A chip includes a micro-channel unit for hydraulically classifying cells in a blood sample. In a micro-channel unit, liquid flowing from a sub channel into a main channel pushes cells flowing in the main channel toward a side thereof on which a removal channel and a collection channel are disposed. Fluid containing non-nucleated RBCs among the pushed cells enters the removal channel, so that the non-nucleated RBCs are removed from a blood sample. A plurality of micro-channel units having the same patterns as each other are repeatedly stacked in a height direction. Inlets of the main channels, inlets of the sub channels, outlets of the removal channels, outlets of the collection channels, and outlets of the main channels, which are provided in the micro-channel units, are connected to respective pillar channels penetrating each of layers in a traversing manner.

A device for separating a sample of cells suspended in a bio-compatible ferrofluid is described. The device includes a microfluidic channel having a sample inlet, at least one output, and a length between the sample inlet and the at least one output, wherein a sample can be added to the sample inlet and flow along the length to the at least one outlet. The device includes a plurality of electrodes, wherein the microfluidic channel length transverses the plurality of electrodes, and further includes a power source for applying a current to the plurality of electrodes to create a magnetic field pattern along the length of the microfluidic channel. The present invention also includes a method for separating at least one cell type. The method includes the steps of suspending cells in a bio-compatible ferrofluid to form a sample, passing the sample through a microfluidic channel that transverses a plurality of electrodes, applying a current to the plurality of electrodes to create a magnetic field pattern along the length of the microfluidic channel, and sorting the cells into at least one output channel based on a variation of at least one of cell size, shape and elasticity.

A technique relates to separation of a mixture. A nano-deterministic lateral displacement (nanoDLD) array is configured to separate the mixture in a fluid. A feedback system is configured to control a velocity of the fluid through the nanoDLD array. The feedback system is configured to control the velocity of the fluid to separate one or more entities in the mixture.

A system and method for detection of cells is disclosed. Target cells, such as circulating tumor cells (CTCs), may be of interest. Magnetic beads may be bound to the target cells. After which, the target cells (with the magnetic beads attached thereto) may be identified using an applied magnetic field. In one example, magnetic sensors may be used to detect movement of the target cells responsive to an applied magnetic field. In another example, an optical sensor (such as a camera) may be used to detect movement of the target cells responsive to an applied magnetic field. Further, separate from identification of the target cells, the target cells may be sorted using an applied magnetic field. In this way, a magnetic field may be used in either or both of target cell identification or target cell sorting in order to detect target cells of interest.

An analysis device (200) analyzes a crossover frequency at which a dielectrophoretic force on dielectric particles switches from a repulsive force to an attractive force or from the attractive force to the repulsive force, comprising a flow channel (5), a pair of electrodes (22, 23), a power supply (24), an imaging unit (25) and an analyzer (26). Through the flow channel (5), a sample solution containing the dielectric particles in the dielectrophoretic liquid flows. The pair of electrodes (22, 23) are arranged in the first channel. The power supply (24) applies a frequency-modulated AC voltage to the first electrodes (22, 23). The imaging unit (25) captures an image of a movement trajectory of each of the dielectric particles flowing between the electrodes (22, 23) in the flow channel. The analyzer (26) obtains the crossover frequency of the dielectric particles based on the captured image of the movement trajectory.

Various aspects of the present invention relate to the control and manipulation of fluidic species, for example, in microfluidic systems. In one aspect, the invention relates to systems and methods for making droplets of fluid surrounded by a liquid, using, for example, electric fields, mechanical alterations, the addition of an intervening fluid, etc. In some cases, the droplets may each have a substantially uniform number of entities therein. For example, 95% or more of the droplets may each contain the same number of entities of a particular species. In another aspect, the invention relates to systems and methods for dividing a fluidic droplet into two droplets, for example, through charge and/or dipole interactions with an electric field. The invention also relates to systems and methods for fusing droplets according to another aspect of the invention, for example, through charge and/or dipole interactions. In some cases, the fusion of the droplets may initiate or determine a reaction. In a related aspect of the invention, systems and methods for allowing fluid mixing within droplets to occur are also provided. In still another aspect, the invention relates to systems and methods for sorting droplets, e.g., by causing droplets to move to certain regions within a fluidic system. Examples include using electrical interactions (e.g., charges, dipoles, etc.) or mechanical systems (e.g., fluid displacement) to sort the droplets. In some cases, the fluidic droplets can be sorted at relatively high rates, e.g., at about 10 droplets per second or more. Another aspect of the invention provides the ability to determine droplets, or a component thereof, for example, using fluorescence and/or other optical techniques (e.g., microscopy), or electric sensing techniques such as dielectric sensing.

A microfluidic system and method for the recovery of particles; the system comprises at least one standing chamber, at least one outlet, at least one inlet and a moving assembly, which is adapted to move the particles; a fluid is fed from the inlet to the outlet so as to generate a substantially continuous flow of the fluid; a given particle of a group of particles arranged in the collecting chamber is moved selectively with respect to the other particles of the assembly to a release area, in which a dragging force created by the fluid flow is such as to move the particle towards the outlet.

Methods for cell analysis are provided, comprising cell capturing, characterization, transport, and culture. In an exemplary method individual cells (and/or cellular units) are flowed into a microfluidic channel, the channel is partitioned into a plurality of contiguous segments, capturing at least one cell in at least one segment. A characteristic of one or more captured cells is determined and the cell(s) and combinations of cells are transported to specified cell holding chamber(s) based on the determined characteristic(s). Also provided are devices and systems for cell analysis.

Various aspects of the present invention relate to the control and manipulation of fluidic species, for example, in microfluidic systems. In one set of embodiments, droplets may be sorted using surface acoustic waves. The droplets may contain cells or other species. In some cases, the surface acoustic waves may be created using a surface acoustic wave generator such as an interdigitated transducer, and/or a material such as a piezoelectric substrate. The piezoelectric substrate may be isolated from the microfluidic substrate except at or proximate the location where the droplets are sorted, e.g., into first or second microfluidic channels. At such locations, the microfluidic substrate may be coupled to the piezoelectric substrate (or other material) by one or more coupling regions. In some cases, relatively high sorting rates may be achieved, e.g., at rates of at least about 1,000 Hz, at least about 10,000 Hz, or at least about 100,000 Hz, and in some embodiments, with high cell viability after sorting.

The combined value of integrating optical forces and electrokinetics allows for the pooled separation vectors of each to be applied, providing for separation based on combinations of features such as size, shape, refractive index, charge, charge distribution, charge mobility, permittivity, and deformability. The interplay of these separation vectors allow for the selective manipulation of analytes with a finer degree of variation. Embodiments include methods of method of separating particles in a microfluidic channel using a device comprising a microfluidic channel, a source of laser light focused by an optic into the microfluidic channel, and a source of electrical field operationally connected to the microfluidic channel via electrodes so that the laser light and the electrical field to act jointly on the particles in the microfluidic channel. Other devices and methods are disclosed.