WARF: P01290US
Method for Creating Constricted Regions inside Microfluidic Channels

INVENTORS

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David Beebe, Jeffrey Moore, Jaisree Moorthy

Many biological applications that use microfluidic systems require filters to collect molecules and constrictions within microchannels to hold a cell or other biological object at a known location. Constricted regions are designed to hold biological objects at a designated location while allowing fluid to flow through. Previously, constricted regions were formed by complicated and expensive lithography-based microfabrication techniques or by flowing beads into the channel to create packed beds. UW-Madison researchers have now developed a simple and inexpensive method for fabricating a constricted region inside a channel of a microfluidic device. The method starts by introducing a liquid pre-polymer mixture into the channel. Next, the mixture is exposed to ultraviolet light. This polymerizes and solidifies the mixture at a localized area of the channel to create the constricted region. Features such as porosity or gap size can be altered for different applications.

• Embryo fertilization, incubation and maturation
• Cell infection
• Chemical treatments
• Sample purification or preparation steps

• Simpler and less expensive than current methods
• Does not require specialized equipment
• Facilitates speedy manufacture of microfluidic devices with constricted regions
• Capable of holding single cells or embryos at known locations within a microfluidic device
• Capable of filtering cells from sera
• Useful with a wide variety of different materials
• Channel gap size and material porosity can be modified for different applications.

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