Monolithic cell counter based on 3D hydrodynamic focusing in microfluidic channels

Hydrodynamic focusing is a powerful technique frequently used in microfluidics that presents a wide range of applications since it allows focusing the sample flowing in the device to a narrow region in the center of the microchannel. In fact thanks to the laminarity of the fluxes in microchannels it is possible to confine the sample solution with a low flow rate by using a sheath flow with a higher flow rate. This in turn allows the flowing of one sample element at a time in the detection region, thus enabling analysis on single particles.