A cartridge for use in an electrowetting sample processing system, the cartridge having at least one inlet port for introducing an input liquid in an internal gap of the cartridge, wherein the gap has at least one hydrophobic surface and is configured to provide an electrowetting induced movement of a microfluidic droplet of input liquid, wherein the input liquid has a carrier liquid and a processing liquid and the gap has a capture zone that is configured to capture at least a part of the processing liquid as a microfluidic droplet by use of electrowetting force and the gap further has a transfer zone that is configured to provide a passage for the carrier liquid next to the microfluidic droplet, while processing liquid is captured in the capture zone.

A microfluidic chip comprises: a first unit which has a channel for a cell sample to pass through and is configured to separate circulating tumor cells in the cell sample; a second unit, a front end of which communicates with a tail end of the first unit, and the second unit is configured to capture single cells from the separated circulating tumor cells and subject the captured single cells to closed lysis; and a gel layer which is provided at the second unit. The microfluidic chip is configured to implement the binding of a protein molecule of the single cell with an antibody in the gel layer after the single cell is lysed. A cell separation and western blotting method using the microfluidic chip comprises: lysing circulating tumor cells, capturing, and implementing the binding of a lysate with an antibody. A manufacture method of the microfluidic chip, comprises: manufacturing a first interlayer and a separation unit; manufacturing a second interlayer and pasting the second interlayer on a basal layer, and manufacturing a single-cell capture unit; and bonding the first interlayer with the separation unit and the second interlayer with the single-cell capture unit.

Systems and methods for identifying DNA strand size and purifying the DNA based on strand size using electrophoresis. The methods include moving, via voltage, a plurality of DNA strands through a separation gel from an inlet of a capillary or passage to either a first outlet or a second outlet dependent on the DNA strand length. In some implementations, the system is a capillary electrophoresis system. In other implementations, the system is a microfluidic lab-on-a-chip.

A transfer-membrane retaining jig (2) that retains a transfer membrane (1) in a separation-transfer device (100) includes: a fixing part (20, 21) that fixes at least one end in a movement direction of the transfer membrane (1), in which the fixing part (20, 21) includes an elastic body (20a, 21a) that abuts the transfer membrane (1) from an opposite side to a dispensing part (50a), and a pressing member (20b, 21b) that presses the transfer membrane (1) against the elastic body (20a, 21a).

The present disclosure relates to fluidic systems and devices for processing, extracting, or purifying one or more analytes. These systems and devices can be used for processing samples and extracting nucleic acids, for example by isotachophoresis. In particular, the systems and related methods can allow for extraction of nucleic acids, including non-crosslinked nucleic acids, from samples such as tissue or cells. The systems and devices can also be used for multiplex parallel sample processing.

A flat bar piezoelectric actuator affixed to a pressure chamber with one or more separation capillary tubes exiting near respective nozzle orifices is disclosed. The flat actuator against a flat wall of the pump chamber causes a relatively planar pressure wave to pass by the end of each capillary, transporting a precise amount of separated analyte from the capillary out of the nozzle orifice. The nozzle may or may not be tapered. Multiple nozzles can form an inkjet print head that ejects precise droplets of analyte and sheath fluid. The small volume of mixed sheath liquid and analyte can then be jetted through the nozzle at a moving surface, either continuously or as discrete droplets. Relative positions on the surface can indicate separation distances of dispensed analytes.

Devices, systems, and methods of using them are disclosed that position an end of a capillary electrophoresis tube within an internal tapered nozzle region of an inkjet print head or other microfluidic pump. The capillary electrophoresis tube can extend through an inlet of the microfluidic pump and leave space for a sheath liquid to enter the pump and mix with separated analytes eluted from the capillary electrophoresis tube. The small volume of mixed sheath liquid and analyte can then be jetted through the nozzle at a moving surface, either continuously or as discrete droplets. Relative positions on the surface can indicate separation distances of dispensed analytes.

Proteins that are electrophoretically separated in a gel are derivatized to produce fluorescent emissions by incorporating halo-substituted organic compounds into one or both of the electrode buffer solutions at the two ends of the gel. The halo-substituted compounds used are ones that bear an electric charge at the pH of the buffer solutions and gel, and the polarity of the charge on the compounds is such that the compounds migrate from the electrode buffer into the gel under the electrophoretic influence concurrently with the migration of the proteins into the gel. Once the proteins are separated and distributed within the gel and the gel is fully penetrated with the halo-substituted compounds, the gel is irradiated with ultraviolet light to induce a reaction between the halo-substituted compounds and the proteins through the tryptophan residues on the proteins, producing fluorescent reaction products.

An elution apparatus and a detection apparatus are described. The elution apparatus includes: a sample trap for trapping a sample; and one or more pumps and/or valves to move a liquid eluent and a liquid eluate, wherein the eluate includes an extracted portion of the sample that is extracted by the eluent. The detection apparatus includes: a capillary having a low-voltage (LV) end portion to receive a sample; and a conductivity detector coupled to a high-voltage (HV) end portion of the capillary to generate signals based on conductivity of a monitored portion of the capillary in the HV end portion, wherein the conductivity detector is electrically isolated from the LV end portion.

The present disclosure describes an apparatus including a waste compartment, a membrane compartment on the waste compartment, and a wash buffer reservoir on the membrane compartment. The membrane compartment includes a membrane compartment outlet aperture and is configured to hold at least one membrane, and the membrane compartment outlet aperture fluidly connects the membrane compartment and the waste compartment. The wash buffer reservoir comprises a wash buffer reservoir outlet aperture, and the wash buffer reservoir outlet aperture fluidly connects the wash buffer reservoir and the membrane compartment. The apparatus may be used to wash membranes used in analytic techniques, such as membranes for gel electrophoresis.