Reversible, on-demand generation of aqueous two-phase microdroplets
US9730898B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignees
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 20, 2013 |
| Grant date | Aug 15, 2017 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 17, 2034 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N1/34
- WIPO fieldPharmaceuticals
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
The present invention provides methods of on-demand, reversible generation of aqueous two-phase microdroplets core-shell microbeads, microparticle preparations comprising the core-shell microbeads, and drug delivery formulation comprising the microparticle preparations. Because these aqueous microdroplets have volumes comparable to those of cells, they provide an approach to mimicking the dynamic microcompartmentation of biomaterial that naturally occurs within the cytoplasm of cells. Hence, the present methods generate femtoliter aqueous two-phase droplets within a microfluidic oil channel using gated pressure pulses to generate individual, stationary two-phase microdroplets with a well-defined time zero for carrying out controlled and sequential phase transformations over time. Reversible phase transitions between single-phase, two-phase, and core-shell microbead states are obtained via evaporation-induced dehydration and water rehydration.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.