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US 11,999,932 B2Granted
Microfluidic control
AssigneeEmulate, Inc.
InventorsChristopher David Hinojosa, Grace Ahn
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention is related to the field of fluidic devices, and in particular, microfluidic cell culture systems. The present invention provides pumping, recirculation and sampling for a microfluidic device or devices. The present invention provides solutions to the control of microfluidics for both terrestrial and space applications, including the control over the movement of fluids in zero gravity or microgravity.
Claims50
A method of moving liquid, comprising:
- a) providing an assembly, comprising one or more liquid reservoirs contained within a container, said container in fluidic communication with e a first working fluid reservoir and a second working fluid reservoir, said first working fluid reservoir comprising a first working fluid, said second working fluid reservoir comprising a second working fluid, said container further comprising a portion of said second working fluid, said one or more liquid reservoirs in fluidic communication with one or more fluidic devices, and comprising liquid, wherein there is no mixing of said working fluid with said liquid;
- and
- b) introducing said first working fluid from said first working fluid reservoir into said container under conditions that said pressure is imparted on said second working fluid such that liquid in said one or more reservoirs is displaced and flows into said one or more fluidic devices, thereby moving said liquid.
A method of introducing reagent into microfluidic devices comprising:
- a) providing an assembly, comprising one or more flexible cell culture media reservoirs and one or more flexible reagent reservoirs contained within a container, said container in fluidic communication with a pump and a working fluid reservoir and comprising a working fluid, said flexible cell culture reservoirs in fluidic communication with one or more microfluidic devices comprising cells on a surface and comprising cell culture media, said one or more flexible reagent reservoirs in fluidic communication with one or more microfluidic devices and comprising reagent, wherein there is no contact or mixing of said working fluid with said cell culture media;
- b) pumping said working fluid into said container with said pump under conditions that the culture media in the flexible reservoirs is displaced and flows into said one or more microfluidic devices, thereby perfusing said cells, wherein reagent in said flexible reagent reservoirs is not displaced;
- and
- c) pumping said working fluid into said container with said pump under conditions that the reagent in at least one flexible reagent reservoir is displaced and flows into said one or more microfluidic devices, thereby introducing reagent into said one or more microfluidic devices.
1 more element
A method of collecting samples from microfluidic devices, comprising:
- a) providing an assembly, comprising one or more reservoirs contained within a container, said container in fluidic communication with a pump and a working fluid reservoir and comprising a working fluid, said reservoirs in fluidic communication with one or more microfluidic devices and comprising cell culture media, said one or more microfluidic devices in fluidic communication with a sampling conduit and comprising cells on a surface, wherein there is no mixing of said working fluid with said cell culture media;
- b) pumping said working fluid into said container with said pump under conditions that the culture media in the reservoirs is displaced and flows into said one or more microfluidic devices, thereby causing fluid to exit said one or more microfluidic devices and enter said sampling conduit;
- and
- c) collecting samples from said sampling conduit.
1 more element
A method of recirculating culture media through microfluidic devices without reversing the direction of fluid flow, comprising:
- a) providing an assembly, comprising one or more reservoirs contained within a container, said container in fluidic communication with a pump and a working fluid reservoir and comprising a working fluid, said reservoirs in fluidic communication with one or more microfluidic devices and comprising cell culture media, said one or more microfluidic devices comprising cells on a surface and inlet and outlet ports, said inlet and outlet ports in fluidic communication with a recirculation pathway, wherein there is no mixing of said working fluid with said cell culture media;
- and
- b) pumping said working fluid into said container with said pump under conditions that the culture media in the reservoirs is displaced and flows into said one or more microfluidic devices in a direction, thereby causing fluid to exit said outlet port of said one or more microfluidic devices and enter said recirculation pathway, moving in the direction of said inlet port of said one or more microfluidic devices.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.