Patent ID: 8658418
Filing Date: 2014-02-25
Classification: B01L,C12M,G01N,G02B

Abstract:
1. A microfluidic device for exposing cells to a plurality of compounds comprising: (a) a cell inlet; (b) a plurality of cell chambers in fluidic communication with said cell inlet and at least one of the other cell chambers; (c) a plurality of chamber isolation valves, said isolation valves, when actuated, fluidically isolating said chambers from each other; (d) a plurality of compound inlets and compound outlets, wherein each chamber is in fluidic communication with a compound inlet and a compound outlet, wherein each chamber includes a channel sized for retaining a single cell within said chamber; (e) a shared waste receptacle, said shared waste receptacle being configured to receive waste from said compound outlets; (f) a shared reagent reservoir, said shared reagent reservoir being configured to provide reagent to said chambers; (g) a plurality of compound outlet valves, said compound outlet valves configured to fluidically isolate said chambers from said shared waste receptacle and said shared reagent reservoir when closed; (h) a plurality of analysis sites, wherein each cell chamber has a corresponding analysis site, wherein each chamber is in fluidic communication with a respective analysis site via its channel; wherein the plurality of cell chambers includes a first cell chamber and a second cell chamber downstream from the first cell chamber, wherein the first cell chamber is configured to hold a first cell using a retaining force fluidically applied via its channel and thereby allow a second cell following the first cell to be diverted downstream along a shared cell input channel to the second cell chamber.