Fluidic connectors and microfluidic systems
AssigneeOPKO Diagnostics, LLC
InventorsVincent Linder, David Steinmiller, Samuel K. Sia
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Fluidic connectors, methods, and devices for performing analyses (e.g., immunoassays) in microfluidic systems are provided. In some embodiments, a fluidic connector having a fluid path is used to connect two independent channels formed in a substrate so as to allow fluid communication between the two independent channels. One or both of the independent channels may be pre-filled with reagents (e.g., antibody solutions, washing buffers and amplification reagents), which can be used to perform the analysis. These reagents may be stored in the channels of the substrate for long periods amounts of time (e.g., 1 year) prior to use.
Claims19
A method comprising:
- in a fluidic device containing a first fluid, wherein the first fluid is stored in a region of the device that includes a fluid-tight, piercable seal, performing the steps of:
- unsealing the fluid-tight seal;
- introducing a sample into the fluidic device after the unsealing step by inserting a sample introduction component containing the sample into a port of the fluidic device, wherein the sample introduction component, when inserted into the port of the fluidic device, is downstream of the region containing the first fluid and upstream of a reaction area of the fluidic device;
- passing the sample across the reaction area of the fluidic device;
- passing the first fluid across the reaction area after the step of passing the sample across the reaction area;
- and
- determining a component of the sample at the reaction area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.