Systems and methods for increasing convective clearance of undesired particles in a microfluidic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11369722-B2
Application number	US-201916687121-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 18, 2019
Priority date	Jan 11, 2013
Publication date	Jun 28, 2022
Grant date	Jun 28, 2022

Abstract

A microfluidic device for increasing convective clearance of particles from a fluid is provided. A network of first channels can be separated from a network of second channels by a first membrane. The network of first channels can also be separated from a network of third channels by a second membrane. Fluid containing an analyte can be introduced in the network of first channels. Infusate can be introduced into the network of second channels, and waste-collecting fluid can be introduced into the network of third channels. A pressure gradient can be applied in a direction perpendicular to the direction of fluid flow in the network of first channels, such that the analyte is transported from the network of first channels into the network of third channels through the second membrane.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a plurality of layers of materials forming a first channel and a second channel with an interchannel flow barrier between a first side of the first channel and the second channel, and a third channel adjacent to a second side of the first channel; and
a control system comprising:
at least one fluid pressure sensor to measure fluid pressure characteristics in the first channel;
at least one fluid flow sensor to measure fluid flow characteristics in the first channel; and
a processor in communication with the at least one fluid pressure sensor and the at least one fluid flow sensor and, responsive to one or more measurements received from the at least one fluid pressure sensor and the at least one fluid flow sensor, configured to control an amount of convective clearance of blood flowed through the first channel by increasing a rate at which infusate is introduced into the second channel to cause a net infusion of fluid from the second channel into the first channel and to cause a net outflow of fluid from the first channel into the third channel.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first channel, the second channel, and the third channel extend parallel to one another.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a structural support within at least one of the first channel, the second channel, or the third channel, the structural support configured to limit the deformation of at least one of a first membrane or a second membrane.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the structural support comprises a porous mesh including at least one material selected from a group consisting of ceramic, carbon, and polymer.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the structural support comprises a post or ridge placed within at least one of the first channel, the second channel, or the third channel.

6. The system of claim 3 , wherein the structural support has a length that is less than a length of at least one of the first channel, the second channel, or the third channel.

7. The system of claim 3 , wherein the structural support spans a width of at least one of the first channel, the second channel, or the third channel.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is configured such that the volume of a fluid flowing through the first channel is substantially constant along its length.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a second interchannel flow barrier separating the first channel from the third channel.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the second interchannel flow barrier comprises a membrane.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the second interchannel flow barrier has a pore size selected to allow clearance of particles with a molecular weight of no more than about 60 kDa.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is configured such that a hematocrit profile in the first channel is controllable by an operator of the device system when blood is flowed through the first channel.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is configured such that hematocrit is substantially constant throughout the first channel when blood is transported through the first channel.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first channel is configured such that fluid flow in the first channel is substantially laminar.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first channel is configured to maintain a wall shear rate in the range of 300-3000 inverse seconds when blood is transported through the first channel.

16. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an anticoagulant coating on at least one inner surface of the first channel.

17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first channel has a height in the range of about 50 microns to about 500 microns, a width in the range of about 50 microns to about 900 microns, and a length in the range of about 3 centimeters to about 20.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the interchannel flow barrier comprises a membrane.

19. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first channel is defined in part by a substantially planar substrate, and the second channel and the third channel are configured to allow fluid to flow in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the substrate is formed from at least one of polystyrene, polycarbonate, polyimide, polysulfone, polyethersulfone, acrylic, cyclic olefin copolymer (COC), polycaprolactone (PCL), or polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS).

Assignees

• Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Inc

Inventors

• Dibiasio Christopher
• Harjes Daniel I
• Charest Joseph L
• Borenstein Jeffrey T

Classifications

• B01D61/244

  comprising multiple dialysis steps · CPC title

• B01L2300/0861

  Configuration of multiple channels and/or chambers in a single devices · CPC title

• A61M1/3403

  Regulation parameters · CPC title

• B01D63/088

  Microfluidic devices comprising semi-permeable flat membranes · CPC title

• A61M2205/3331

  Pressure; Flow · CPC title