Nanoliter array loading

• US 20070003448A1
• Filed: 03/11/2005
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Yoder, Karl, Linton, John, Hess, Robert, Smith, Steve, Brennan, Colin, Kanigan, Tanya
• Granted Patent: US 8,105,554 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/102
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/021 Adjust spacings in an array of wells, pipettes or holders, format transfer between arrays of different size or geometry
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/027 for microfluidic devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0605 Metering of fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0636 Focussing flows, e.g. to laminate flows
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0642 Filling fluids into wells by specific techniques
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/16 Reagents, handling or storing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0829 Multi-well plates; Microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0864 comprising only one inlet and multiple receiving wells, e.g. for separation, splitting
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/12 Specific details about materials
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/161 Control and use of surface tension forces, e.g. hydrophobic, hydrophilic
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0241 Drop counters; Drop formers making arrays for combinatorial libraries B01J19/0046; automation of dispensing for analysis G01N35/10
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0244 using pins
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5025 for parallel transport of multiple samples
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5085 for multiple samples, e.g. microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50857 using arrays or bundles of open capillaries for holding samples
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/563 Joints or fittings in general F16L; Separable fluid transfer means to transfer fluids between at least two containers, e.g. connectors
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/1624 Destructible or deformable element controlled
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/206 : Flow affected by fluid contact, energy field or coanda effect [e.g., pure fluid device or system]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2525 : Stabilizing or preserving

Abstract

An interface is provided for storing microfluidic samples in a nanoliter sample chip. A fluid access structure provides a fluid access region to a selected subset of sample wells from an array of sample wells. A fluid introduction mechanism introduces a sample fluid to the fluid access region so that the sample wells in the selected subset are populated with the sample fluid without the unselected sample wells being populated with the sample fluid.

Claims

1. A method of storing microfluidic samples, the method comprising:

providing a chip having an array of sample wells for storing microfluidic samples;

providing a fluid access region to a selected subset of sample wells; and

introducing a sample fluid to the fluid access region so that the sample wells in the selected subset are populated with the sample fluid without the unselected sample wells being populated with the sample fluid.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein providing a fluid access region includes positioning a fluid access structure next to a planar surface of the chip, the fluid access structure being adapted to enable introducing the sample fluid to the fluid access region.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the fluid access structure includes at least one microfluidic circuit for distributing the sample fluid to the fluid access region.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein providing a fluid access region includes folding a portion of the chip.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the folded portion of the chip is adapted to fit into a microplate sample well so as to enable introduction of a sample fluid within the microplate sample well into the fluid access region.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein providing a fluid access region includes using a mask to create a barrier between the fluid access region and the rest of the chip.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein a printing plate is used to provide the fluid access region and introduce the sample fluid to the fluid access region.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein introducing the sample fluid includes dragging a drop of the sample fluid over the fluid access region.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein introducing the sample fluid includes dispensing a focused drop of the sample fluid into the fluid access region.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein dispensing the focused drop includes spraying the focused drop.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein a sponge is used to introduce the sample fluid to the fluid access region.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein a pipette is used to introduce the sample fluid to the fluid access region.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein a membrane is used to provide the fluid access region and introduce the sample fluid to the fluid access region.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the membrane includes an outer surface having patterned hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions.

15. An interface for storing microfluidic samples, the interface comprising:

means for providing a fluid access region to a selected subset of sample wells from an array of sample wells for storing microfluidic samples; and

means for introducing a sample fluid to the fluid access region so that the sample wells in the selected subset are populated with the sample fluid without the unselected sample wells being populated with the sample fluid.

16. An interface according to claim 15, wherein the means for providing a fluid access region includes means for positioning a fluid access structure next to a planar surface of the array, the fluid access structure being adapted to enable introducing the sample fluid to the fluid access region.

17. An interface according to claim 16, wherein the fluid access structure includes at least one microfluidic circuit for distributing the sample fluid to the fluid access region.

18. An interface according to claim 15, wherein the means for providing a fluid access region includes means for folding a portion of the array.

19. An interface according to claim 18, wherein the folded portion of the array is adapted to fit into a microplate sample well so as to enable introducing a sample fluid within the microplate sample well into the fluid access region.

20. An interface according to claim 15, wherein the means for providing a fluid access region includes means for using a mask to create a barrier between the fluid access region and the rest of the array.

21. An interface according to claim 15, wherein a printing plate is used as the means for providing a fluid access region and the means for introducing a sample fluid.

22. An interface according to claim 15, wherein the means for introducing a sample fluid includes means for dragging a drop of the sample fluid over the fluid access region.

23. An interface according to claim 15, wherein the means for introducing a sample fluid includes means for dispensing a focused drop of the sample fluid into the fluid access region.

24. An interface according to claim 23, wherein the means for dispensing the focused drop includes means for spraying the focused drop.

25. An interface according to claim 15, wherein a sponge is used as the means for introducing a sample fluid to the fluid access region.

26. An interface according to claim 15, wherein a pipette is used as the means for introducing a sample fluid to the fluid access region.

27. An interface according to claim 15, wherein a membrane is used as the means for providing a fluid access region and the means for introducing a sample fluid.

28. A method according to claim 27, wherein the membrane includes an outer surface having patterned hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions.

29. A kit for storing microfluidic samples comprising:

the interface of claim 15;

and

a chip containing the array of sample wells.

30. A kit according to claim 29, wherein the interface further contains a reagent for the wells in the selected subset of sample wells.

31. A kit according to claim 30, wherein the reagent is a dye for staining the sample fluid populated into the subset of wells.

32. An interface for storing microfluidic samples, the interface comprising:

a fluid access structure for providing a fluid access region to a selected subset of sample wells from an array of sample wells for storing microfluidic samples; and

a fluid introduction mechanism for introducing a sample fluid to the fluid access region so that the sample wells in the selected subset are populated with the sample fluid without the unselected sample wells being populated with the sample fluid.

33. An interface according to claim 32, wherein the fluid access structure is adapted for positioning next to a planar surface of the array to provide the fluid access region.

34. An interface according to claim 33, wherein the fluid access structure includes at least one microfluidic circuit for distributing the sample fluid to the fluid access region.

35. An interface according to claim 32, wherein the fluid access structure is adapted to fold a portion of the array to provide the fluid access region.

36. An interface according to claim 35, wherein the fluid access structure is adapted to fit into a microplate sample well so as to enable introducing a sample fluid within the microplate sample well into the fluid access region.

37. An interface according to claim 32, wherein the fluid access structure includes a mask to create a barrier between the fluid access region and the rest of the array.

38. An interface according to claim 32, wherein a printing plate is used as the fluid access structure and the fluid introduction mechanism.

39. An interface according to claim 32, wherein the fluid introduction mechanism is adapted for dragging a drop of the sample fluid over the fluid access region.

40. An interface according to claim 32, wherein the fluid introduction mechanism is adapted for dispensing a focused drop of the sample fluid into the fluid access region.

41. An interface according to claim 40, wherein the fluid introduction mechanism is adapted for spraying the focused drop.

42. An interface according to claim 32, wherein a sponge is used for the fluid introduction mechanism.

43. An interface according to claim 32, wherein a pipette is used for the fluid introduction mechanism.

44. An interface according to claim 32, wherein a membrane is used as the fluid access structure and fluid introduction mechanism.

45. An interface according to claim 44, wherein the membrane includes an outer surface having patterned hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions.

46. A kit for storing microfluidic samples comprising:

the interface of claim 32;

and

a chip containing the array of sample wells.

47. A kit according to claim 46, wherein the interface further contains a reagent for the wells in the selected subset of sample wells.

48. A kit according to claim 47, wherein the reagent is a dye for staining the sample fluid populated into the subset of wells.