US 11,853,087 B2
Microfluidic system
Rustem F. Ismagilov, Chicago, IL (US); Bo Zheng, Chicago, IL (US); and Cory John Gerdts, Chicago, IL (US)
Assigned to The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed by The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on Aug. 3, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/983,270.
Application 16/983,270 is a division of application No. 15/639,151, filed on Jun. 30, 2017, granted, now 10,732,649.
Application 15/639,151 is a continuation of application No. 14/978,341, filed on Dec. 22, 2015, granted, now 9,696,729, issued on Jul. 4, 2017.
Application 14/978,341 is a continuation of application No. 11/174,298, filed on Jul. 1, 2005, granted, now 9,477,233, issued on Oct. 25, 2016.
Application 11/174,298 is a continuation of application No. 11/082,187, filed on Mar. 16, 2005, granted, now 7,655,470, issued on Feb. 2, 2010.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/623,261, filed on Oct. 29, 2004.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/585,801, filed on Jul. 2, 2004.
Prior Publication US 2021/0018941 A1, Jan. 21, 2021
Int. Cl. G01N 1/38 (2006.01); G01N 35/08 (2006.01); G05D 7/06 (2006.01); B01J 19/00 (2006.01); B01L 3/02 (2006.01); B01L 3/00 (2006.01); B01F 25/314 (2022.01); B01F 33/302 (2022.01); G01N 35/10 (2006.01)
CPC G05D 7/0694 (2013.01) [B01F 25/314 (2022.01); B01F 33/3021 (2022.01); B01J 19/0046 (2013.01); B01L 3/0293 (2013.01); B01L 3/502784 (2013.01); G01N 1/38 (2013.01); G01N 35/08 (2013.01); B01J 2219/0059 (2013.01); B01J 2219/00522 (2013.01); B01J 2219/00585 (2013.01); B01J 2219/00599 (2013.01); B01L 3/502746 (2013.01); B01L 2200/0673 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0816 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0838 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0864 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0867 (2013.01); B01L 2400/0487 (2013.01); G01N 2035/1034 (2013.01); Y10T 137/0318 (2015.04)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for forming and collecting a plurality of droplets, the method comprising:
providing a microfluidic device comprising at least a first channel and a second channel intersecting with each other at a junction and a microchannel extending from the junction and having at least one outlet downstream of the junction;
providing a detachable holding component comprising a microchannel having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the inlet is detachably coupled to the outlet of the microchannel of the microfluidic device;
forming a plurality of droplets in an immiscible carrier fluid within the microfluidic device;
transferring the plurality of droplets from the microfluidic device to the holding component by flowing the plurality of droplets through the microchannel of the microfluidic device and into the microchannel of the holding component via a suction force applied by a pump operably coupled to the holding component; and
attaching the holding component to a combining component and merging, in the combining component, a reagent with the plurality of droplets, wherein the plurality of droplets in the holding components contain live cells, protein or nucleic acids representing the genome of an organism, and wherein each droplet is separated from an immediately adjacent droplet within the microchannel of the holding component.