Cartridge, kit and method for processing biological samples and manipulating liquids having biological samples

摘要

Cartridge has a container with at least one well having a channel from a well opening to a container base side, protrusions on the container base side, and a flat polymer film with a hydrophobic upper surface kept at a distance from the base side by the protrusions. The container and film are reversibly attachable to a liquid droplet manipulation instrument so the lower surface of the film abuts at least one electrode array of the instrument. The container enables displacement of a liquid droplet from a well through the channel onto the hydrophobic upper surface and above the electrode array. The instrument has a control unit with a voltage control and an electrode selector for individually selecting each electrode of the electrode array and for providing the selected electrode with a voltage to controlling guided movement of a liquid droplet by electrowetting. A kit and method are also disclosed.

主权项

1. A cartridge (40) for enabling droplet manipulation by electrowetting and processing of biological samples in a liquid droplet manipulation instrument (20), wherein the cartridge (40) comprises:
a container (2) having a top side (3) and a base side (4) and comprising at least one well (6) open at the top side (3), wherein the at least one well (6) comprises a bottom side (8) having at least one opening (11), the container (2) further comprising a channel (12) connecting the opening of the well (11) with an orifice (13) on the base side (4) of the container (2), and wherein the base side (4) of the container (2) comprises protrusions (5) distributed thereon; and a flat polymer film (14) having a lower surface (15) and a hydrophobic up-per surface (16), which is kept at a distance (d) to the base side (4) of the container (2) by the protrusions (5), the distance (d) defining at least one gap (17) when the container (2) is positioned on the flat polymer film (14), abutting the latter with its protrusions (5); wherein the container (2) and the flat polymer film (14) are configured to be reversibly attachable to the liquid droplet manipulation instrument (20) in a way that the lower surface (15) of the flat polymer film (14) abuts at least one electrode array (21) of the liquid droplet manipulation instrument (20); and wherein the container (2) is configured to enable displacement of at least one liquid droplet (19) from the at least one well (6) through the channel (12) of the container (2) onto the hydrophobic upper surface (16) of the flat polymer film (14) and above the at least one electrode array (21); the liquid drop-let manipulation instrument (20) comprising a control unit (23) with at least one electrode selector (34) connected with at least one voltage control (29), the at least one electrode selector (34) being accomplished to individually se-lect each electrode (35) of the at least one electrode array (21) and provide the selected electrode (35) with a voltage controlled by a voltage control (29) and thus being accomplished to control a guided movement of said liquid droplet (19) on the hydrophobic upper surface (16) of the flat polymer film (14) by electrowetting.