NANOFLUIDIC DEVICE FOR ISOLATING, GROWING, AND CHARACTERIZING MICROBIAL CELLS

摘要

Nanofluidic devices and methods of the invention are capable of autonomously isolating individual microbial cells using constrictive channels and growing monocultures of the cells for automated characterization of their biochemical properties and interactions with mammalian cells. Single microbial cells, such as bacterial cells, are isolated directly from environmental sources and cultured using chemical factors from their native environment.

主权项

1. A device for isolating and culturing single cells of a population of microbial cells, the device comprising:
a nanofluidic channel fluidically coupled at a first end to a fluid comprising a mixture of microbial cells; and a microfluidic food chamber fluidically coupled to a second end of the nanofluidic channel;wherein the nanofluidic channel has a cross-sectional diameter that allows entry of only a single microbial cell from the mixture of microbial cells and prevents the microbial cell from entering the food chamber, but allows only progeny of the single microbial cell to enter the food chamber.