Entropy-based separation of yeast cells using a microfluidic system of conjoined spheres

Journal Article · Thu Nov 21 00:00:00 EST 2013 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4832435· OSTI ID:22258791

Huang, Kai-Jian; Bai, Zhong-Chen; Zhang, Xin ^[1]; Mai, John D. ^[2]

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1. Guizhou Provincial Key Lab for Photoelectron Technology and Application, Guizhou University, GuiYang 550025 (China)
2. Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong)

A physical model is derived to create a biological cell separator that is based on controlling the entropy in a microfluidic system having conjoined spherical structures. A one-dimensional simplified model of this three-dimensional problem in terms of the corresponding effects of entropy on the Brownian motion of particles is presented. This dynamic mechanism is based on the Langevin equation from statistical thermodynamics and takes advantage of the characteristics of the Fokker-Planck equation. This mechanism can be applied to manipulate biological particles inside a microfluidic system with identical, conjoined, spherical compartments. This theoretical analysis is verified by performing a rapid and a simple technique for separating yeast cells in these conjoined, spherical microfluidic structures. The experimental results basically match with our theoretical model and we further analyze the parameters which can be used to control this separation mechanism. Both numerical simulations and experimental results show that the motion of the particles depends on the geometrical boundary conditions of the microfluidic system and the initial concentration of the diffusing material. This theoretical model can be implemented in future biophysics devices for the optimized design of passive cell sorters.

• OSTI ID: 22258791
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 114, Issue 19; Other Information: (c) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ABUNDANCE
BIOPHYSICS
BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
BROWNIAN MOVEMENT
COMPARTMENTS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
CONCENTRATION RATIO
DESIGN
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ENTROPY
EQUIPMENT
FOKKER-PLANCK EQUATION
LANGEVIN EQUATION
PARTICLES
SPHERES
SPHERICAL CONFIGURATION
THERMODYNAMICS
YEASTS