having a first end in fluid communication with a source of a sample fluid containing microscopic particles and a second end in fluid communication with said focusing chamber; first and second focusing channels formed in the surface of said substrate for carrying focusing fluid streams therethrough, said focusing channels having respective first ends in fluid communication with a source of focusing fluid and respective second ends in fluid communication with said focusing chamber; a detection channel formed in the surface of said substrate and having a first end in fluid communication with said focusing chamber for receiving the sample fluid therefrom; means operatively connected to the source of the sample fluid and the source of focusing fluid for driving the respective streams of the sample and focusing fluids through the respective channels into said focusing chamber such that the focusing fluid streams spatially confine the sample fluid stream within said focusing chamber and said detection channel; and means for detecting the microscopic particles in the spatially confined sample fluid in said detection channel. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An apparatus for the spatial confinement of a material stream, comprising:
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a focusing chamber formed in a surface of a substrate; a first sample channel formed in the surface of the substrate for conducting a first sample fluid stream therethrough, said first sample channel having a first end in fluid communication with a source of a sample fluid and a second end in fluid communication with said focusing chamber; first and second focusing channels formed in the surface of the substrate for conducting focusing fluid streams therethrough, said focusing channels having respective first ends in fluid communication with a source of focusing fluid and respective second ends in fluid communication with said focusing chamber; a first waste channel formed in the surface of the substrate, said first waste channel having a first end in fluid communication with said focusing chamber and a second end in fluid communication with a waste reservoir; and means operatively connected to the source of the sample fluid and the source of focusing fluid for driving the respective streams of the sample and focusing fluids through the focusing and sample channels into said focusing chamber, whereby the focusing fluid streams spatially confine the first sample fluid stream within said focusing chamber. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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Specification