MICROFLUIDIC DEVICES AND METHODS FOR CELL ANALYSIS

• Main Authors: deMello, Andrew James, Xue, Peng, Stavrakis, Stavros, Aebersold, Rudolf, Cao, Xiaobao
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 04.01.2023
• Subjects: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE; INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; MEASURING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; PHYSICS; TESTING; TRANSPORTING

In a method for analyzing cells, a sample fluid comprising a suspending medium and cells is fed to a microfluidic device comprising at least one cell processing unit (10) comprising a trapping region (12), a reaction unit (20), and an outlet arrangement (30). The trapping region is delimited by at least an input valve (13) and a sieve valve (14), in particular a v-type valve that is capable of retaining the cells while letting fluids pass. The method comprises trapping cells in the trapping region, subsequently establishing a flow of a reaction fluid through the trapping region while the sieve valve (14) assumes said open state, such that the reaction fluid transfers the trapped cells from the trapping region (12) into the reaction unit (20), decomposing the transferred cells into cell fragments through a decomposition process, collecting the cell fragments in the outlet arrangement, and analyzing the cell fragments.