An apparatus and method are disclosed for modifying the position of particles distributed in a fluid flow in a channel, comprising a channel formed by two substrates, each of the two substrates being on opposite sides of the channel, each substrate having a preselected periodic profile pattern along a length of the channel, and a transducer, wherein one of the substrates is between the transducer and the channel, the transducer to generate an acoustic standing wave within the channel with at least one node or antinode positioned within the channel.

A micro-fluidic chip that can be used for screening a single particle and forming and exporting a droplet wrapping same. The micro-fluidic chip is connected to a liquid sample introduction apparatus, and can constitute a micro-fluidic chip apparatus for forming a droplet for wrapping a single particle. The micro-fluidic chip apparatus can further constitute, with a particle capture apparatus, a micro-fluidic operating system for forming a droplet wrapping a single particle. Further provided is a method for forming and respectively exporting a droplet wrapping a single particle in a micro-fluidic chip.

The present invention provides microfabricated substrates and methods of conducting reactions within these substrates. The reactions occur in plugs transported in the flow of a carrier-fluid.

Apparatuses and methods are described for the use of optically driven bubble, convective and displacing fluidic flow to provide motive force in microfluidic devices. Alternative motive modalities are useful to selectively dislodge and displace micro-objects, including biological cells, from a variety of locations within the enclosure of a microfluidic device.

A microfluidic apparatus is provided having one or more sequestration pens configured to isolate one or more target micro-objects by changing the orientation of the microfluidic apparatus with respect to a globally active force, such as gravity. Methods of selectively directing the movements of micro-objects in such a microfluidic apparatus using gravitational forces are also provided. The micro-objects can be biological micro-objects, such as cells, or inanimate micro-objects, such as beads.

A group of micro-objects in a holding pen in a micro-fluidic device can be selected and moved to a staging area, from which the micro-objects can be exported from the micro-fluidic device. The micro-fluidic device can have a plurality of holding pens, and each holding pen can isolate micro-objects located in the holding pen from micro-objects located in the other holding pens or elsewhere in the micro-fluidic device. The selected group of micro-objects can comprise one or more biological cells, such as a clonal population of cells. Embodiments of the invention can thus select a particular group of clonal cells in a micro-fluidic device, move the clonal cells to a staging area, and export the clonal cells from the micro-fluidic device while maintaining the clonal nature of the exported group.

Individual biological micro-objects can be deterministically selected and moved into holding pens in a micro-fluidic device. A flow of a first liquid medium can be provided to the pens. Physical pens can be structured to impede a direct flow of the first medium into a second medium in the pens while allowing diffusive mixing of the first medium and the second medium. Virtual pens can allow a common flow of medium to multiple ones of the pens.

Provided herein are devices, systems, and methods for analysis of objects, such as cells. The devices, systems, and methods organize a plurality of objects in a plurality of partitions by trapping an object in a trap and transferring the object to an adjacent partition. The devices, systems, and methods provide for parallel analysis of a plurality of objects.

Functional assays using reporter cell assays are described which probe the activity of at least one cell of interest. The ability to probe at least one cell is provided by using the microfluidic methods, devices and kits described herein. Assays combining both reporter cell signaling as well as binding assay signaling for at least one cell is also described herein.

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.