Fluidic systems comprising an incubation channel, including fluidic systems formed by molding

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10279345-B2
Application number	US-201514966937-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 11, 2015
Priority date	Dec 12, 2014
Publication date	May 7, 2019
Grant date	May 7, 2019

Abstract

Fluidic devices and methods involving incubation and/or mixing of assay components are provided. In some embodiments, a biological and/or chemical assay may be performed in a fluidic device. The fluidic device may be designed to allow for controlled incubation and/or mixing of two or more assay components. In some such embodiments, the fluidic device may include an incubation channel having a relatively large cross-sectional dimension in fluid communication with a detection channel. The incubation channel may allow for adequate mixing and/or incubation of two or more assay components prior to analysis of the assay. In certain embodiments, the detection channel may be used to provide feedback on the extent of incubation and/or mixing. Based on the feedback, one or more component of the fluidic system may be regulated to allow the requisite degree of mixing and/or incubation to be achieved.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
in a fluidic system comprising a sample collector and an article, performing the steps of:
introducing a sample comprising a sample component into the sample collector;
connecting the sample collector to a sample inlet port of the article, wherein the article comprises first and second sides, wherein the first side comprises an incubation channel, and wherein the first side and/or second side comprises a detection channel in fluid communication with the incubation channel, and wherein the sample inlet port is in fluid communication with the incubation channel;
flowing, at a first flow rate, at least a portion of the sample from the sample collector to the incubation channel;
reducing the flow rate of the sample to a second flow rate, wherein the second flow rate is less than the first flow rate and/or is zero to allow incubation of the sample in the incubation channel;
modulating the flow rate of the sample to a third flow rate which is greater than the second flow rate; and
flowing the sample through the detection channel;
wherein a ratio of heights and/or widths of the incubation channel to the detection channel is at least about 5:1, and
wherein prior to the step of reducing the flow rate of the sample, at least a portion of the sample is flowed into the detection channel.

2. A method, comprising:
in a fluidic system comprising a sample collector and an article, performing the steps of:
introducing a sample comprising a sample component into the sample collector;
connecting the sample collector to a sample inlet port of the article, wherein the article comprises first and second sides, wherein the first side comprises an incubation channel, and wherein the first side and/or second side comprises a detection zone comprising a detection channel in fluid communication with the incubation channel, and wherein the sample inlet port is in fluid communication with the incubation channel;
flowing, at a first flow rate, at least a portion of the sample from the sample collector to the incubation channel;
flowing at least a portion of the sample into a part, but not all, of the detection zone;
reducing the flow rate of the sample to a second flow rate, wherein the second flow rate is less than the first flow rate and/or is zero;
modulating the flow rate of the sample to a third flow rate which is greater than the second flow rate; and
flowing the sample through the detection channel.

3. A method as in claim 2 , wherein the incubation channel has a cross-sectional area that is greater than a cross-sectional area of the detection channel.

4. A method as in claim 2 , wherein the incubation channel has a cross-sectional area that is at least 0.008 mm 2 , and the detection channel has a cross-sectional area that is less than 0.008 mm 2 .

5. A method as in claim 2 , wherein prior to the step of reducing the flow rate, none of the sample is flowed into the detection channel.

6. A method as in claim 2 , wherein prior to the step of reducing the flow rate of the sample, at least a portion of the sample is flowed into the detection channel.

7. A method as in claim 2 , comprising flowing at least a portion of the sample into a part, but not all, of the detection channel, detecting at least a portion of the sample at the detection channel, and then reducing the flow rate of the sample to the second flow rate.

8. A method as in claim 2 , wherein the incubation channel has a width of at least about 100 microns and less than or equal to about 2 mm, a height of at least about 50 microns and less than or equal to about 2 mm, and a volume of at least 5 μL.

9. A method as in claim 2 , wherein the detection channel has a width of at least about 50 microns and less than or equal to about 300 microns, and a height of at least about 10 microns and less than or equal to about 300 microns.

10. A method as in claim 2 , wherein the detection channel comprises a reagent deposited on a surface of the detection channel.

11. A method as in claim 10 , wherein the reagent is stored.

12. A method as in claim 10 , comprising contacting the sample with the reagent, wherein the contacting step occurs after the step of flowing at least a portion of the sample from the sample collector to the incubation channel.

13. A method as in claim 2 , wherein a first intervening channel passes through a thickness of the article and is positioned between the incubation channel and the detection channel.

14. A method as in claim 2 , wherein a surface of the article comprises a reagent deposited thereon, and wherein the reagent is deposited on the surface by flowing a liquid containing the reagent across the surface and depositing the reagent during the step of flowing, at the first flow rate, at least a portion of the sample from the sample collector to the incubation channel.

15. A method as in claim 14 , comprising mixing the sample component with the reagent in the sample in the incubation channel.

16. A method as in claim 14 , comprising removing at least a portion of the reagent from the surface such that the reagent is dissolved or suspended in the sample.

17. A method as in claim 14 , comprising removing at least a portion of the reagent from the surface such that the reagent is dissolved or suspended in the sample, and wherein the step of removing at least a portion of the reagent from the surface takes place in the incubation channel.

18. A method as claim 2 , comprising performing the step of flowing, at the first flow rate, at least a portion of the sample from the sample collector to the incubation channel, followed by flowing at least a portion of the sample into a part, but not all, of the detection zone, followed by the step of reducing the flow rate of the sample to the second flow rate, followed by the step of modulating the flow rate of the sample to the third flow rate, followed by the step of flowing the sample through the detection channel.

19. A method as in claim 2 , wherein a portion of the sample, but less than or equal to 10% of the sample, is flowed into part of, but not all, of the detection zone prior to the step of reducing the flow rate of the sample.

20. A method as in claim 2 , wherein prior to the step of reducing the flow rate of the sample, at least a portion of the sample is detected at the detection zone.

21. A method as in claim 2 , wherein a portion of the incubation channel is a part of the detection zone.

22. A method as in claim 21 , wherein at least a portion of the sample is detected at the incubation channel.

Assignees

• Opko Diagnostics Llc

Inventors

• Dirckx Matthew
• Taylor Jason
• Linder Vincent

Classifications

• G01N2035/00356

  Holding samples at elevated temperature (incubation) · CPC title

• B01L2200/0673

  Handling of plugs of fluid surrounded by immiscible fluid · CPC title

• G01N35/00029

  provided with flat sample substrates, e.g. slides (G01N35/028 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B01L2300/0816

  Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions · CPC title

• B01L2300/0867

  Multiple inlets and one sample wells, e.g. mixing, dilution · CPC title