Multiwell plate with integrated stirring mechanism
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsElliot En-Yu Hui, Erik Morgan Werner, Philip N. Duncan, Transon V. Nguyen, Siavash Ahrar
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Abstract
This invention describes a design for a multiwell plate that contains integrated pumps that are used to stir each well of the plate. The device employs microfluidic logic technology to drive each peristaltic pump. This enables the plates to run autonomously, requiring only a static vacuum supply for power. The devices are entirely constructed out of low-cost polymers, with no electronics, and yet contains simple digital logic circuits to control the pumps. A stack of these plates may be run continuously in a standard cell culture incubator, allowing high-throughput culture of organoids.
Claims20
An integrated multiwell stirring plate (500) comprising:
- a. a plate body (501);
- b. a plurality of wells (502) embedded within the plate body (501);
- and
- c. a plurality of pneumatic, peristaltic pumps (510), each pump comprising:
- i. a pump inlet (504);
- ii. a pump outlet (506), fluidly connected with one of the wells (502);
- and
- iii. a fluid channel (508), fluidly connecting the pump in line between the pump inlet (504) and the pump outlet (506);
- wherein the pump (510) is configured to pump a fluid through the fluid channel (508) and out of the pump outlet (506) so as to produce a fluid jet (511) into the well (502), and wherein each jet (511) is configured to impart a convective flow (512) of the fluid within the well (502);
- and
- d. one or more microfluidic pneumatic control mechanisms (540) configured to control the pumps (510);
- wherein both the peristaltic pumps (510) and the control mechanisms (540) are embedded and integrated within the plate body (501).
An integrated multiwell stirring plate (500) comprising:
- a. a plate body (501);
- b. a plurality of wells (502) embedded within the plate body (501);
- c. a plurality of pneumatic, peristaltic pumps (510), embedded and integrated within the plate body (501), each pump (510) comprising:
- i. a pump inlet (504);
- ii. a pump outlet (506), fluidly connected with one of the wells (502);
- iii. a fluid channel (508), fluidly connecting the pump in line between the pump inlet (504) and the pump outlet (506);
- and
- iv. a plurality of fluid valves (546) within the fluid channel (508), the valves (546) configured to move a fluid within the fluid channel (508);
- wherein the pump (510) is configured to pump the fluid through the fluid channel (508) and out of the pump outlet (506) so as to produce a fluid jet into the well (502), and wherein the jets (511) are configured to impart a convective flow (512) of the fluid within the well (502);
- and
- d. one or more microfluidic pneumatic control mechanisms (540), embedded and integrated within the plate body (501), each control mechanism (540) comprising:
- i. a microfluidic oscillator circuit (542) comprising:
- 1. an odd number of pneumatic inverter logic gates (545) connected in a closed loop;
- and
- 2. a plurality of nodes (550), each node (550) being located between two logic gates (545) in the loop;
- and
- ii. a plurality of valve control channels (547), each control channel (547) fluidly connecting one of the nodes (550) with one of the fluid valves (546) such that the positive or negative pressure at the node (550) is configured to operate the valve (546);
- wherein the control mechanisms (540) are configured to open and close the plurality of fluid valves (546) in a controlled manner so as to cause peristaltic pumping of the fluid within each fluid channel (508).
The multiwell stirring plate of claim 15, wherein the entire multiwell stirring plate (500) is configured to be powered and operated by a single pneumatic connection (525) to a positive or negative pressure source (530).
The multiwell stirring plate of claim 15, wherein one of the control mechanisms (540) controls multiple pumps (510).
A pneumatic peristaltic pump system (600) comprising:
- a. a microfluidic substrate (601);
- b. a peristaltic pump (510), embedded and integrated within the substrate (601), the pump (510) comprising:
- i. a fluid channel (508);
- ii. a plurality of pump valves (546) within the fluid channel (508), the pump valves (546) configured to move a fluid within the fluid channel (508);
- c. a microfluidic pneumatic control mechanism (540), embedded and integrated within the substrate (601) and fluidly connected with the pump (510), the control mechanism (540) comprising:
- i. a microfluidic oscillator circuit (542) comprising:
- 1. an odd number of pneumatic inverter logic gates (545) connected in a closed loop;
- and
- 2. a plurality of nodes (550), each node (550) being located between two logic gates (545) in the loop;
- ii. a plurality of valve control channels (547), each control channel (547) fluidly connecting one of the nodes (550) with one of the pump valves (546) such that positive or negative pressure at the node (550) is configured to operate the pump valve (546);
- wherein the control mechanism (540) is configured to open and close the plurality of pump valves (546) in a controlled manner so as to cause peristaltic pumping to move the fluid within the fluid channel (508), and
- wherein the entire pump system (600) is configured to be powered and operated by a single pneumatic connection (525) to a positive or negative pressure source (530).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.