| Abstract: | Disclosed is a novel microfluidic device enabling on-chip implementation
of a two-dimensional separation methodology. Previously disclosed
microscale immobilized pH gradients (IPG) are combined with perpendicular
polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) microchannels to achieve
orthogonal separations of biological samples. Device modifications enable
inclusion of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) in the second dimension. The
device can be fabricated to use either continuous IPG gels, or the
microscale isoelectric fractionation membranes we have also previously
disclosed, for the first dimension. The invention represents the first
all-gel two-dimensional separation microdevice, with significantly higher
resolution power over existing devices. |