Devices and methods for detecting cells and other analytes
AssigneeThe General Hospital Corporation
InventorsDaniel Irimia, Xuanhong Cheng, Mehmet Toner, Utkan Demirci, William Rodriguez
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Abstract
The invention features methods, devices, and kits for the isolation of analytes (e.g., a cell). A sample containing a desired analyte is introduced into a microfluidic device containing moieties that bind the desired analyte. A shear stress is applied that is great enough to prevent binding of undesired analytes and low enough to allow binding of the analyte of interest. Once bound, the desired analytes can be analyzed (e.g., counted). The invention also features methods for determining a shear stress for isolating a desired analyte.
Claims11
A method for isolating CD4+ lymphocytes from a sample of whole blood, the method comprising:
- (a) introducing said sample into a microfluidic device coated with binding moieties that bind to a cell surface marker of said CD4+ lymphocytes;
- and
- (b) applying a controlled shear stress from greater than 0.5 dyn/cm2 to less than about 7.0 dyn/cm2 to said sample in the microfluidic device, wherein the shear stress is low enough to allow binding of the binding moieties to said CD4+ lymphocytes expressing the cell surface marker at a first concentration and great enough to inhibit binding of the binding moieties to undesired CD4+ monocytes that express the same cell surface marker at a second concentration lower than the first concentration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.