High-throughput and high-precision measurement of single-cell density
AssigneeMassachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorsScott R. Manalis, Weida Wu, Teemu Petteri Miettinen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods for determining a property (e.g., density) of a particle (e.g., a cell) are generally described.
Claims12
A method for determining a density of a particle, the method comprising:
- flowing the particle through a microfluidic channel configured to receive the particle;
- driving the microfluidic channel with an excitation element;
- sensing a resonance frequency of the microfluidic channel as the particle flows through the microfluidic channel;
- exposing the particle to electromagnetic radiation and detecting an electromagnetic radiation signal;
- and
- determining the density of the particle based upon the resonance frequency and the electromagnetic radiation signal.
A method for determining density of a particle, the method comprising:
- flowing a plurality of particles through a microfluidic channel configured to receive the particle;
- driving the microfluidic channel with an excitation element;
- sensing a plurality of resonance frequencies of the suspended microchannel resonator as each of the particles flows through the suspended microchannel resonator;
- exposing the plurality of particles to electromagnetic radiation and detecting an electromagnetic radiation signal for each of the particles;
- and
- determining the density of each of the particles based upon at least a portion of the plurality of resonance frequencies,
- wherein a coefficient of variation of an average of the densities is less than or equal to 1%.
The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the electromagnetic radiation signal comprises a difference between electromagnetic radiation detected in the presence of the particle and electromagnetic radiation detected in the absence of the particle under substantially identical conditions.
The method of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising sorting the particle based, at least in part, on the determining the density.
The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein an average velocity of particles is greater than or equal to 0.05 mm/second and/or less than or equal to 100 mm/second.
A microfluidic system for determining a density of a particle, comprising:
- a suspended microchannel resonator comprising a first microfluidic channel associated with an inlet;
- an excitation element for driving the first microfluidic channel;
- a second microfluidic channel in fluidic communication with the first microfluidic channel;
- a source of electromagnetic radiation associated with the second microfluidic channel;
- a sensor associated with the suspended microchannel resonator configured to sense a resonance frequency of the suspended microchannel resonator;
- a detector configured to detect an electromagnetic radiation signal and associated with the second microfluidic channel;
- and
- a processor for determining the density of a particle based upon the electromagnetic radiation signal and the resonance frequency of the microfluidic channel.
The system or method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the particle is a single cell.
The system or method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the electromagnetic radiation is light.
The system or method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the density is resolved within at least 0.001 g/mL.
The system or method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first microfluidic channel has a cross-sectional dimension of greater than or equal to 10 μm and/or less than or equal to 1 mm.
A system or method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the particle is suspended in a fluid.
The system or method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first microfluidic channel has a throughput of greater than or equal to 6,800 particles/min and less than or equal to 100,000 particles/min.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.