DEVICES AND METHODS FOR ENRICHMENT AND ALTERATION OF CELLS AND OTHER PARTICLES

摘要

The invention features devices and methods for the deterministic separation of particles. Exemplary methods include the enrichment of a sample in a desired particle or the alteration of a desired particle in the device. The devices and methods are advantageously employed to enrich for rare cells, e.g., feta l cells, present in a sample, e.g., maternal blood and rare cell components, e.g., fetal cell nuclei. The invention further provides a method for preferentially lysing cells of interest in a sample, e.g., to extract clinic al information from a cellular component, e.g., a nucleus, of the cells of interest. In general, the method employs differential lysis between the cell s of interest and other cells (e.g., other nucleated cells) in the sample.