US 12,290,812 B2
Microfluidics system
Mozafar Saadat, Birmingham (GB); Arran James Richard Hughes, Birmingham (GB); and Amir Mohammad Hajiyavand, Birmingham (GB)
Assigned to MYMA MEDICAL LIMITED, Newcastle upon Tyne (GB)
Appl. No. 17/051,927
Filed by MYMA MEDICAL LIMITED, Newcastle upon Tyne (GB)
PCT Filed Apr. 30, 2019, PCT No. PCT/GB2019/051196
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 30, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/211596, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 7, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 1807001 (GB), filed on Apr. 30, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0121880 A1, Apr. 29, 2021
Int. Cl. B01L 3/00 (2006.01); C12N 5/076 (2010.01); G01N 33/68 (2006.01)
CPC B01L 3/502738 (2013.01) [B01L 3/502715 (2013.01); C12N 5/061 (2013.01); G01N 33/689 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0627 (2013.01); B01L 2300/163 (2013.01); B01L 2400/0478 (2013.01); B01L 2400/0487 (2013.01); B01L 2400/06 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A microfluidics system for isolating individual sperm from a semen sample, the system comprising:
a first laminar flow channel extending between a first inlet and a first outlet;
a second laminar flow channel extending between a second inlet and a second outlet;
a third laminar flow channel extending between the first and second laminar flow channels and having a restriction configured to prevent passage of a single sperm through the third laminar flow channel, wherein flow of a semen sample through the first laminar flow channel at a pressure higher than flow of a liquid medium through the second laminar flow channel results in a single sperm being trapped by the restriction in the third laminar flow channel;
a fourth laminar flow channel connected between the first laminar flow channel and a third outlet;
a first valve in the first laminar flow channel between the first inlet and the third laminar flow channel;
a second valve in the first laminar flow channel between the fourth laminar flow channel and the first outlet;
a third valve in the fourth laminar flow channel between the first laminar flow channel and the third outlet,
wherein, upon closing the first and second valves and opening the third valve, a sperm trapped by the restriction in the third laminar flow channel travels to the third outlet for collection;
a flow sensor configured to sense fluid flow in the third laminar flow channel;
a first pump arranged to pump fluid into the first inlet at a first pressure;
a second pump arranged to pump fluid into the second inlet at a second pressure lower than the first pressure; and
a controller configured to control the first and second pumps, operate the first, second and third valves and receive a flow signal from the flow sensor,
wherein the controller is configured to close the first and second valves upon detecting a reduction in flow through the third laminar flow channel from the flow sensor and to open the third valve to cause fluid from the second laminar flow channel to flow through the third laminar flow channel, the first laminar flow channel and towards the third outlet.