Single cell transfection with interchangeable reagent
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsViktor Shkolnikov, Alexander Govyadinov
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for transfection using a microfluidic device are disclosed. Microdroplets encapsulate cells, transfection molecules, and cationic lipid transfection reagent. Droplet chaotic advection in a rendering channel of the system results in a uniform lipid-DNA complex (lipoplex) formation, which can improve gene delivery efficacy. The shear stress exerted on cell membranes during the chaotic mixing increases membrane permeability, which when combined with the co-confinement of cell and lipoplex, improves transfection efficiency of the cell. The systems and methods can be used for a variety of applications such as gene therapy, in vitro fertilization, regenerative medicine, cancer treatment, and vaccines.
Claims15
A method for single cell transfection comprising:
- guiding a cell towards a transfection chamber on a transfection chip with a fluidic channel that is sized to allow no more than a single cell to arrive at the transfection chamber at a time;
- and
- guiding reagent received at a reagent receiver that is located on the transfection chip towards the transfection chamber, the reagent receiver to intersect with the path of the fluidic channel.
A system for single cell transfection comprising:
- a transfection chamber on a transfection chip;
- a cell reservoir on the transfection chip;
- a fluidic channel located on the transfection chip for guiding a cell from the cell reservoir towards the transfection chamber, the fluidic channel sized to allow no more than a single cell to arrive at the transfection chamber at a time;
- a reagent receiver located on the transfection chip guiding received reagent towards the transfection chamber and intersecting with the path of the fluidic channel;
- and
- an outlet located on the transfection chip to enable a transfected cell to leave the transfection chip.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.