JP2008116428A - Method and structure for controlling particle position - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method which enables the control of the positions of particles in a channel when the particles are made to continuously flow through the channel as being aligned. <P>SOLUTION: A channel structure has a channel A connecting a terminal M to a terminal N and one or a plurality of branched channels which are branched from the channel A at branch points present between a point X at a midpoint in the channel A and the terminal M and which join the channel A at confluent points present between the point X in the channel A and the terminal N. Since, when a fluid containing particles is continuously introduced to the channel structure from the terminal M, a fluid containing no particles larger than a prescribed size flows in the branched channels at the branch points in the channel A, and a fluid containing no particles larger than the prescribed size flows from the branched channels to the channel A at the confluent points, it is possible to control the flowing positions of particles larger than some prescribed size between the confluent points and the terminal N in the channel A. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a method and a flow path structure for continuously aligning particles in a flow path, and more particularly, to animal and plant cells, organelles, microorganisms, biopolymers, polymer particles, metal particles, ceramic particles, and the like. The present invention relates to a method and a structure for flowing particles while continuously aligning them at arbitrary positions in a flow path.

  Currently, the technology for flowing particles such as animal and plant cells, organelles, microorganisms, biopolymers, polymer particles, metal particles, and ceramic particles while continuously aligning them near the center of the flow path is the surface state and size of the particles. In order to facilitate optical observation, the flow rate of particles can be kept constant in a method called flow cytometry, which is used for high-speed and quantitative measurements, and a cell sorter that can select specific cells. Indispensable.

  In a flow cytometry device, a method for flowing particles while aligning them near the center in the flow path is to use a double tube, etc. A method of introducing a sheath flow that flows an uncontained fluid is common.

  On the other hand, in recent years, flow cytometry using fine particle position control has also been realized in microdevices (also called microfluidic devices or microchips) having a channel structure fabricated using microfabrication technology. In the microdevice, the fluid containing particle and the fluid for pressing without particle are introduced from multiple inlets while adjusting the flow rate. It can be performed.

  However, when introducing the sheath flow in these flow cytometry, it is necessary to strictly control the flow rate of the fluid containing particles and the fluid for pressing without containing particles, which complicates the apparatus. Furthermore, there is a disadvantage that a large amount of pressing liquid is required and it is uneconomical.

  In flow cytometry, if the flow rate is increased in order to increase the number of particles to be measured, the particle flow is disturbed and the measurement accuracy decreases.

  In addition, in flow cytometry, since the particles to be aligned are diluted, there is a problem that they are not suitable when the density of the particles is low or when it is necessary to collect the particles.

  Furthermore, introduction of sheath flow in flow cytometry allows the particles to flow while being aligned near the center of the flow path, but it is difficult to flow the particles while aligning them at an arbitrary position in the flow path.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and the object thereof is particles such as animal and plant cells, organelles, microorganisms, biopolymers, polymer particles, metal particles, ceramic particles, and the like. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method capable of controlling the position of particles in a channel without introducing a sheath flow when the particles are flowed while being continuously aligned in the channel.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a method that does not require complicated flow rate adjustment and that enables continuous position control of particles in a flow path that does not depend on flow rate. .

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a method capable of controlling particles to an arbitrary position in a flow path.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is such that when a fluid containing particles is continuously introduced into a flow path having at least one branch flow path (main flow path) that branches in the middle and further merges, The ratio of the flow rate in the branch flow path and downstream of the main flow path at the branch point is determined based on the length, width, depth, diameter, etc. of the branch flow path and the main flow path. It is.

In addition, the present invention is based on the relationship between the diameter of the main channel upstream of the branch point and the ratio of the fluid distributed to the branch channel, even if the diameter of the branch channel is larger than the particle size. It was made paying attention to the fact that particles having a thickness are not introduced into the branch channel.
Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-232590 “Channel Structure and Method for Concentrating and Separating Particles Continuously” “Lab on a Chip” (Royal Chemical Society of England) (2006), Vol. 11, No. 1, pp. 1233-1239.

In the present invention, a fluid that does not contain particles of a certain size or more introduced into the branch flow channel is joined again to the flow channel, so that particles of a certain size or larger can be downstream. It was made paying attention to the fact that the position can be controlled.
Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-38266 “Channel Structure and Method for Concentration and Classification of Fine Particles” "Analytical Chemistry" (American Chemical Society) (2006), Vol. 78, No. 4, pages 1357 to 1362.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the flow path A that connects the end point M and the end point N, and the flow path at the branch point that exists between the point X in the middle of the flow path A and the end point M. Using a flow path structure having one or a plurality of branched flow paths that branch from A and join the flow path A at a merge point between the point X and the end point N in the flow path A, When a fluid containing particles is continuously introduced into the channel structure from the end point M, a fluid not containing particles larger than a certain size flows into the branch channel at the branch point in the channel A, In addition, when a fluid that does not contain particles larger than a certain size flows into the flow path A from the branch flow path at the merge point, a certain constant is generated between the merge point and the end point N in the flow path A. Particles larger than size Controlling the position flowing, is that.

  Therefore, according to the invention described in claim 1 of the present invention, the fluid containing the particles is continuously introduced into the flow channel structure, and a certain branch point between the end point M and the point X is obtained. By flowing a fluid containing no particles larger than the size of the flow path into the branch flow path and returning the fluid containing no particles from the junction between the end point X and the point N back to the flow path A. It becomes possible to control the position where the particles flow in A.

  Further, by providing one or more branch channels in the channel A, the position of the particles can be controlled efficiently.

  The invention according to claim 2 of the present invention uses a composite flow path structure in which two or more of the flow path structures in claim 1 are connected in series, and particles are introduced from one end point of the composite flow path structure. Is continuously introduced, the fluid containing no particles larger than a certain size flows into the branch channel at the branch point in the channel A, and from the branch channel at the junction point. A fluid that does not contain particles larger than a certain size flows in the flow path A, and these states are repeated, so that particles larger than a certain size are near the other end of the composite flow path structure. It controls the flow position.

  Therefore, according to the second aspect of the present invention, the particle position can be controlled more efficiently by connecting two or more flow paths.

  The invention according to claim 3 of the present invention is the particle position control method and structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the flow channel structure is designed by a computational method. It is said that.

  Therefore, according to the third aspect of the present invention, it is possible to arbitrarily set the size of the particles whose position can be controlled and the flow range of the particles after the control.

  The invention according to claim 4 of the present invention is the particle position control method and structure according to any one of claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the flow path width, depth Any scale, such as diameter, is at least partially on the order of 1 millimeter or less, and the fluid flows in the flow path while maintaining a stable laminar flow.

  Therefore, according to the invention described in claim 4 of the present invention, since the movement of the particles is not disturbed by the turbulent flow, the position control of the particles and the measurement of the particles using the same are possible. It becomes.

  The invention according to claim 5 of the present invention is the particle position control method and structure according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein the flow path The structure is planar, and is a line-symmetric structure with respect to a straight line connecting the end point M and the end point N.

  Therefore, according to the invention described in claim 5 of the present invention, fluids that do not contain particles of a certain size or more can be branched and merged from the left and right sides of the flow path by equal amounts. , The particles can be made to flow while being aligned near the center of the flow path A.

  The invention according to claim 6 of the present invention is the particle position control method and structure according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5. , The fluid is a liquid.

  Therefore, according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to flow while controlling the position of the particles dispersed in the liquid in the flow path.

  The invention according to claim 7 of the present invention is the particle position control according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. In the method and structure, the fluid is a gas.

  Therefore, according to the seventh aspect of the present invention, it is possible to flow while controlling the position of the particles dispersed in the gas in the flow path.

  The invention according to claim 8 is the invention according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7. In the particle position control method and structure, the particle is a mixture of particles including cells such as animals, plants, and microorganisms, or biological fine particles such as organelles and chromosomes.

  Therefore, according to the eighth aspect of the present invention, it becomes possible to flow cells such as animals, plants and microorganisms or biological fine particles such as organelles and chromosomes while aligning them in the flow path. .

  Further, the invention described in claim 9 among the present inventions is any one of claim 1, claim 2, claim 3, claim 4, claim 5, claim 7, claim 7 or claim 8. In the particle position control method and structure described in the above item, the flow channel structure is incorporated in a part of a flow cytometry apparatus.

  Therefore, according to the ninth aspect of the present invention, the present invention can be used as a new particle alignment technique in existing apparatuses such as flow cytometry and cell sorter.

  The invention according to claim 10 of the present invention is claimed in claim 1, claim 2, claim 3, claim 4, claim 5, claim 6, claim 8, or claim 9. In the particle position control method and structure according to any one of the above, the flow path structure is a microchannel formed in a microdevice using a microfabrication technique.

  Therefore, according to the invention described in claim 10 of the present invention, it is possible to control the particle position more accurately by using the micro-channel whose shape is accurately controlled, and on the micro device. It can be used as a new particle alignment technique in flow cytometry, and can also be used for cell and particle manipulation other than flow cytometry in microdevices.

  Since the present invention has the characteristics as described above, it is possible to accurately control the particle position in the flow path by simply introducing a fluid containing particles into the flow path structure having a certain shape. However, it exhibits an excellent effect that particles can flow continuously.

  In addition, since the present invention has the features as described above, it does not require the introduction of a fluid flow containing no particles from the outside, and does not require a complicated flow rate operation. There is an advantage that the application range is expanded and it is economical.

  In addition, since the present invention has the above-described features, there is an advantage that the target particles are not diluted with the fluid for pressing.

  Furthermore, since the present invention has the above-described features, it flows from biological particles such as cells, biopolymers, and organelles to amorphous particles such as emulsions and bubbles while being aligned in the flow path. It has an excellent effect that it is possible.

  Hereinafter, the best mode of the particle position control method and structure according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached documents.

  1 (a), (b), and (c) show the principle of the particle position control method and structure according to claim 1 of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 1B and FIG. 1C are examples of the most basic principle diagram of the flow channel structure 10 for flowing while being aligned in the vicinity of the center of FIG. It is an enlarged view of 11a and the junction part 11b.

  In FIG. 1 (a), the entire flow path structure is planarly formed, the depth is uniform, and the flow path 11 extended in a predetermined direction branches and joins to both sides of the middle. It has branch channel groups 12 and 13.

  The channel 11 is a channel corresponding to the channel A in claim 1, and the center point 14 in the channel corresponds to the point X in claim 1.

  As shown in FIG. 1B, when the fluid containing the particles 15 is continuously flowing in the flow channel 11, first, the flow width of the portion 16 of the flow introduced into the branch flow channel immediately before the branch point. If 16a is smaller than the radius of a particle 15 of a certain size, even if the particle is smaller than the cross section of the branch channel, it is not introduced into the branch channel and does not contain particles larger than a certain size. Only the branch channel is introduced. The width 17a of the flow 17 that travels straight through the flow path 11 is determined by the flow rate ratio of the flow paths.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 1 (b), when a fluid containing particles flows continuously in the flow path 11, if the flow rate flowing in the branch flow paths 12 and 13 is smaller than a certain value, a certain size is obtained. Only fluids that do not contain larger particles can be drawn into the branch channels 12,13.

  In addition, when the particles are not spherical, if the shortest length, the short diameter, the thickness, etc. of the particles are larger than the flow width 16a of the flow part 16, the particles are branched. It is not introduced into the flow path.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 1 (c), by joining the fluid 18 that does not contain particles larger than a certain size at the junction, the flow range of particles larger than a certain size is narrowed downstream from the junction. The position is controlled.

  In addition, as shown to Fig.1 (a), by providing many branch flow paths, a particle can be flowed, aligning the position where a particle flows efficiently to the center vicinity of a flow path.

  In this case, branch channels are provided on both the left and right sides of the channel 11, but depending on the purpose, either one of the left and right channels may be used. In this case, the particle flow range is on one side of the channel.

  The flow rate to the branch flow path at each branch point can be adjusted more accurately by setting the flow path shape to an appropriate flow path design stage.

  Further, in the above-described flow channel structure, each flow channel is preferably a micro channel. Here, the microchannel means that the length of the shortest interval (corresponding to the short side for a rectangle and the short axis for an ellipse) of the cross-sectional shape, that is, the shape perpendicular to the channel flow direction, is usually 5 mm or less, preferably Is suitably 500 μm or less, more preferably 200 μm or less. However, the lower limit of this length is not particularly limited, and any length having a function as a microchannel may be used.

  Further, in the above flow channel structure, the cross-sectional shape of the flow channel is rectangular and the depth is uniform, but the cross-section may be circular, elliptical, etc., and the depth may be partially different. .

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the particle position control method and structure according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached documents.

  FIG. 2 shows a microdevice 19 having an embodiment of a particle position control method and structure according to the present invention. FIG. 2 (a) is an arrow A in FIGS. 2 (b) and 2 (c). 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 2A, and FIG. 2C is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. 2A. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view (schematic diagram) of the entire flow path structure 20 in FIG.

  The microdevice 19 is a microdevice that can align particles having a diameter of about 5 μm or more in the center of the flow path 11 when a fluid containing particles is continuously introduced, and is a polymer material such as PDMS. A flat substrate 21 and a substrate 22 made of (polydimethylsiloxane) are used.

  In addition to PDMS, various polymer materials such as acrylic, various metals such as glass, silicon, ceramics, and stainless steel can be used as materials for the microfluidic device.

  The flow path structure 20 is formed on the lower surface 21a of the substrate 21, and the depth thereof is, for example, about 13 μm, but this value can be set to any value from 0.1 μm to 1 cm. The upper surface of the substrate 22 may be processed in the same manner, and the flow path structure 20 may partially differ in depth.

  The inlet-side port 23 is an inlet for fluid containing particles, and the outlet-side port 24 is an outlet for fluid, which correspond to the end points M and N in claim 1, respectively.

  The channel 25 is a channel that linearly connects the ports 23 and 24. In the middle of the channel 25, the channels 25 branch in the left-right direction, and further rejoin at the downstream of the channel 25. Connected with. The channel 25 is a channel corresponding to the channel A in claim 1.

  The entire length of the flow path 25 is, for example, 10 mm, and the width is, for example, 25 μm. However, the length is set to an arbitrary value of 100 μm or more and the width is 0.1 μm or more as necessary. It is possible.

  The branch channel groups 26 and 27 are each composed of 73 branch channels (2601 to 2673, 2701 to 2773), and the widths thereof are all 10 μm. It is possible to set an arbitrary value of 1 μm or more.

  The lengths of the branch flow paths 2601 to 2673 and 2701 to 2773 are 1.4 to 34.0 mm, but this value can be set to an arbitrary value of 50 μm or more as necessary. . For example, in the branch channel group 26, the lengths of these channels are designed to gradually increase from the center side (branch channel 2601) to the outside (branch channel 2673). With this design, at the 73 branch points upstream, approximately 1.4% of the flow rate passing through each branch point is distributed to the left and right branch flow paths. These flow ratio values are calculated from the analogy of the electrical resistance in the electrical circuit for the pressure loss in the channel network. The relationship between flow rate, pipe diameter, and pressure loss can be derived by calculation based on the Hagen-Poiseuille equation and its derivatives. Therefore, if the pressure loss is changed by appropriately setting the length and pipe diameter of the flow path, the flow rate ratio at the branch point can be arbitrarily set.

  In the above configuration, a method for flowing particles such as animal and plant cells, microorganisms such as bacteria, polymer particles, emulsions, metal fine particles and the like in the flow path using the above-described microdevice 19 will be described.

  As the fluid, a gas such as air may be used in addition to a liquid such as water or an aqueous solution of a chemical substance or an organic solvent. However, when the particle size is relatively large, a system in which the difference between the fluid density and the particle density is not so large is more desirable.

  First, the particles are suspended in the fluid (filtered as necessary). Alternatively, a fluid in which particles are suspended in advance, such as environmental water, blood, or air containing aerosol, is prepared by diluting or concentrating as necessary.

  Then, a fluid containing the prepared particles is continuously supplied from the inlet port 23. At this time, it is desirable for the fluid to flow while maintaining a laminar flow in the channel structure. In addition to the constant flow rate introduction using a syringe pump, etc., and the constant pressure introduction using a cylinder, a pressure generator, a decompression device, etc., a method using electroosmotic flow, centrifugal force, etc. should be used for fluid supply. Can do.

  In this flow channel structure 20, about 90% of the fluid in which the fluid in which particles are suspended is continuously introduced is introduced into the left and right branch flow channel groups 26 and 27, and further recombines in the downstream, Particles larger than about 5 μm are designed not to be introduced into the branch channel. In addition, in the vicinity of the outlet-side port 24 in the flow channel 25, the center of the particle is designed to pass through a 2.5 μm width portion at the center of the flow channel.

  Actually, polystyrene particles having a particle size of 10 μm were suspended in a 0.5% dextran aqueous solution and introduced at a flow rate of 2 μL / min using a syringe pump. It was confirmed that it was flowing in a straight line. In addition, it was observed that the passage position of these particles is a central 2.5 μm width portion in the flow path 25 as estimated in the design stage.

  The size of the particles to be aligned can be arbitrarily adjusted by appropriately changing the width, depth, length, etc. of the channels.

  By placing a detection device on the detection unit 28 in FIG. 2 (a), it is possible to read information on particles that have flowed while being aligned.

  Furthermore, if a flow channel structure such as the flow channel structure 29 shown in FIG. 4A is used, particles can be allowed to flow while being aligned only on one side of the flow channel.

  Furthermore, the composite flow path structure 30 shown in FIG. 4B is an example of the composite flow path structure according to claim 2, and when such a composite flow path structure is used, the particles are gradually stepped on each side of the flow path. The position can be controlled, and the particles can be aligned more efficiently. Compared with the method of claim 1, the structure of FIG. 4B makes it easier to flow particles in a straight line. In this way, the particle position can be controlled more accurately and easily by repeating the operation of extracting and returning the fluid from one side of the flow path a plurality of times as necessary.

  Furthermore, if a flow path structure such as the flow path structure 31 shown in FIG. 5A is used, since different numbers of branch flow paths are arranged on the left and right, it can be placed at any position other than the center in the flow path. It is possible to flow while aligning the particles.

  Further, FIG. 5B is an overhead view of the flow path structure 32 configured in a three-dimensional manner. When such a flow path structure is used, particles are flown from the flow path in the vertical and horizontal directions. It is possible to flow while aligning near the center in both the vertical and horizontal directions.

  5C is an overhead view of the flow path structure 32 configured in a three-dimensional manner, and FIG. 5C is an enlarged view of a part 34 of the flow path structure in FIG. 5D. However, if such a channel structure is used, the particles can flow while being aligned in the vicinity of the center in both the vertical and horizontal directions of the channel by the flow from the four corners of the channel having a rectangular cross section. Is possible. 35 is a flow path and 36 is a branch flow path.

  Further, FIG. 6 shows a composite flow path structure 38 having a device 37 for rotating the flow cross section by 90 degrees. By using such a composite flow path structure, particles can be moved in either the vertical or horizontal direction of the flow path. However, it is possible to flow while aligning near the center.

  Since the present invention is configured as described above, it is possible to economically and easily control the position of particles in an existing flow cytometry apparatus or a cell sorter apparatus such as a fluorescence activated cell sorting system. It is expected to be widely used.

  In addition, since the present invention is configured as described above, it can be used as an accurate cell and particle manipulation technique in a microfluidic device, and can be used as a single cell analysis device, an analysis device for environmental microparticles and microorganisms, or a concentration device. It is expected to be possible.

FIG. 1 (a) shows a principle diagram of a channel structure and method for continuously aligning particles according to the present invention, and FIG. 1 (a) is a channel structure and principle diagram for aligning particles at the center of the channel. FIG. 1B is an enlarged view of one branching point in the branching portion 11a in FIG. 1A, and FIG. 1C is an enlarged view of one joining point in the joining portion 11b in FIG. It is. 3 shows a microdevice 19 having an embodiment of a liquid control mechanism according to the present invention, in which FIG. 3 (a) is a view taken in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 3 (b) and FIG. 3 (c), and FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 3A, and FIG. 3C is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. It is a schematic diagram of the flow-path structure 20 in the microdevice 19 provided with embodiment of the liquid control mechanism by this invention. (A) (b) is the figure which showed the flow-path structure 29 provided with embodiment of the liquid control mechanism by this invention, and the composite flow-path structure 30. FIG. (A), (b), and (c) are diagrams showing flow path structures 31, 32, and 33 having an embodiment of a liquid control mechanism according to the present invention, and FIG. FIG. FIG. 4 shows a microdevice 38 with an embodiment of a liquid control mechanism according to the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

10 channel structure 11 channel 11a branch part 11b merge part 12 branch channel or branch channel group 12a? d Branch channel 13 Branch channel or branch channel group 13a? d Branch channel 14 Center point 15 in the channel Particle 16 Flow part 16a Flow width 17 Flow part 17a Flow width 18 Particle-free fluid 19 Microdevice 20 Channel structure 21 Substrate 21a Substrate 21 lower surface 22 Substrate 23 Inlet side port 24 Outlet side port 25 Channel 26 Branch channel group 2601 to 2673 Branch channel 27 Branch channel group 2701 to 2773 Branch channel 28 Detector 29 Channel structure 30 Composite channel structure 31 Channel structure 32 Channel structure 33 channel structure 34 part of channel structure 35 channel 36 branch channel 37 device 38 for rotating the flow cross section by 90 degrees compound channel structure

Claims (10)

The flow path A connecting the end point M and the end point N, and the branch point existing between the end point M and the point X in the middle of the flow path A branch from the flow path A, and the point X in the flow path A And a flow path structure having one or a plurality of branch flow paths that merge with the flow path A at a merge point existing between the end point N and a fluid containing particles from the end point M in the flow path structure. When continuously introduced, fluid that does not contain particles larger than a certain size flows into the branch channel at the branch point in the channel A, and the branch into the channel A at the junction. A particle position that controls the flow position of particles larger than a certain size between the confluence and the end point N in the flow channel A when a fluid that does not contain particles larger than a certain size flows from the flow channel. System of Methods and structures. When a fluid containing particles is continuously introduced from one end point of the composite channel structure using a composite channel structure in which two or more of the channel structures in claim 1 are connected in series, the channel A Fluid that does not contain particles larger than a certain size flows into the branch channel at the branch point, and particles larger than a certain size from the branch channel flow into the channel A at the junction. A particle position control method and structure for controlling the flow position of particles larger than a certain size in the vicinity of the other end point of the composite flow path structure by flowing in a non-fluid and further repeating these states. 3. The particle position control method and structure according to claim 1, wherein the flow channel structure is designed by a computational method. 4. 4. The particle position control method and structure according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein any one of the scales such as the width, depth, diameter, etc. of the flow path is at least partially. A particle position control method and structure that are on the order of 1 millimeter or less and the fluid flows in the flow path while maintaining a stable laminar flow. 5. The particle position control method and structure according to claim 1, claim 2, claim 3, or claim 4, wherein the flow channel structure is configured in a planar manner, and includes an end point M and an end point N. A particle position control method and structure that are line symmetrical with respect to a straight line connecting the two. 6. The particle position control method and structure according to claim 1, wherein the fluid is a liquid. 6. The particle position control method and structure according to claim 1, wherein the fluid is a liquid. 7. The particle position control method and structure according to claim 1, claim 2, claim 3, claim 4, claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the fluid is a gas. Method and structure. 8. The particle position control method and structure according to claim 1, claim 2, claim 3, claim 4, claim 5, claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the particles are animals, A particle position control method and structure, which is a particle mixture containing cells such as plants and microorganisms, or biological fine particles such as organelles and chromosomes. In the particle position control method and structure according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8, the flow The particle path control method and structure are incorporated in a part of the flow cytometry system. The particle position control method and structure according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9. In the method, the flow path structure is a microchannel formed in a microdevice using a microfabrication technique, and the particle position control method and structure.

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