Exporting a selected group of micro-objects from a micro-fluidic device

摘要

A group of micro-objects in a holding pen in a micro-fluidic device can be selected and moved to a staging area, from which the micro-objects can be exported from the micro-fluidic device. The micro-fluidic device can have a plurality of holding pens, and each holding pen can isolate micro-objects located in the holding pen from micro-objects located in the other holding pens or elsewhere in the micro-fluidic device. The selected group of micro-objects can comprise one or more biological cells, such as a clonal population of cells. Embodiments of the invention can thus select a particular group of clonal cells in a micro-fluidic device, move the clonal cells to a staging area, and export the clonal cells from the micro-fluidic device while maintaining the clonal nature of the exported group.

主权项

1. A process of exporting micro-objects from a micro-fluidic device having an enclosure which comprises a plurality of holding pens, said processing comprising:
selecting a group of micro-objects located in a holding pen that is one of said plurality of holding pens inside said enclosure of said micro-fluidic device; moving said selected group of micro-objects to a staging area inside said enclosure; and exporting ones of said micro-objects of said selected group from said staging area through a passage in said enclosure to a location outside of said enclosure.