Cell lysis device

• US 6,287,831 B1
• Filed: 11/12/1998
• Issued: 09/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: United States Navy (U.S. Department Of Defense)
• Original Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Tai, Yu-Chong, Lee, Sang-Wook
• Primary Examiner(s): TATE, CHRISTOPHER ROBIN
• Application Number:
  US09/191,268
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• Field of Search: 435/173.7, 435/173.1, 435/306.1, 204/194, 204/280, 204/600
• US Class Current: 435/173.7
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 47/06 Hydrolysis; Cell lysis; Extraction of intracellular or cell wall material lysis of microorganisms C12N1/06; extracting or separating nucleic acids from biological samples C12N15/1003
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/066 by physical methods
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 13/00 Treatment of microorganisms or enzymes with electrical or wave energy, e.g. magnetism, sonic waves

Abstract

A micromachined cell lysis device with electrodes that are spaced less than 100 μm from one another. The cells are attracted to the space between the electrodes and then lysed.

Claims

1. A micromachined cell lysis device, comprising:

a silicon substrate;

an insulator, covering at least a portion of said silicon substrate;

at least two electrodes, formed on said insulator, and between which an applied electric field can be provided;

a distance between said electrodes being less than 100 μ

m; and

wherein said electrodes have sharp edges facing each other, and a distance between said sharp edges is less than 100 μ

m.

2. A device as in claim 1 further comprising at least two cell blocker elements, providing physical barriers which extend to hold a cell into place at a desired location between said sharp edges of said two electrodes.

3. A device as in claim 2, wherein said cell blocker elements are formed of Parylene.

4. A micromachined cell lysis device, comprising:

a silicon substrate;

an insulator, covering at least a portion of said silicon substrate;

at least two electrodes, having sharp edges which face one another formed on said insulator, and between which an applied electric field can be provided;

wherein said distance is less than 10 μ

m;

wherein a distance between the sharp edges of said at least two electrodes is substantially a mean diameter of a desired cell plus a standard deviation among cells.

5. A method of forming a cell lysis device using micromachining techniques, comprising:

obtaining a substrate;

forming two electrode patterns on the substrate, each of which have sharp edges facing one another with a distance between said two desired electrode patterns of less than 100 μ

m;

forming blocks for the cells to hold the cells at a location between said electrodes.

6. A method as in claim 5, wherein said distance is less than 10 μ

m.

7. A method as in claim 5, wherein a distance between sharp points of said two electrodes is substantially a mean diameter of a desired cell plus a standard deviation among cells.

8. A method as in claim 6, wherein said cell blocker elements are formed of Parylene.

9. A method of forming a cell lysis device using micromachining techniques and lysing a cell using the cell lysis device, comprising:

obtaining a substrate;

forming two desired electrode patterns on the substrate each of which have sharp edges facing one another, with a distance between said two desired electrode patterns of less than 100 μ

m;

forming blocks for the cells to hold the cells at a location between said electrodes;

applying an AC voltage less than 50 volts peak to peak between said electrodes to attract a cell using dielectrophoretic force to a spot between said electrodes; and

then, after said cell is attracted, applying a spike of DC voltage, to lyse said cell.

10. A method of lysing a cell, comprising:

obtaining a cell lysis device on a silicon substrate which includes two desired electrode patterns on the substrate, each of said electrode pattern having at least one sharp portion, said sharp portions facing one another, with a distance between said two desired electrode patterns of less than 100 μ

m; and

applying a first AC lower voltage between said electrodes to attract a cell to a spot between said electrodes dielectrophoretic; and

then, after said cell is attracted, applying a spike of DC higher voltage, to lyse said cell, wherein each of said voltages is less than 50 volts.

11. A method as in claim 10, wherein each of said voltages is less than or equal to 20 volts.