Cell sorting system using microfabricated components

US9604214B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Owl biomedical, Inc. · US

Inventors

• John S. Foster · Fredericksburg, US
• Nicholas C. Martinez · Lompoc, US
• Daryl W. Grummitt · Lompoc, US
• Ralf-Peter Peters · Bensberg, DE
• Christian Peth · Mülheim an der Ruhr, DE
• Markus Nagel · Amsterdam, NL

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 4, 2015
• Grant date: Mar 28, 2017
• Expiry date: May 13, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N2015/1006
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A MEMS-based cell sorter is disclosed, which uses a novel combination of features to accomplish the cell sorting using a microfabricated cell sorting valve housed in a disposable cartridge. The features include an interposer that provides fluid communication between the microfluidic passages in the silicon substrate and a plurality of fluid reservoirs in the cartridge, including a sample, sort and waste reservoir The disposable cartridge may include other features that assist in the handling of small volumes of fluids, such as a siphon region in the sort reservoir and funnel-shaped regions in the sample and waste reservoirs. A mixing mechanism may be provided for stirring the contents of the sample reservoir.