A contact pin printhead for microfluidic array spot printing can include a printhead chassis with a plurality of micro-pins insertable within respective sockets in the printhead chassis. An individual micro-pin can include a micro-pin tip that can be individually biased in a distal direction toward a target substrate via an elastic mechanical biaser associated with the micro-pin. An individual micro-pin can deposit fluid carried within a cavity therein and onto a target substrate during physical contact therewith at a micro-pin tip. Also, an individual micro-pin can retain fluid carried within the cavity, without depositing, absent physical contact at the micro-pin tip.

A microfluidic probe head for providing a sequence of separate liquid volumes separated by spacers, the separate liquid volumes including a respective target substance associated with a respective target area, the microfluidic probe head including an inlet and an outlet; a first fluid channel fluidly connected to the inlet, the first fluid channel configured for delivering an injection liquid from the inlet to a respective target area; a second fluid channel fluidly connected to the outlet, the second fluid channel configured for delivering liquid volumes from the respective target area to the outlet; and a spacer insertion unit fluidly connected to the second fluid channel, the spacer insertion unit configured for inserting spacers into the second fluid channel between the liquid volumes to provide the sequence of separate liquid volumes separated by spacers.

Devices and methods are provided for spotting an array with fluid. Arrays produced by such methods are also provided. In one aspect of the invention, a spotter device for spotting a plurality of fluids into an array is described, the spotter device comprising a plurality of reservoirs provided in a first configuration, each reservoir holding its respective fluid, a print head having a plurality of positions provided in a second configuration, the second configuration being different from the first configuration, a plurality of tubes, each tube configured to provide fluid communication from a reservoir at a first end of the tube to a position in the print head at the second end of the tube, and a pump for pumping fluid through the tubes from the reservoir to the print head.

Provided is a fabrication method of print head of MCM device formed micro patterned air gap capable of picoliter-scale droplet printing, and more particularly, is characterized in that comprising preparing silicon wafer 10 washed by piranha solution at step A, stacking silicon nitride films 20 and 20 up front surface and back surface of prepared silicon wafer at step B, drying after applying photoresists 30 and 30 to top surface and bottom surface of the silicon nitride film 20 and 20 at step C, removing partially the photoresists through pre-determined pattern by irradiation of ultraviolet after arranging photomask 40 formed through pre-determined pattern in any one side of the photoresists 30 and 30 at step D, forming sample droplet storage space opening by removing silicon nitride film 21 contacted to photoresists removed by pre-determined pattern at step E, removing the photoresists 30 and 30 stacked up the silicon nitride film 20 and 20 at step F, forming sample droplet storage space 50 by etching the silicon wafer at step G, and forming sample droplet opening 60 by irradiating ultrasonic waves at step H.

A microfluidic probe head for providing a sequence of separate liquid volumes separated by spacers, the separate liquid volumes including a respective target substance associated with a respective target area, the microfluidic probe head including an inlet and an outlet; a first fluid channel fluidly connected to the inlet, the first fluid channel configured for delivering an injection liquid from the inlet to a respective target area; a second fluid channel fluidly connected to the outlet, the second fluid channel configured for delivering liquid volumes from the respective target area to the outlet; and a spacer insertion unit fluidly connected to the second fluid channel, the spacer insertion unit configured for inserting spacers into the second fluid channel between the liquid volumes to provide the sequence of separate liquid volumes separated by spacers.

An integrated device for a sample collection and transfer is provided. The integrated device comprises a capillary channel disposed between a first layer and a second layer, wherein the first layer comprises a hydrophilic layer comprising a fluid inlet for receiving a sample fluid to the capillary channel, wherein the capillary channel comprises an inner surface and an outer surface and an outlet for driving out the sample fluid. The device further comprises an interface assembly comprising: a third layer, a fourth layer, a fifth layer, and a flow path. The interface assembly is disposed on the outer surface of the capillary, at a determining position relative to the outlet, such that the capillary is in contact with the third layer of the interface assembly and the outlet is in contact with the flow path of the interface assembly for driving out the sample fluid from the integrated device.

The present invention relates to a method for developing and/or reprogramming plant cellular objects comprising the steps: providing a reservoir containing a medium with plant cellular objects: providing a first set of compartments of sample fluid embedded in carrier fluid in a microfluidic conduit, wherein the carrier fluid is immiscible with the medium, wherein the first set's compartments of sample fluid each comprise medium and at least one plant cellular object: providing one or more first state triggers to the plant cellular objects in the microfluidic conduit for inducing a first state in the plant cellular objects of the first set of compartments: incubating the plant cellular objects of the first set of compartments in the microfluidic conduit for a time span sufficient for the plant cellular objects to transfer to the first state: selecting one or more first selection parameters indicative of the first state: identifying, within the first set of compartments in the microfluidic conduit, compartments according to the one or more first selection parameters and optionally assigning the compartments with respective state identifiers.

System and method for handling dispersed microscopic objects contained in a sample fluid, the system comprising a first microfluidic device comprising a microchannel with an inlet, an outlet and an opening, the opening being located between the inlet and the outlet, a conveying device configured to pump a carrier fluid via the inlet into the microchannel with an input volumetric flow rate and to remove fluid from the microchannel via the outlet with an output volumetric flow rate, a first sensor unit for identifying positions of the dispersed objects in the sample fluid, and a positioning unit configured to position the opening at a target position proximate the position of a target object.

Methods and devices are provided for manipulating droplets on a support using surface tension properties, moving the droplets along a predetermined path and merging two droplets together enabling a number of chemical reactions. Disclosed are methods for controlling the droplets volumes. Disclosed are methods and devices for synthesizing at least one oligonucleotide having a predefined sequence. Disclosed are methods and devices for synthesizing and/or assembling at least one polynucleotide product having a predefined sequence from a plurality of different oligonucleotides having a predefined sequence. In exemplary embodiments, the methods involve synthesis and/or amplification of different oligonucleotides immobilized on a solid support, release of synthesized/amplified oligonucleotides in solution to form droplets, recognition and removal of error-containing oligonu-cleotides, moving or combining two droplets to allow hybridization and/or ligation between two different oligonucleotides, and further chain extension reaction following hybridization and/or ligation to hierarchically generate desired length of polynucleotide products.

Provided are methods and related devices for preparing a cell and tissue culture, including a hanging drop culture. Microwells are specially loaded with cell mixtures using a removable reservoir and forcing cells into the underlying microwells. The removable reservoir is removed and the cells partitioned into the individual microwells and covered by an immiscible layer of fluid. The microwells and immiscible layer is inverted and the cells in the microwells cultured. The microwells may have shape-controlling elements to control the three-dimensional shape of the culture.