Biochip for sorting and lysing biological samples
AssigneeAgency for Science, Technology and Research
InventorsCiprian Iliescu, Guolin Xu, Francis Eng-Hock Tay
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A biochip (100) for lysing and/or cell separation is formed to provide a sealed chamber for biological fluid. A conductive layer (140) bonded between upper (130) and lower (150) insulating layers is etched to form a microfluidic channel (250) between two electrodes (190, 200). The microfluidic channel connects a fluid inlet (11) and fluid outlet (120). The electrodes (190, 200) form an un-even electric field in the channel (250) to generate a dielectrophoretic force on the cells/particles within the sample fluid. A voltage source applies a suitable voltage to separate and/or lyse cells within the fluid.
Claims26
An apparatus, comprising,
- a top insulating layer;
- a bottom insulating layer;
- a conductive layer, between said top and bottom insulating layers, said conductive layer etched to form first and second electrodes separated by at least one microfluidic channel;
- wherein said top, bottom insulating and conductive layers are bonded together and said at least one microfluidic channel forms a fully sealed flow chamber;
- an inlet in fluid communication with said flow chamber;
- and
- an outlet in fluid communication with said flow chamber.
A method for cell sorting, comprising:
- loading a biological sample into a microfluidic channel, formed between two conductive electrodes, said electrodes comprising tip portions and thus defining a center region and bay regions in said channel;
- applying a potential difference to said conductive electrodes causing target cells to experience a dielectrophoretic force under an electric field and thus move into said bay regions, and keeping unwanted cells in said center region;
- removing said unwanted cells from said microfluidic channel through said center region using an applied fluidic pressure;
- and
- recovering said target cells from said microfluidic channel through said center region by removing said electric field and using an applied fluid pressure.
A method for cell lysing, comprising:
- loading a biological sample into a microfluidic channel, wherein said microfluidic channel walls are conductive electrodes;
- applying a potential difference to said conductive electrodes causing target cells to experience a dielectrophoretic force under an electric field moving said target cells to the tips of said conductive electrodes;
- and
- applying a high pulse potential difference to said conductive electrodes causing said target cells to experience electroporation.
A method for performing cell sorting and cell lysing on a single device, comprising:
- loading a biological sample into a microfluidic channel in said device, wherein said microfluidic channel walls are conductive electrodes;
- applying a potential difference to said conductive electrodes causing target cells to experience a dielectrophoretic force under an electric field;
- removing unwanted cells from said microfluidic channel using an applied fluidic pressure;
- applying a potential difference to said conductive electrodes causing said target cells to experience a dielectrophoretic force under an electric field moving said target cells to the tips of said conductive electrodes;
- and
- applying a high pulse potential difference to said conductive electrodes causing said target cells to experience electroporation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.