A microfluidic probe includes a probe head with a processing surface that includes a first aperture and a second aperture. The probe further includes a liquid injection channel, which leads to the first aperture, and a liquid aspiration channel, which extends from the second aperture. The probe also includes a bypass channel, arranged so as to fluidly connect the liquid injection channel to the liquid aspiration channel, as well as a control channel. The latter fluidly connects to the bypass channel, hence forming a junction therewith, so as to define two portions of the bypass channel. These portions includes: a first portion that extends from the junction to the liquid injection channel; and a second portion that extends from that same junction to the liquid aspiration channel. The invention is further directed to methods of operation of a probe as described above, to process a surface.

A device is described that overlays a first fluid, such as blood or a cellular suspension onto a base material, such as a density gradient. In some embodiments, the fluid layering device includes a cylindrical reservoir, a fluid barrier, a coupling extension, a plunger, and an exhaust vent. The fluid layering device can be coupled through its coupling extension to an open end of a container, such as a conical centrifuge tube, including the density gradient. Once attached, the plunger may be lowered to a position above the surface of the density gradient. A first fluid may flow from the reservoir into the conical tube across the plunger, so that a suitable overlay is formed without substantially disturbing a surface of the density gradient.

The disclosure features methods, fluid delivery platforms, and apparatus for preparing a sample on a substrate that includes a substrate handler configured to move a substrate between a first position and a second position, and a platform positioned so that when the substrate is in the second position, the platform faces the substrate, where the platform includes a fluid delivery area having a second surface formed from a hydrophilic material for which a water contact angle is 40 degrees or less, and a first surface facing the substrate when the substrate is in the second position, formed from a hydrophobic material for which a water contact angle is 100 degrees or more.

A microfluidic system includes a chip holder that holds a microchip including a plurality of reservoirs, a chip cover, a sealing member; a dispensing probe, a suction mechanism, a first storage where a first cleaning solution is stored, a second storage where a second cleaning solution is stored, a pump, a channel switch, and a controller. The channel switch is configured to switch between a channel through which the first cleaning solution is suctioned from the first storage and a channel through which the second cleaning solution is suctioned from the second storage. The controller controls operations of the channel switch and the pump.

Provided is an automatic analyzer to control a temperature of a reagent supplied to a magnetic separator with high accuracy. The automatic analyzer includes a magnetic separator that separates a magnetic component and a non-magnetic component from liquid obtained by reacting a sample with a first reagent, a storage unit that accommodates a second reagent, a pipe used to supply the second reagent to the magnetic separator, and a heat exchanger that adjusts a temperature around the pipe. It is preferable that the heat exchanger includes a heat absorption and dissipation unit and a fan that blows air heat-exchanged by the heat absorption and dissipation unit, and the air blown from the fan is blown onto the pipe.

A microfluidic dispenser can include a processor to receive a user input via a user interface related to limiting dilution (or a limiting dilution assay) to be performed, and calculate a dispense volume of a fluid for the limiting dilution based on the user input. The microfluidic dispenser can also include a dispense cassette including a fluid reservoir, and a microfluidic dispense head to dispense the fluid via a nozzle in accordance with the calculated dispense volume.

Devices that includes a first portion, the first portion including at least one fluid channel; a fluid actuator; an analysis sensor disposed within the fluid channel; a conductivity sensor disposed within the fluid channel; and an introducer; a second portion, the second portion comprising: at least one well, the well containing at least one material, wherein one of the first or second portion is moveable with respect to the other, wherein the introducer is configured to obtain at least a portion of the material from the at least one well and deliver it to the fluid channel, and wherein the fluid actuator is configured to move at least a portion of the material in the fluid channel.

The disclosure relates to manufacturing a microfluidic arrangement wherein a second liquid (2) such as fluorinated oil is provided in direct contact with a continuous body of a first liquid (1) such as an aqueous cell culture medium and covering the first pot liquid. The second liquid is caused to move through the first liquid and into contact with a substrate (11) along all of a selected path to displace first liquid. The selected path is such that one or more walls of second liquid are formed that modify a shape of the continuous body of first liquid. The first liquid is aqueous. The second liquid is immiscible with the first liquid. The second liquid is treated in a liquid treatment apparatus (50), prior to the second liquid being caused to move through the first liquid, by flowing a gas through the second liquid and thereby increasing a level of saturation of the second liquid.

A cell picking device that sucks cells from a liquid sample in a sample container and accommodates the sucked cells in any of a plurality of wells of an accommodating plate, includes a suction discharger that sucks cells in the sample container and discharges the sucked cells into any of the plurality of wells, the receiver that receives selection of a well in which cells are to be accommodated out of the plurality of wells of the accommodating plate as a selection well, a driver that adjusts a relative positional relationship between the suction discharger and the plurality of wells of the accommodating plate, and a work controller that controls the driver such that the suction discharger discharges cells into the received selection well out of the plurality of wells of the accommodating plate.

The present invention relates to a tube assembly for dripping. According to an embodiment, a tube assembly for dripping includes a tube (100) having a hole (H) at an upper portion thereof, and a filter tip (200) having a tip (210) including, an insertion part (211) inserted into the hole (H) of the tube (100) and, an expansion part (212) connected to the insertion part (211) and having a diameter that is larger than that of the hole (H), and a discharge pipe (213) connected to the expansion part (212) and acting as a passage, through which a solution (S) stored in the interior of the tube (100) is discharged, wherein a discharge adjusting part (213a) having a discharge hole (h) having a predetermined diameter (d1) is formed in the interior of the discharge pipe (213) that is spaced apart from a lower end of the discharge pipe (213) by a predetermined distance.