Structuring a set of objects such as cells and micron-sized particles using acoustic force

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025115862-A1
Application number	US-202218694769-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 27, 2022
Priority date	Sep 28, 2021
Publication date	Apr 10, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A technique for moving various objects such as cells and particles of hydrogel or a compressible material, suspended in a fluid, so as to form a layered structure akin to human organ tissue. A standing sound wave is propagated through the fluid so as to position the cells on a pressure node and the particles on a pressure antinode. As such, the cells have a positive acoustic contrast relative to the fluid, while the particles have a negative acoustic contrast relative to the fluid.

First claim

1 - 9 . (canceled)

10 . A method for structuring a set of objects, comprising:
arranging a fluid and said objects suspended in the fluid in a cavity, and generating a stationary acoustic wave in the cavity so as to produce an acoustic radiation force causing the objects to move in the cavity, wherein said objects comprise: first objects which have a positive acoustic contrast with respect to the fluid, and second objects which have a negative acoustic contrast with respect to the fluid, and the stationary acoustic wave is held so as to keep the objects thus moved in acoustic levitation.

11 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the stationary acoustic wave generated in the cavity has a wavelength less than twice a dimension of the cavity along a direction of propagation of the stationary acoustic wave, preferably less than or equal to this dimension.

12 . The method according to claim 10 , comprising, after positioning the objects under the action of the acoustic radiation force, a step of introducing a substance into the cavity so as to form a matrix capable of supporting the first objects.

13 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein said substance comprises a hydrogel prepolymer.

14 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the matrix is porous.

15 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein said substance comprises a photopolymerisable material, the method comprising, after introducing the substance into the cavity, a step of light stimulating the substance so as to polymerise it.

16 . The method according to claim 10 , comprising, after positioning the objects under the action of the acoustic radiation force, a step of incubating the objects.

17 . The method according to claim 10 , comprising, after positioning the objects under the action of the acoustic radiation force, a step of heating the second objects so as to melt them.

18 . The method according to claim 10 , comprising, after positioning the objects under the action of the acoustic radiation force, a step of encapsulating the first objects, this step comprising introducing third objects having a positive acoustic contrast with respect to the fluid into the cavity.

Assignees

• Centre Nat Rech Scient
• Ecole Superieure Physique & Chimie Ind Ville De Paris
• Inst Nat Sante Rech Med
• Univ Sorbonne
• Univ Paris Cite

Inventors

• Dupuis Chloé
• Aider Jean-Luc
• Peyrin Jean-Michel
• Hoyos Mauricio

Classifications

• C12M47/20

  Heating or cooling (heating or cooling apparatus for laboratory uses B01L7/00) · CPC title

• C12M25/14

  Scaffolds; Matrices (in general C12N5/0068) · CPC title

• C12M25/16

  Particles; Beads; Granular material; Encapsulation (chemical or physical processes conducted in the presence of fluids and solid particles B01J8/00) · CPC title

• C12M47/04 Primary

  Cell isolation or sorting (purging biological preparations of unwanted cells C12N5/0081, determining the presence or kind of microorganism C12Q1/04) · CPC title