Leukocyte and microparticles fractionation using microfluidics

A microfluidic device comprising:

• a spiral-shaped flow channel having at least a first end and a second end,
• wherein said spiral-shaped flow channel has two inlet ports at or near said first end and at least two outlet ports at or near said second end,
• wherein one of the two inlet ports is located at the inner wall of the spiral-shaped flow channel and the other inlet port is located at the outer wall of the spiral-shaped flow channel and at least one of the outlet ports is connected to a container allowing the storage of blood cells;
• wherein the spiral-shaped flow channel has a height of 110-130 μm,
• wherein the at least two outlet ports comprise at least four outlet ports,
• wherein the spiral-shaped flow channel gradually expands to a width of about 1000 μm at the furcation of the outlet ports, and
• wherein a first outlet port covers the width 0-100 μm, a second outlet port covers the width 101-250 μm, a third outlet port covers the width 251-650 μm, and a fourth outlet port covers the width 651-1000 μm of the spiral-shaped flow channel defined from the inner wall towards the outer wall.

A method for separating microparticles from blood cells, wherein the method comprises:

• lysing red blood cells of a blood sample;
• diluting said blood sample;
• providing a microfluidic device comprising a spiral-shaped flow channel having at least a first end and a second end,
• wherein said spiral-shaped flow channel has two inlet ports at or near said first end and at least four outlet ports at or near said second end,
• wherein the spiral-shaped flow channel gradually expands to a width of about 1000 μm at the furcation of the outlet ports,
• wherein a first outlet port covers the width 0-100 μm, a second outlet port covers the width 101-250 μm, a third outlet port covers the width 251-650 μm, and a fourth outlet port covers the width 651-1000 μm of the spiral-shaped flow channel defined from the inner wall towards the outer wall,
• wherein one of the two inlet ports is located at the inner wall of the spiral-shaped flow channel and the other inlet port is located at the outer wall of the spiral-shaped flow channel,
• wherein the first outlet port is connected to a first container allowing the storage of microparticles and at least one of the second, third, or fourth outlet port is connected to a second container allowing the storage of blood cells, and
• wherein the spiral-shaped flow channel has a height of 110-130 μm;
• introducing the diluted sample comprising lysed red blood cells into the inlet port located at the outer wall of the spiral-shaped flow channel and introducing a sheath fluid into the inlet port located at the inner wall of the spiral-shaped flow channel;
• driving said sample and the sheath fluid through the spiral-shaped flow channel;
• and
• recovering the microparticles from the first container connected to the first outlet port,
• wherein the microparticles have an average particle size ranging from about 0.1 μm to about 1 μm.