Microfluidic devices and methods of using same

• US 20050129581A1
• Filed: 04/05/2004
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Standard Biotools Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Fluidigm Corporation
• Inventors: Unger, Marc, Facer, Geoffrey, Nassef, Hany Ramez, Lucero, Michael, McBride, Lincoln
• Granted Patent: US 7,666,361 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/100
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0642 Filling fluids into wells by specific techniques
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/142 Preventing evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/147 Employing temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0861 Configuration of multiple channels and/or chambers in a single devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/123 Flexible; Elastomeric
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0481 squeezing of channels or chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0638 membrane valves, flap valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/00 Containers or dishes for laboratory use, e.g. laboratory glassware; Droppers
• 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 3/502723 characterised by venting arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502738 characterised by integrated valves microvalves F16K99/0001
• 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: C12Q 1/686 Polymerase chain reaction [PCR]

Abstract

A variety of elastomeric-based microfluidic devices and methods for using and manufacturing such devices are provided. Certain of the devices have arrays of reaction sites to facilitate high throughput analyses. Some devices also include reaction sites located at the end of blind channels at which reagents have been previously deposited during manufacture. The reagents become suspended once sample is introduced into the reaction site. The devices can be utilized with a variety of heating devices and thus can be used in a variety of analyses requiring temperature control, including thermocycling applications such as nucleic acid amplification reactions, genotyping and gene expression analyses.

Claims

1. A microfluidic device comprising:

a fluidic channel having a first end and a second end in fluid communication with each other through said channel;

an inlet in communication with said channel, said inlet for introducing a sample fluid; and

,

a valve, said valve, when actuated, causing said first channel end to become fluidically separated from said second channel end;

wherein when said sample fluid is introduced into said fluidic channel, and said valve is actuated, said sample fluid is divided into separate sample fluid portions.

2. The microfluidic device of claim 1, further comprising an outlet in communication with said channel, said outlet for removing some or all of said sample fluid.

3. The microfluidic device of claim 2, further comprising a second valve, said second valve, when actuated, causing said outlet and said fluidic channel to be in fluidic isolation.

4. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein said sample fluid is introduced into said fluidic channel by blind filling.

5. The microfluidic device of claim 3, wherein said sample fluid is introduced into said fluidic channel by blind filling while said second valve is actuated.

6. The microfluidic device of claim 3, wherein said second valve, when de-actuated, permits removal of some or all of said sample fluid from said fluidic channel.

7. A method of analyzing a sample fluid for a reaction to a condition comprising the steps of:

(i) providing a microfluidic device, said microfluidic device comprising;

a fluidic channel having a first end and a second end in fluid communication with each other through said channel;

an inlet in communication with said channel, said inlet for introducing said sample fluid; and

,

a valve, said valve, when actuated, causing said first channel end to become fluidically separated from said second channel end;

wherein when said sample fluid is introduced into said fluidic channel, and said valve is actuated, said sample fluid is divided into separate sample fluid portions;

(ii) introducing said sample fluid into said inlet, said sample fluid filling said first and second channel ends;

(iii) actuating said valve to separate said sample fluid into said separate portions within said first and second channel ends;

(iv) exposing said sample fluid to said conditions;

(v) analyzing said sample fluid to determine whether said conditions produced said reaction.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said microfluidic device further comprises an outlet in communication with said channel, said outlet for removing some or all of said sample fluid, and said method further comprises a step for removing said sample fluid from said fluidic channel after said exposing step.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said microfluidic device further comprises a second valve, said second valve, when actuated, causing said outlet and said fluidic channel to be in fluidic isolation, and said method further comprises actuating said valve prior to said introducing step to blind fill said sample fluid into said fluidic channel.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein said sample fluid is introduced into said fluidic channel by blind filling.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein said sample further comprises an amplifiable nucleic acid target and said conditions are polymerase chain reaction (PCR) conditions, and said reaction results in a PCR product being formed.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein said PCR is digital PCR.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said reaction produces two different color results.