Methods and devices for digital pcr

Abstract

A method comprises flowing a plurality of sample droplets in a continuous flow of a carrier fluid, immiscible with the sample droplets, such that the droplets are separated from each other by the carrier fluid, wherein an average number of copies of target nucleic acid contained in each droplet the plurality of sample droplets is one or fewer. The method may further comprise subjecting the droplets to thermal cycling sufficient to allow amplification of the target nucleic acid, and detecting one or more of the presence or absence of amplified target nucleic acid in the droplets.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 flowing a plurality of sample droplets in a continuous flow of a carrier fluid, immiscible with the sample droplets, such that the plurality of sample droplets are separated from each other by the carrier fluid, wherein an average number of copies of target nucleic acid contained in each droplet the plurality of sample droplets is one or fewer;   subjecting the droplets to thermal cycling sufficient to allow amplification of the target nucleic acid; and   detecting the one or more of the presence or absence of amplified target nucleic acid in the droplets.