Patent DE-102012219866-A1 (DE)
Title: Microfluidic module for analyzing three-dimensional structures, comprises a module body, a channel for a hydrodynamic positioning of structure at constriction, and flow-moderate electrodes for enabling impedimetric measurements of structure
Inventor: SCHMIDT JENNIFER
IPC: C12M1/34
Filed: 2012-10-30
Abstract: Microfluidic module (2) comprises a module body (10, 16) having a bottom, which is configured for positioning a microscope on an object stage; a channel formed in the module body, comprising a channel inlet (20), a constriction (24) and a passage outlet, and configured for a hydrodynamic positioning of a three-dimensional structure at the constriction; and a flow-moderate first electrode and a flow-moderate second electrode, for enabling impedimetric measurements of the hydrodynamically positioned three-dimensional structure at the constriction. Microfluidic module (2) comprises a module body (10, 16) having a bottom, which is configured for positioning a microscope on an object stage; a channel formed in the module body, comprising a channel inlet (20), a constriction (24) and a passage outlet, and configured for a hydrodynamic positioning of a three-dimensional structure at the constriction during a flow with a liquid through the channel from the channel inlet to the passage outlet; and a flow-moderate first electrode configured before the constriction adjacent to the channel, and a flow-moderate second electrode configured after the constriction adjacent to the channel, for enabling impedimetric measurements of the hydrodynamically positioned three-dimensional structure at the constriction. At least portions of the module body are made of a light transmissive material, and the module body is configured to allow the microscopic examination of the hydrodynamically positioned three-dimensional structure at the constriction. Independent claims are also included for: (1) a system for analyzing three-dimensional structures comprising (a) the microfluidic module, (b) a fluid circuit, which is fluidically coupled with the channel and configured around the channel to flow through with a liquid, such that a three-dimensional structure is positioned hydrodynamically at the constriction in the channel, (c) a microscope with the object stage, arranged to make microscopic photographs of the three-dimensional structure, when the three-dimensional structure is positioned hydrodynamically at the constriction, and (d) a circuit arrangement for performing impedimetric measurements using the first- and the second electrode, when the three-dimensional structure is positioned hydrodynamically at the constriction; and (2) analyzing the three-dimensional structures using a microfluidic module, comprising positioning the microfluidic module on the object table of a microscope, flowing through the channel with a liquid, such that the three-dimensional structure is positioned hydrodynamically at the constriction in the channel, performing impedimetric measurements using the first- and the second electrode, when the three-dimensional structure is positioned hydrodynamically at the constriction, and generating the microscopic images of the three-dimensional structure, when the three-dimensional structure is hydrodynamically positioned at the constriction.