Fluidic devices, systems, and methods for encapsulating and partitioning reagents, and applications of same
First Claim
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1. A method for partitioning microcapsules, comprising:
- (a) providing a microfluidic device comprising a microfluidic channel network, wherein the microfluidic channel network comprises (i) a droplet generation junction, (ii) a first channel segment fluidly connecting a source of microcapsules to the droplet generation junction, (iii) a second channel segment fluidly connecting a source of partitioning fluid to the droplet generation junction, and (iv) a third channel segment fluidly connected to the droplet generation junction and providing an outlet to the droplet generation junction; and
(b) flowing (i) an aqueous fluid comprising a suspension of microcapsules from the source of microcapsules along the first channel segment and (ii) a partitioning fluid from the source of partitioning fluid along the second channel segment into the droplet generation junction to form a population of droplets of the aqueous fluid in the partitioning fluid, wherein the population of droplets flow along the third channel segment, and wherein (1) the first channel segment has a cross-sectional dimension that provides a flow rate of the aqueous fluid or (2) the second channel segment has a cross-sectional dimension that provides a flow rate of the partitioning fluid, such that greater than 50% of droplets of the population of droplets are occupied by microcapsules from the suspension of microcapsules.
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Abstract
The disclosure provides devices, systems and methods for the generation of encapsulated reagents and the partitioning of encapsulated reagents for use in subsequent analyses and/or processing, such as in the field of biological analyses and characterization.
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25 Claims
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1. A method for partitioning microcapsules, comprising:
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(a) providing a microfluidic device comprising a microfluidic channel network, wherein the microfluidic channel network comprises (i) a droplet generation junction, (ii) a first channel segment fluidly connecting a source of microcapsules to the droplet generation junction, (iii) a second channel segment fluidly connecting a source of partitioning fluid to the droplet generation junction, and (iv) a third channel segment fluidly connected to the droplet generation junction and providing an outlet to the droplet generation junction; and (b) flowing (i) an aqueous fluid comprising a suspension of microcapsules from the source of microcapsules along the first channel segment and (ii) a partitioning fluid from the source of partitioning fluid along the second channel segment into the droplet generation junction to form a population of droplets of the aqueous fluid in the partitioning fluid, wherein the population of droplets flow along the third channel segment, and wherein (1) the first channel segment has a cross-sectional dimension that provides a flow rate of the aqueous fluid or (2) the second channel segment has a cross-sectional dimension that provides a flow rate of the partitioning fluid, such that greater than 50% of droplets of the population of droplets are occupied by microcapsules from the suspension of microcapsules. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification