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Publication Number
US-10081808-B2
Publication Date
2018-09-25
Expiration Date
Abstract
Methods, devices and systems for handling sample liquids, encapsulating liquids and magnetic particles are disclosed.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a liquid handling system with a conduit having a predetermined trapping site, where a magnetic field source applies a magnetic field at the trapping site when activated and substantially no magnetic field when not activated. A pump applies positive pressure, negative pressure, or no external pressure, and a controller activates the pump and/or the magnetic field source. Encapsulating liquid is flowed in the conduit, and a sample liquid containing magnetic particles is flowed such that it is surrounded by the encapsulating liquid and located at the trapping site.
After positioning at the trapping site, the magnetic field source is activated so that the magnetic particles are immobilized at the trapping site. The pump is then activated so that the sample liquid is flowed away from the trapping site while the elution liquid is flowed to the trapping site and surrounds the magnetic particles. The elution liquid is also surrounded by the encapsulating liquid, so the immobilized particles remain encapsulated while targets are released into the elution liquid.
A related system handles a first sample liquid containing magnetic particles, a second sample liquid, and an encapsulating liquid, where both sample liquids are immiscible with the encapsulating liquid. The system flows the encapsulating liquid in a conduit, flows the first sample liquid so it is surrounded by the encapsulating liquid and located at the predetermined trapping site, and immobilizes the magnetic particles by applying a magnetic field at the trapping site. The system then flows the first sample liquid away from the trapping site while the magnetic particles remain immobilized, and flows the second sample liquid so that the second sample liquid surrounds the immobilized magnetic particles.
Claims Coverage
The patent includes at least two independent claims. Across these independent claims, the core coverage centers on a conduit with a predetermined trapping site, pump-driven flow using encapsulating immiscible liquids, and magnetic-field activation localized to the trapping site to immobilize magnetic particles and enable encapsulated elution or subsequent surrounding by a second sample liquid.
Localized magnetic trapping at a predetermined site in an encapsulated conduit
A conduit having a predetermined trapping site, a pump configured to apply positive pressure, negative pressure, or no external pressure to a location in the conduit, a magnetic field source configured to apply a magnetic field at the trapping site when activated and substantially no magnetic field when not activated, and a controller that activates the pump and/or the magnetic field source to flow encapsulating liquid, position a sample liquid containing magnetic particles at the trapping site surrounded by the encapsulating liquid, immobilize the magnetic particles at the trapping site by applying the magnetic field, and flow an elution liquid to the trapping site such that the elution liquid surrounds the magnetic particles and the sample liquid is flowed away from the trapping site.
Immiscible sample encapsulation around magnetically immobilized particles at a trapping site
A system handling a first sample liquid containing magnetic particles, a second sample liquid, and an encapsulating liquid in a conduit where both sample liquids are immiscible with the encapsulating liquid, configured to flow the encapsulating liquid, flow the first sample liquid so it is surrounded by the encapsulating liquid and located at a predetermined trapping site, immobilize the magnetic particles at the trapping site by applying a magnetic field at the trapping site, flow the first sample liquid away from the trapping site while the magnetic particles remain immobilized, and flow the second sample liquid so it is surrounded by the encapsulating liquid and surrounds the immobilized magnetic particles.
Taken together, the independent claims broadly cover a conduit-based liquid handling approach in which immiscible encapsulating liquids surround a sample at a predetermined trapping site, magnetic particles are immobilized by a magnetic field localized to that site, and subsequent flow of elution or a second sample liquid surrounds the immobilized particles to enable controlled biomolecule handling.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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