Perfusion manifold assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10988722-B2
Application number	US-201816226229-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2018
Priority date	Aug 26, 2015
Publication date	Apr 27, 2021
Grant date	Apr 27, 2021

Abstract

The invention relates to a perfusion manifold assembly that allows for perfusion of a microfluidic device, such as an organ on a chip microfluidic device comprising cells that mimic cells in an organ in the body, that is detachably linked with an assembly so that fluid enters ports of the microfluidic device from a fluid reservoir, optionally without tubing, at a controllable flow rate.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a) a perfusion manifold assembly, comprising i) one or more fluid reservoirs, ii) a fluidic backplane positioned under, and in fluidic communication with, said fluid reservoirs, said fluidic backplane comprising fluid channels that terminate at fluid outlet ports, and iii) a skirt having a guide mechanism; and
b) a microfluidic device positioned in a carrier, said carrier detachably engaging said guide mechanism of said skirt, said microfluidic device comprising i) microchannels in fluidic communication with said perfusion manifold assembly via ii) one or more inlet ports on a iii) mating surface, wherein said one or more fluid inlet ports of said microfluidic device are positioned against said one or more fluid outlet ports of said skirt of said perfusion manifold assembly under conditions such that fluid flows from said fluid reservoirs of said perfusion manifold assembly through said one or more fluid outlet ports into said one or more fluid inlet ports of said microfluidic device.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said microfluidic device comprises living cells perfused with fluid from said fluid reservoirs.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein said microfluidic device comprises at least two different cell types that function together in a manner that mimic one or more functions of cells in an organ in the body.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the microfluidic device comprises a membrane having top and bottom surfaces, said top surface comprising a first cell type, said bottom surface comprises a second cell type.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein said first cell type is epithelial cells and said second cell type is endothelial cells.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein said membrane is porous.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein said fluidic backplane comprises a fluid resistor.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein said guide mechanism comprises one or more side tracks.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the carrier comprises one or more outer edges, said outer edges detachably engaging said one or more side tracks of said skirt.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein said carrier further comprises a locking mechanism for restricting movement of the carrier when said one or more fluid inlet ports of said microfluidic device are positioned against said one or more fluid outlet ports of said perfusion manifold assembly.

11. A system, comprising:
a) a perfusion manifold assembly, comprising i) one or more fluid reservoirs, ii) a fluidic backplane positioned under, and in fluidic communication with, said fluid reservoirs, said fluidic backplane comprising fluid channels that terminate at fluid outlet ports, and iii) a guide mechanism; and
b) a microfluidic device positioned in a carrier, said carrier detachably engaging said guide mechanism, said microfluidic device comprising i) microchannels in fluidic communication with said perfusion manifold assembly via ii) one or more inlet ports on a iii) mating surface, wherein said one or more fluid inlet ports of said microfluidic device are positioned against said one or more fluid outlet ports of said perfusion manifold assembly under conditions such that fluid flows from said fluid reservoirs of said perfusion manifold assembly through said one or more fluid outlet ports into said one or more fluid inlet ports of said microfluidic device.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein said microfluidic device comprises living cells perfused with fluid from said fluid reservoirs.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein said microfluidic device comprises at least two different cell types that function together in a manner that mimic one or more functions of cells in an organ in the body.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the microfluidic device comprises a membrane having top and bottom surfaces, said top surface comprising a first cell type, said bottom surface comprises a second cell type.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein said first cell type is epithelial cells and said second cell type is endothelial cells.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein said membrane is porous.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein said fluidic backplane comprises a fluid resistor.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein said guide mechanism comprises one or more side tracks.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the carrier comprises one or more outer edges, said outer edges detachably engaging said one or more side tracks of said guide mechanism.

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein said carrier further comprises a locking mechanism for restricting movement of the carrier when said one or more fluid inlet ports of said microfluidic device are positioned against said one or more fluid outlet ports of said perfusion manifold assembly.

Assignees

• Emulate Inc

Inventors

• Levner Daniel
• Sliz Josiah Daniel
• Hinojosa Christopher David
• Thompson Ii Guy Robert
• Martinus van Ruijven Petrus Wilhelmus
• Solomon Matthew Daniel
• Potzner Christian Alexander
• Tuohy Patrick Sean
• Gomes Joshua
• Wen Norman
• Freake Jacob
• Sabin Doug

Classifications

• C12M33/12

  by pressure · CPC title

• C12N2521/00

  Culture process characterised by the use of hydrostatic pressure, flow or shear forces · CPC title

• C12N5/0602

  Vertebrate cells · CPC title

• C12M41/48

  Automatic or computerized control (automatic analysis G01N35/00) · CPC title

• C12M41/40

  of pressure · CPC title