Rotating Microfluidic Chip System for Tissue Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for processing tissue, such as fat tissue, are inefficient, costly, and variable in terms of cell yield and reproducibility, often relying on enzymatic digestion or ultrasonic cavitation, which can be time-consuming and prone to enzyme contamination.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a support plate with radially extending arms, each holding a rotatable carriage with a microfluidic chip, applies centrifugal force to process biological samples efficiently. The system includes a motor-controlled drive shaft, carriages that rotate 180 degrees, and microfluidic chips with varied channel dimensions and configurations to apply shear stress to cells and tissues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If enzymatic digestion is used to process tissue, then tissue can be broken into smaller pieces, but the process is time-consuming and prone to enzyme contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces enzymatic digestion with mechanical shearing forces generated by microfluidic devices. The tissue is processed through controlled mechanical stress applied via microfluidic channels, eliminating the need for time-consuming enzymatic reactions while avoiding enzyme contamination risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental processing parameter from chemical (enzymatic) to physical (mechanical shear stress). By controlling flow rates, pressure gradients, and channel geometries in the microfluidic system, the tissue is dissociated through mechanical forces rather than chemical degradation, significantly reducing processing time.
2Ease of manufacture
If expensive enzymes are used for tissue processing, then tissue can be effectively broken down, but the cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the need for expensive enzymatic reagents by substituting them with mechanical shearing forces. The microfluidic device uses controlled fluid flow to generate shear stress that dissociates tissue, replacing costly bacterial-derived enzymes with a reusable mechanical system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs disposable microfluidic chips that are inexpensive compared to enzymatic reagents. These single-use chips eliminate the need for expensive, temperature-sensitive enzymes while maintaining effective tissue processing, and can be discarded after a single use without requiring costly sterilization or storage infrastructure.
3Productivity
If ultrasonic cavitation is used to process tissue, then stromal vascular fraction can be isolated, but the method is complex and may cause cell damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces ultrasonic cavitation with controlled mechanical shearing in microfluidic channels. Instead of using high-energy ultrasonic waves that can damage cells, the system uses laminar flow and pressure gradients to generate gentle, controlled shear forces that dissociate tissue while preserving cell integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different levels of shear stress to different regions of the tissue sample within the microfluidic device. By designing channels with varying geometries and flow rates, the system creates localized zones of appropriate stress intensity that effectively dissociate tissue without causing widespread cell damage.
4Ease of manufacture
If manual syringe passing is used to homogenize lipoaspirate, then nanofat can be processed, but the method lacks reproducibility and control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a self-regulating system where the microfluidic device automatically controls the homogenization process. The device uses integrated pressure sources and flow control mechanisms to maintain consistent shear stress parameters without requiring manual intervention, ensuring reproducible results across different operators and sessions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates feedback control mechanisms that monitor flow rates, pressure gradients, and processing parameters in real-time. This closed-loop control system adjusts operating conditions to maintain optimal shear stress levels, ensuring consistent and reproducible nanofat processing results.
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
The system enables efficient, effective, and reproducible processing of tissue samples, improving cell yield and reducing processing time, while minimizing the need for expensive enzymes and reducing contamination risks.
Implementation Method 1
A system comprising a support plate with radially extending arms, each holding a rotatable carriage with a microfluidic chip, applies centrifugal force to process biological samples efficiently.
Implementation Method 2
microfluidic chips with varied channel dimensions and configurations to apply shear stress to cells and tissues
Data Source
AI summary
Provided herein are devices and methods of processing a sample that include, in several embodiments, rotating one or more microfluidic chips that are mounted on a support plate using a motor driven rotational chuck. By spinning one or more of the microfluidic chips about a common center of rotation in a controlled manner, high flow rates (and high shear forces) are imparted to the sample in a controlled manner. Each microfluidic chip can be rotated 180° on the support plate so that the sample can be run back-and-forth through the microfluidic devices. Because the support plate can be driven at relatively high RPMs, high flow rates are generated within the microfluidic chips. This increases the shear forces on the sample and also decreases the processing time involved as the sample can quickly pass through the shear-inducing features of the microfluidic chip(s).