A microfluidic cartridge (100) for enriching a biological fluid of low viscosity, the
cartridge (100) comprising:
a base plate (1) defining a flow surface;
a coverslip (5) positioned above the base plate (1), to define a chamber (2) on the
flow surface of the base plate (1) for receiving the biological fluid containing a plurality of
particles (10), the coverslip (5) is configured to conceal at least a portion of the chamber
(2), wherein the chamber (2) is defined with a predefined height;
an inlet section (3a) defined at one end (4a) of the chamber (2) for introducing the biological fluid; and
an outlet section (3b) defined at another end (4b) opposite to the one end (4a) of the
chamber (2) and extending beyond the coverslip (5), to draw the biological fluid under
capillary action;
wherein the plurality of particles (10) of the biological fluid is enriched about the
predefined height of the chamber (2), under action of gravity over a predefined time The cartridge (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the biological fluid is urine.
3. The cartridge (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the predefined height of the chamber
(2) is at least two times the height of a group of large size particles in the plurality of
particles (10) in the biological fluid.
4. The cartridge (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the predefined height of the chamber
(2) ranges from about 150μm to 400μm. The cartridge (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of particles (10) of the
biological fluid is enriched in the chamber (2) under gravity sedimentation to form a
monolayer of the biological fluid about the predefined height of the chamber (2).
6. The cartridge (100) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the monolayer defined by the plurality
of particles (10) of the biological fluid in the chamber (2) comprises: a clumber region defined by a group of lower size particles in the plurality of
particles (10);
a focus region defined by combination of a group of moderate size particles, the
group of lower size particles, and a group of large size particles; and
a sparse region defined by the group of the large size particles.
7. The cartridge (100) as claimed in claim 1, comprises a spacer element (7), positioned
between the base plate (1) and the coverslip (5), wherein the spacer element (7) defines the
chamber (2), the inlet section (3a) and the outlet section (3b).
8. The cartridge (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the predefined time ranges from about
1min to 15mins The cartridge (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein volume of the biological fluid
introduced into the chamber (2) ranges from 0.06ml to 0.8ml.
10. The cartridge (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein viscosity of the biological fluid ranges
from 0.5cP to 2cP.
11. The cartridge (100) as claimed in claim 1, comprises a coating surface applied on the base
plate (1) and the coverslip (5), wherein the coating surface is configured to stain the biological fluid.