Flow Electroporation with Sheath Flow for High-Concentration Suspensions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flow electroporation methods face reduced efficiency when the concentration of biologically derived substances is high, leading to decreased introduction and utilization of bioactive substances due to retention near electrode walls and electric field shielding.
Innovation Solution
The method involves forming sheath flows with a sheath liquid and setting the thickness of the suspension flow between electrodes to 1 to 10 mm, combining it with sheath flows downstream, and adjusting electric field parameters based on conductivity and concentration measurements, to enhance electroporation efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the concentration of biologically derived substance in the suspension is increased to improve utilization efficiency of bioactive substance, then the introduction efficiency decreases due to retention near electrode walls and electric field shielding
Solution Approach 1:
A sheath liquid is introduced as an intermediary substance that flows between the suspension and the electrode walls, preventing the suspension from directly contacting the walls and reducing electric field shielding effects, thereby maintaining high introduction efficiency even at high concentrations
Solution Approach 2:
The thickness of the suspension flow in the separation direction of the electrodes is controlled within a specific range (1 to 10 mm), optimizing the balance between concentration utilization and electroporation efficiency by adjusting flow parameters
2Quantity of substance
If the concentration of biologically derived substance is increased to improve utilization efficiency, then the throughput and electroporation efficiency decrease due to retention near electrode walls
Solution Approach 1:
The sheath liquid acts as a mediator that eliminates retention near electrode walls, ensuring smooth flow of high-concentration suspension through the electroporation zone and maintaining high electroporation efficiency without time loss
Solution Approach 2:
By controlling the suspension flow thickness to 1 to 10 mm and adjusting flow rates, the system optimizes throughput for high-concentration suspensions, preventing stagnation and ensuring efficient processing
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables high-efficiency electroporation with improved throughput, introduction efficiency, and utilization of bioactive substances, even at high concentrations, by preventing retention and ensuring uniform electric field application.
Implementation Method 1
An electric field is applied to a suspension containing a biologically derived substance and a bioactive substance by an electrode pair to introduce the bioactive substance into the biologically derived substance
Implementation Method 2
forming sheath flows of a sheath liquid which flows together with the suspension and comes into contact with electrodes constituting the electrode pair
Implementation Method 3
the bioactive substance passes through the membrane with increased permeability by diffusion or electrophoresis
Implementation Method 4
the bioactive substance passes through the membrane with increased permeability by diffusion or electrophoresis
Data Source
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AI summary
An object is to provide an electroporation method capable of performing electroporation with high efficiency, a method for manufacturing a useful substance using the method, a flow channel device for performing the method, and an electroporation apparatus using the flow channel device. The object is achieved by, in the electroporation, forming sheath flows which flow together with a suspension and comes into contact with an electrode, and further having a restriction region which restricts a thickness of a suspension flow consisting of the suspension in a separation direction of an electrode pair to 1 to 10 mm.