Abstract:
Es wird eine Vorrichtung (1, 2) zur Untersuchung von Partikeln (RBC, WBC, PLT) in einer zu untersuchenden Flüssigkeit beschrieben, die eine Fließpassage (F) umfasst, durch die die zu untersuchende Flüssigkeit (BL) bewegt wird. Die Fließpassage (F) weist mindestens einen Einlass (E3, E4) auf, durch den mindestens eine Mantelflüssigkeit (PF1, PF2) in die Fließpassage (F) strömt, derart, dass die mindestens eine Mantelflüssigkeit (PF1, PF2) mindestens einen Mantelstrom (MS1, MS2) in der Fließpassage (F) ausbildet. Die Vorrichtung (1, 2) umfasst außerdem eine Wellenerzeugungseinrichtung (WE2) zur piezoakustischen Erzeugung von Schallwellen (AW), welche sich transversal zur Fließrichtung der zu untersuchenden Flüssigkeit (BL) durch die Fließpassage (F) ausbreiten und Wellenknoten (KN) in einer Beobachtungsebene (BA) ausbilden, so dass aufgrund der Druckwirkung der Schallwellen (AW) in Transversalrichtung zu untersuchende Partikel (WBC, RBC, PLT) der zu untersuchenden Flüssigkeit (BL) in die Beobachtungsebene (BA) verschoben und dort angereichert werden.
Abstract:
A technique for focusing a sample into a desired region in a flow cell is presented. The flow cell includes a bottom flow input module, a sample input module, a top flow input module and a flow chamber having a rectangular cross-section. The desired region is in the flow chamber. The bottom flow, the top flow and the sample input modules receive and provide a first fluid, a second fluid, and the sample respectively, to the flow chamber. The first and the second fluids laminarly flow along the bottom and the top wall from one end towards another end of the flow chamber. The sample laminarly flows sandwiched between the top and the bottom laminar flows. The bottom and the top flow input modules respectively control a rate of flow of the first fluid and a rate of flow of the second fluid in the flow chamber.
Abstract:
A sensor is provided for detecting and characterizing particles in a fluid. The sensor has a microfluidic channel for receiving the fluid sample, an acoustic transducer module configured to generate a standing wave for concentrating the particles in a region of the microfluidic channel; an optical detection module configured to detect optical signals scattered by the particles upon illuminating the region of the fluid sample with a light source; and a data processing module configured to characterize the particles of the fluid sample based on the optical signals using a classifier.
Abstract:
Disclosed herein is a microfluidic device comprising, at least one sample inlet for receiving biological cells in a biological fluid sample; at least one sheath flow inlet for receiving a sheath fluid; at least one curvilinear channel configured to provide the biological fluid sample substantially in an outer flow and the sheath fluid in substantially an inner separated flow; a plurality of cell traps at the periphery of the curvilinear channel, each trap configured to admit a single cell having a targeted size range from the outer flow.
Abstract:
The current invention concerns a flow cytometric system and method for observing, analyzing and/or separating objects in a liquid sample, comprising a digital holographic microscope (DHM) and at least one fluidic system, whereby the DHM comprises illumination means, an interferometric system and digital recording means, whereby the fluidic system is capable of guiding said objects through an illumination beam of the illumination means of said DHM, whereby the fluidic system comprises a mechanism for inducing a liquid sample stream through the fluidic system, whereby preferably the fluidic system comprises a stream size controlling device for controlling the transverse dimensions of a liquid sample stream inside said fluidic system, preferably said stream size controlling device is capable of lining up the objects one-by-one or multiple objects at a time in said liquid sample stream.
Abstract:
Fluid-handling methods and devices for ultrasonic manipulation of fluid-borne particles comprise a fluid-handling manifold and an ultrasonic particle manipulator defining an ultrasonic cavity within the manifold. Fluid-borne particles introduced into the manifold are manipulated by controlling ultrasonic standing waves at the ultrasonic cavity. Cavities having non-uniform configurations, asymmetric standing waves and/or multiple ultrasonic cavities within the manifold are operative to control the movement of the fluid-borne particles, optionally including collecting and holding such particles, transferring particles through an intersection from one channel to another, etc. Solid phase extraction (SPE) particles, biological particles and other fluid-borne particles can be manipulated within the fluid-handling manifold.
Abstract:
A method is provided for acoustically ejecting from a channel or other container a plurality of fluid droplets, each of which contains one or more particles or other localized volumes. The localized volumes, which can be living cells, are ejected towards sites on a substrate surface, a container, or a channel. An integrated cell sorting and arraying system is also provided that is capable of sorting based upon cellular properties by the selective ejection of cells from a carrier fluid. The cells can be ejected with adjustable velocity and trajectory. The ejected cells can be directed to form an array, wherein each site of the array can contain a single cell. Additionally provided is a method of forming arrays of single live cells more efficiently, rapidly, flexibly, and economically than by other cell array approaches. This method permits efficient, continuous, and simultaneous sorting of cells based upon the quantitative or semiquantitative measurement of cellular properties, and also permits non-binary or severally-branched decision-making. An integrated system, which includes a processor, and methods are also provided for the detection, selection, and ejection of selected particles or circumscribed volumes, such as live cells, from a continuous stream of fluid-suspended particles or other circumscribed volumes flowing in channels.
Abstract:
An improved nozzle system for a flow cytometer and accompanying methods have been invented for a high efficiency orientation and sorting process of a flat sample and dedicates items such as equine or bovine sperm cells. This improved nozzle system comprises a nozzle (16) with a novel interior surface geometry that can both gently accelerate the cells and can include an elliptical-like, single torsional interior surface element within (c) the nozzle, i.e., a single torsional orientation nozzle (6). The elliptical-like, single torsional interior surface element (e.g.) (8, 9, 10) may have a laminar flow surface and may produce the simplest flow path for applying minimal forces which act in either an accelerative nature or orienting hydrodynamic forces, namely, the single torsional orientation forces, to orient a flat sample (16) such as animal sperm cells into a proper direction for an analyzing and efficiently sorting process in clinical use, for research and for the animal insemination industry.