Compositions, systems and methods for droplet formation, spacing and detection
AssigneeBio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.
InventorsErin Steenblock, Amy L. Hiddessen, Ben Hindson, Kevin Ness
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure provides assays and devices for forming, spacing, and/or detecting droplets. The droplets may be emulsions composed of two or more immiscible fluids. An emulsion can be a double emulsion, such as water-in-oil droplets that are present in a continuous aqueous phase. The double emulsion can be formed when the water-in-oil droplets are contacted with one or more streams of aqueous fluid(s). This disclosure also provides a variety of additives that can be added to the fluids.
Claims27
A system for detecting droplets, comprising:
- a. a detector device comprising an input flow path, an intersection region, and an output flow path, wherein the intersection region is downstream of the input flow path and the output flow path is downstream of the intersection region;
- b. droplets located within the input flow path;
- and
- c. an aqueous fluid for separating the droplets wherein the droplets are introduced to the aqueous fluid at the intersection region.
A system for detecting droplets, comprising:
- a. a detector device comprising an input flow path, an intersection region, and an output flow path, wherein the intersection region is downstream of the input flow path and the output flow path is downstream of the intersection region;
- and
- b. an oil-immiscible fluid for separating the droplets, wherein the oil-immiscible fluid is introduced to the droplets at the intersection region;
- wherein the continuous phase of fluid within the input flow path is a non-aqueous fluid and wherein the inner surface of the output flow path is coated with the non-aqueous fluid with a thickness that is at least 0.01% of the diameter of the outflow path, thereby narrowing the aperture of the output flow path;
- and
- wherein the droplets in the output flow path have an inner core containing an aqueous fluid that is encapsulated with the non-aqueous fluid.
15-17. (canceled)
19-27. (canceled)
A method of separating droplets, comprising:
- (a) flowing a stream of non-aqueous fluid comprising the droplets along a flow path comprising:
- (i) an input flow path, (ii) an intersection region, and (iii) a downstream output flow path;
- and
- (b) introducing a stream of oil-immiscible fluid to the intersection region;
- wherein the average distance between the droplets in the output flow path is greater than the average distance between the droplets within the input flow path.
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36-73. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.