Capturing particles

Abstract

Methods and systems capturing particles suspended in a fluid flowed through a micro-channel, can include flowing the fluid including the particles to be captured through a micro-channel and past a groove defined in a surface of a wall of the micro-channel such that flowing the fluid past the groove forms microvortices in the fluid; contacting at least some of the particles against an adherent disposed on one or more of walls of the microchannel after the microvortices form in the fluid; and capturing at least some of the particles contacting the adherent.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A microfluidic device comprising a micro-channel having an elongated direction along which the micro-channel extends, wherein the micro-channel comprises:
 a first inner wall surface;   a first groove defined in the first inner wall surface of the micro-channel, wherein the first groove comprises an apex and two arms connected to the apex, and the first groove is oriented such that the apex points in the elongated direction of the micro-channel; and   an adherent disposed on a surface of the first groove, wherein the adherent configured to selectively bind to an analyte of interest.   
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein an angle between each arm of the first groove is between 10° and 170°. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the micro-channel comprises a second groove defined in the surface of the first wall, the second groove comprising an apex and two arms connected to the apex, the apex of the second groove is oriented to point in the elongated direction of the micro-channel and
 wherein the apex of the first groove is laterally offset to a first side of a centerline of the microfluidic channel and laterally offset from the apex of the second groove.   
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the apex of the second groove is laterally offset to a second side of the centerline of the microfluidic channel that is opposite to the first side of the centerline. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the first groove comprises a U-shape. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the adherent is an antibody. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the antibody is an anti-CD66 antibody, an anti-CD14 antibody, an anti-CD4 antibody, an anti-CD8 antibody, or an anti-EpCAM antibody. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the adherent is an aptamer. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the two arms of the first groove are symmetric. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the two arms of the first groove are asymmetric. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the groove spans less than a width of the microchannel. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the first groove is disposed in a first column of a first plurality of grooves defined in the first inner wall surface, wherein each groove within the first plurality of grooves comprises a respective apex and a respective two arms connected to the apex. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , comprising a second plurality of grooves in the first inner wall surface, the second plurality of grooves defining a second column, wherein each groove within the second plurality of grooves comprises a respective apex and a respective two arms connected to the apex, and wherein the second column is laterally offset from the first column along a plane of the first inner wall surface. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the first column and the second column are interspersed with symmetric grooves and asymmetric grooves. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein each groove of the second column extends into a corresponding groove of the first column. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 14 , where an apex of each groove in the second column is oriented in an opposite direction of the apex of each groove in the first column. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 14 , comprising a third plurality of grooves in the first inner wall surface, the third plurality of grooves defining a third column, wherein each groove within the third plurality of grooves comprises a respective apex and a respective two arms connected to the apex, and wherein the third column is longitudinally offset from the first column in the elongated direction and along a plane of the first inner wall surface. 
     
     
         19 . A microfluidic device comprising a micro-channel having an elongated direction along which the micro-channel extends, wherein the micro-channel comprises:
 a first inner wall surface and a second inner wall surface directly across from and opposite to the first inner wall surface;   a first groove defined in the first inner wall surface of the micro-channel, wherein the first groove comprises an apex and two arms connected to the apex, and the first groove is oriented such that the apex points in the elongated direction of the micro-channel; and   an adherent disposed on the second inner wall surface of the first groove, wherein the adherent configured to selectively bind to an analyte of interest.   
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 19 , wherein the adherent is an antibody. 
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 19 , wherein the adherent is an aptamer.