US-12625053-B2 - Microparticle sorting device and microparticle sorting method

Abstract

To provide a technique capable of forming stable droplets. There is provided a microparticle sorting device including a microchip including a main flow path through which a liquid containing a microparticle flows, a sheath liquid flow path that communicates with the main flow path and through which a sheath liquid flows, and a sheath liquid introduction portion that introduces the sheath liquid, in which the sheath liquid flowing through the sheath liquid introduction portion is vibrated. Furthermore, there is also provided a microparticle sorting method including, in a microchip including at least a main flow path through which a liquid containing a microparticle flows, a sheath liquid flow path that communicates with the main flow path and through which a sheath liquid flows, and a sheath liquid introduction portion that introduces the sheath liquid, vibrating the sheath liquid flowing through the sheath liquid introduction portion.

Inventors

• Masahide Furukawa

Assignees

• Sony Group Corporation

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20210420

Priority Date

20200728

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A microparticle sorting device, comprising: a microchip including: a main flow path configured to flow a sample liquid containing a microparticle; a sheath liquid flow path in communication with the main flow path and configured to flow a vibrating sheath liquid; and a sheath liquid inlet in communication with the sheath liquid flow path and configured to receive the vibrating sheath liquid from a connecting member.
2. 2 . The microparticle sorting device according to claim 1 , further comprising: the connecting member, wherein: the connecting member is configured to attach to the microchip; and the connecting member has a sheath liquid inlet coupler configured to couple to to the sheath liquid inlet.
3. 3 . The microparticle sorting device according to claim 2 , further comprising a vibration element attached to the connecting member.
4. 4 . The microparticle sorting device according to claim 3 , wherein a driving frequency of the vibration element is different from a resonance frequency of a flow path in the microchip.
5. 5 . The microparticle sorting device according to claim 4 , wherein the driving frequency of the vibration element is within a range of ±10% from the resonance frequency of the flow path.
6. 6 . The microparticle sorting device according to claim 3 , wherein the sheath liquid inlet coupler includes a sheath liquid converging portion having a width that gradually or partially narrows from a side of the vibration element toward a side of the sheath liquid inlet coupler.
7. 7 . The microparticle sorting device according to claim 6 , wherein a height of the sheath liquid converging portion gradually or partially decreases from a side of the vibration element toward a side of the sheath liquid inlet coupler.
8. 8 . The microparticle sorting device according to claim 7 , further comprising a connecting part having a tubular portion that communicates with a distal end of the sheath liquid converging portion between the sheath liquid converging portion and the sheath liquid inlet coupler.
9. 9 . The microparticle sorting device according to claim 8 , wherein a tubular member is disposed within the tubular portion.
10. 10 . The microparticle sorting device according to claim 9 , wherein at least a part of the tubular portion and/or the tubular member is formed by at least one material selected from the group consisting of an elastomer, a resin, and a metal.
11. 11 . The microparticle sorting device according to claim 6 , wherein the sheath liquid inlet coupler has a substantially conical shape, a substantially polygonal pyramid shape, or a shape of a rotating body of an exponential function or a parabola.
12. 12 . The microparticle sorting device according to claim 6 , wherein the sheath liquid converging portion is formed by a resin, a metal, or a transparent member.
13. 13 . The microparticle sorting device according to claim 6 , wherein an electrode is disposed within the sheath liquid converging portion.
14. 14 . The microparticle sorting device according to claim 6 , wherein the sheath liquid converging portion is configured to generate a swirling flow that swirls the vibrating sheath liquid.
15. 15 . The microparticle sorting device according to claim 6 , wherein a sheath liquid introduction port of the sheath liquid converging portion is located at a position away from a center of the sheath liquid converging portion.
16. 16 . A microparticle sorting device, comprising: a microchip including: a main flow path configured to flow a sample liquid containing a microparticle; a sheath liquid flow path in communication with the main flow path and configured to flow a vibrating sheath liquid; and a sheath liquid inlet in communication with the sheath liquid flow path and configured to receive the vibrating sheath liquid from a connecting member; a light source configured to irradiate the microparticle; a light detector configured to detect light from the microparticle; and a processor configured to process a signal obtained from the light detector.
17. 17 . A method for sorting microparticles in a microchip including a main flow path configured to flow a sample liquid containing a microparticle, a sheath liquid flow path in communication with the main flow path and configured to flow a vibrating sheath liquid, and a sheath liquid inlet in communication with the sheath liquid flow path and configured to receive the vibrating sheath liquid from a connecting member, the method comprising: flowing the vibrating sheath liquid from the connecting member through the sheath liquid inlet.
18. 18 . The microparticle sorting device of claim 16 , further comprising: a connecting member configured to attach to the microchip; and a vibration element configured to attach to the connecting member.
19. 19 . The microparticle sorting device of claim 18 , wherein the microchip is configured to be: detachable from the connecting member; and disposable independently of the vibration element.
20. 20 . The microparticle sorting device of claim 3 , wherein the vibration element is more proximate to the sheath liquid inlet than the vibration element is to the main flow path.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 371 as a U.S. National Stage Entry of International Application No. PCT/JP2021/015969, filed in the Japanese Patent Office as a Receiving Office on Apr. 20, 2021, which claims priority to Japanese Patent Application Number JP2020-127145, filed in the Japanese Patent Office on Jul. 28, 2020, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The present technology relates to a microparticle sorting device and a microparticle sorting method. BACKGROUND ART Various devices have been developed so far for sorting microparticles, and in particular, a device for sorting cells is called a “cell sorter”. In a cell sorter, generally, vibration is applied to a flow cell or a microchip by a vibration element or the like to form fluid discharged from a flow path into droplets. After a positive (+) or negative (−) charge is applied to the droplets separated from the fluid, the traveling direction of the droplets is changed by a deflection plate or the like, and the droplets are collected in a predetermined container or the like. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses that in extraction using a microchip, a droplet is formed by applying vibration to an orifice of the microchip by a vibration element. CITATION LIST Patent Document Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-219521 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention A control technique for stably forming droplets in a flow cytometer is one of important factors for improving the accuracy of sorting. Here, it is known that when formation of a droplet is unstable, such as when a break-off point (BOP) where fluid discharged from a discharge port of a flow path is converted into a droplet is unstable, time during which the droplet is charged with electric charge also becomes unstable, and consequently, sorting of microparticles also becomes unstable. On the other hand, since the microchip has a large number of high-order eigenvalues and mode shapes corresponding thereto at a frequency (about several 10 kHz to 100 kHz) about an excitation frequency used by the flow cytometer for droplet formation, the microchip may have a plurality of frequencies affected according to the eigenvalues. Therefore, in a case where vibration is applied to the orifice of the microchip, vibration intensity of the microchip complicatedly changes depending on the frequency, which may lead to destabilization of the break-off point. Accordingly, a main object of the present technology is to provide a technology capable of forming stable droplets. Solutions to Problems The present technology first provides a microparticle sorting device including a microchip including a main flow path through which a liquid containing a microparticle flows, a sheath liquid flow path that communicates with the main flow path and through which a sheath liquid flows, and a sheath liquid introduction portion that introduces the sheath liquid, in which the sheath liquid flowing through the sheath liquid introduction portion is vibrated. The present technology may further include a connecting member attachable to the microchip and having a sheath liquid introduction coupling portion coupled to the sheath liquid introduction portion. In the present technology, a vibration element may be attached to the connecting member. In the present technology, a driving frequency of the vibration element may be different from a resonance frequency of a flow path in the microchip. In the present technology, a driving frequency of the vibration element may be within a range of ±10% from a resonance frequency of a flow path in the microchip. In the present technology, the sheath liquid introduction coupling portion may include a sheath liquid converging portion having a width that gradually or partially narrows from a side of the vibration element toward a side of the sheath liquid introduction portion. In the present technology, a height of the sheath liquid converging portion may gradually or partially decrease from a side of the vibration element toward a side of the sheath liquid introduction portion. The present technology may further include a connecting part having a tubular portion that communicates with a distal end of the sheath liquid converging portion between the sheath liquid converging portion and the sheath liquid introduction portion. In the present technology, a tubular member may be inserted inside the tubular portion. In the present technology, at least a part of the tubular portion and/or the tubular member may be formed by at least one selected from the group consisting of an elastomer, a resin, and a metal. In the present technology, the sheath liquid converging portion may be a substantially conical shape, a substantially polygonal pyramid shape, or a rotating body of an exponential function or a parabola. In the present technology, the sheath liq