Apparatus and method for separating whole cells from a mixture, e.g., including liquid, other cell types, nucleic acid material, or other components. Focused acoustic energy may be used to move whole cells in a chamber so that the cells exit the chamber via a first outlet rather than a second outlet. A filter may, or need not, be used to assist in separation.

A flow cell of the flow cytometer of the present invention includes: a sample flow path through which a sample fluid containing a sample flows; and a sample fluid supply portion which communicates with an upstream end of the sample flow path in the sample fluid flow direction and supplies the sample fluid to the sample flow path, wherein the sample fluid supply portion includes a plurality of sample opening portions which supply a sample fluid to the sample flow path, a cleaning liquid supply opening portion to which a second tube is connectable and which supplies a cleaning liquid for cleaning the sample fluid supply portion, and a cleaning liquid discharge opening portion to which a first tube is connectable and which discharges the cleaning liquid from the sample fluid supply portion.

A system or method for detecting an immune system activation state in a patient can include a sample preparation system configured to isolate white blood cells from a sample of the patient, a cytometry module configured to determine biophysical properties of the white blood cells of the sample, and an analysis module configured to analyze the biophysical properties.

Provided is a method of transferring a material into cells, comprising the steps of: forming droplets consisting of a material to be transferred and cells; and a step of subjecting the formed droplets to deformation, thereby transferring the material to be transferred, into the cells.

Parallel uses of microfluidic methods and devices for focusing and/or forming discontinuous sections of similar or dissimilar size in a fluid are described. In some aspects, the present invention relates generally to flow-focusing-type technology, and also to microfluidics, and more particularly parallel use of microfluidic systems arranged to control a dispersed phase within a dispersant, and the size, and size distribution, of a dispersed phase in a multi-phase fluid system, and systems for delivery of fluid components to multiple such devices.

A microfluidic device comprising a channel within a substrate and a condenser or a hydrodynamic focusing chamber along the channel, configured to focus a fluid containing particles of a plurality of sizes. A negative angle deterministic lateral displacement (DLD) array is configured to receive the focused fluid and separate the particles in the focused fluid into three sizes ranges. The negative angle DLD array comprises a plurality of rows of pillars, wherein the rows of pillars are positioned to repeat a pattern every N rows with a shift of M columns, N and M are relatively coprime, and N is greater than 1.

The present invention generally relates to the manipulation of species using acoustic waves such as surface acoustic waves. In some aspects, a channel such as a microfluidic channel may be provided having two or more outlets, and acoustic waves applied to species within the channel to determine which outlet the species is directed to. For instance, surface acoustic waves may be applied to a species such as a cell or a particle to deflect it from the channel into a groove or other portion that directs it to a different outlet. In some cases, surprisingly, this deflection of species may be in a different direction than the incident acoustic waves on the channel. Other embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to kits including such systems, techniques for producing such systems, or the like.

A method of encapsulating a solid sample in a droplet, the method including flowing a continuous phase through a first fluid channel at a first flow rate; flowing a dispersed phase through a second fluid channel at a second flow rate, the dispersed phase including a plurality of particles, cells or beads; trapping the plurality of particles, cells or beads in a mixing region that receives the dispersed phase and the continuous phase; and reducing the first flow rate to encapsulate the trapped particles, cells or beads in droplets of the dispersed phase generated when the dispersed phase and the continuous phase exit the mixing region through an orifice.

Provided are a gene detection kit and a gene detection device. The gene detection kit includes a kit body, a piston cylinder, and a piston. The kit body has an accommodating cavity and a plurality of reagent cavities. The piston cylinder is provided in the accommodating cavity, and the piston cylinder has a piston cavity. The piston is movably provided in the piston cavity along an axial direction of the piston cylinder. A first channel in communication with the piston cavity is provided on an outer circumferential surface of the piston cylinder, a plurality of second channels are provided on an inner wall of the accommodating cavity, each of the second channels is in corresponding communication with one of the reagent cavities, and the piston cylinder can move relative to the kit body, so that the plurality of second channels are alternately in communication with the first channel.

A system or method for detecting an immune system activation state in a patient can include a sample preparation system configured to isolate white blood cells from a sample of the patient, a cytometry module configured to determine biophysical properties of the white blood cells of the sample, and an analysis module configured to analyze the biophysical properties.