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US 10,837,883 B2Granted
Microfluidic systems and methods for reducing the exchange of molecules between droplets
AssigneesBio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., University of Strasbourg
InventorsFelix Kleinschmidt, Andrew David Griffiths, François Caron, Abdeslam El Harrak, Eric Brouzes, Darren Link
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Abstract
The present invention generally relates to systems and methods to create stable emulsions with low rates of exchange of molecules between microdroplets.
Claims22
A method of stabilizing a plurality of microdroplets for introduction into a delay line, comprising the steps of:
- (a) flowing in a main microfluidic channel a first emulsion comprising a plurality of microdroplets in an immiscible carrier fluid, wherein the plurality of microdroplets comprise a first microdroplet and a second microdroplet, and wherein the first microdroplet comprises a first biological or chemical material and the second microdroplet comprises a second biological or chemical material, and the carrier fluid comprises a surfactant at a first concentration within the carrier fluid;
- (b) exchanging a portion of the immiscible carrier fluid by removing a portion of the carrier fluid from the main microfluidic channel via a first side microfluidic channel, and adding a second fluid into the main microfluidic channel via a second side microfluidic channel immediately downstream from the first side microfluidic channel to generate a second emulsion, wherein the second fluid is immiscible with the plurality of microdroplets and comprises a second concentration of the surfactant, thereby changing the first concentration to a second concentration, wherein the second concentration is lower than the first concentration;
- and
- (c) introducing the second emulsion into a delay line.
1 more element
A method of adjusting a carrier fluid before introduction to a delay line in a microfluidic network, comprising the steps of:
- (a) flowing a first emulsion comprising a plurality of microdroplets in an immiscible first carrier fluid in a main microfluidic channel, wherein the first carrier fluid comprises a first concentration of a surfactant;
- (b) introducing a second carrier fluid to the main microfluidic channel via a first side microfluidic channel and removing a portion of the carrier fluid from the main microfluidic channel via a second side microfluidic channel immediately downstream from the first side microfluidic channel, thereby exchanging the portion of the first carrier fluid for the second carrier fluid to generate a second emulsion, wherein the second carrier fluid contains no surfactant or a second concentration of the surfactant that is lower than the first concentration;
- and
- (c) introducing the second emulsion into a delay line.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.