Microfluidic devices comprising biochannels

• US 6,875,619 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2001
• Issued: 04/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Osmetech Technology Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Blackburn, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Christopher L.
• Application Number:
  US09/861,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20030190608A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,419 Days
• Field of Search: 436/518, 436/514, 436/524, 436/527, 436/531, 436/805, 435/6, 435/7.1, 435/287.1, 435/287.2
• US Class Current: 506/9
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0093 Microreactors, e.g. miniaturised or microfabricated reactors laboratory containers with capillary fluid transport in microfabricated channels or chambers B01L3/5027
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00317 Microwell devices, i.e. having large numbers of wells
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00351 Means for dispensing and evacuation of reagents
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00416 Vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00418 using pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00421 using centrifugation
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00432 Photolithographic masks
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00495 Means for heating or cooling the reaction vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0052 in the shape of elongated tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00522 in a multiple parallel arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00585 Parallel processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00596 Solid-phase processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00605 the compounds being directly bound or immobilised to solid supports
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0061 The surface being organic
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00612 the surface being inorganic
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00621 by physical means, e.g. trenches, raised areas
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00626 Covalent
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00637 by coating it with another layer
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00641 the porous medium being continuous, e.g. porous oxide substrates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00644 the porous medium being present in discrete locations, e.g. gel pads
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00648 : by the use of solid beads
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00659 : Two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00702 : Processes involving means for analysing and characterising the products
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00707 : separated from the reactor apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00711 : Light-directed synthesis
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00722 : Nucleotides
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00725 : Peptides
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0689 : Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0636 : Integrated biosensor, microarrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0654 : Lenses; Optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0822 : Slides
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0415 : electrical forces, e.g. electrokinetic
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/043 : magnetic forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0481 : squeezing of channels or chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/049 : vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5027 : by integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g. lab-on-a-chip B01L3/5023 takes precedence; micromixers B01F33/30; microreactors for synthesis B01J19/0093; microcapillary devices in general B81B1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502715 : characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502723 : characterised by venting arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50273 : characterised by the means or forces applied to move the fluids micropumps F04B19/006, of the membrane type F04B43/043
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50853 : with covers or lids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/52 : with provision for submitting samples to a predetermined sequence of different temperatures, e.g. for treating nucleic acid samples amplification or hybridisation processes per se C12Q1/68; controlling sequential reactions for synthesis B01J19/0046
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/525 : with physical movement of samples between temperature zones
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 : Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: C07B 2200/11 : Compounds covalently bound to a solid support
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6834 : Enzymatic or biochemical coupling of nucleic acids to a solid phase
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2565/629 : being a microfluidic device
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 40/06 : Libraries containing nucleotides or polynucleotides, or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 40/10 : Libraries containing peptides or polypeptides, or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 60/14 : for creating libraries
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/054 : Bubble trap; Debubbling
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/025 : Gas chromatography
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/528 : Monolithic sorbent material
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00158 : Elements containing microarrays, i.e. "biochip"
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00237 : Handling microquantities of analyte, e.g. microvalves, capillary networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00267 : Meltable plugs
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/6069 : with compartments or bed substructure
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/6095 : Micromachined or nanomachined, e.g. micro- or nanosize
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/805 : Optical property

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a variety of microfluidic devices with configurations including the use of biochannels or microchannels comprising arrays of capture binding ligands to capture target analytes in samples. The invention provides microfluidic cassettes or devices that can be used to effect a number of manipulations on a sample to ultimately result in target analyte detection or quantification.

Claims

1. A method of detecting a target analyte in a plurality of samples, said method comprising:

introducing at least a first sample to a first microchannel;

introducing at least a second sample to a second microchannel;

wherein said first and second microchannel each comprise a plurality of spatially distinct regions upon which capture binding ligands are immobilized;

flowing said first and second sample through said first and second microchannels to form at least one assay complex comprising the target analyte;

recirculating the flow of at least one sample in at least one microchannel and detecting said target analyte.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said capture binding ligands are nucleic acids.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said capture binding ligands are proteins.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said spatially distinct regions comprise porous polymer with said capture binding ligands bound to the porous polymer.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said spatially distinct regions comprise beads with said capture binding ligands bound to the bead.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising

forming said spatially distinct regions by introducing hydrogels into at least said first or second microchannel.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

selectively dispensing said capture binding ligands on spatially distinct portions of hydrogel.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

selectively dispensing said capture binding ligands on spatially distinct portions of polyacrylamide.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein said method further comprises:

generating an optical signal indicative of the assay complex; and

wherein said detecting comprises detecting the optical signal.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein said method further comprises:

generatin a fluorescent signal indicative of the assay complex, and wherein said detecting comprises detecting the fluorescenet signale.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein said method further comprises

generating an electronic signal indicative of the assay complex;

and wherein said detecting comprises detecting the electronic signal.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein said first or second microchannel is at least partially formed from a substrate comprising glass.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein said first or second microchannel is at least partially formed from a substrate comprising plastic.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein said first or second microchannel is at least partially formed from a substrate comprising polymer.

15. A method of detecting a target analyte in a plurality of samples, said method comprising:

introducing at least a first sample to a first microchannel;

introducing at least a second sample to a second microchannel;

wherein said first and second microchannel each comprise a plurality of spatially distinct regions comprising electrodes upon which capture binding ligands are immobilized;

flowing said first and second sample through said first and second microchannels to form at least one assay complex comprising the target analyte;

recirculating the flow of at least one sample in least one microchannel; and

detecting said target analyte.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein said capture binding ligands are nucleic acids.

17. A method according to claim 15, wherein said capture binding ligands are proteins.

18. A method according to claim 15, wherein said method further comprises:

generating an optical signal indicative of the assay complex; and

wherein said detecting comprises detecting the optical signal.

19. A method according to claim 15, wherein said method further comprises:

generating a fluorescent signal indicative of the assay complex, and wherein said detecting comprises detecting the fluorescent signal.

20. A method according to claim 15, wherein said method further comprises

generating an electronic signal indicative of the assay complex;

and wherein said detecting comprises detecting the electronic signal.

21. A method according to claim 15, wherein said first or second microchannel is at least partially formed from a substrate comprising glass.

22. A method according to claim 15, wherein said first or second microchannel is at least partially formed from a substrate comprising plastic.

23. A method according to claim 15, wherein said first or second microchannel is at least partially formed from a substrate comprising polymer.

24. A method according to claim 15, wherein said detecting occurs on at least one of said electrodes.

25. A method according to claim 15, further comprising pumping said first or second sample.