Systems and related sample loading manifold assemblies

Abstract

An apparatus includes one or more valves adapted to be coupled to corresponding reagent reservoirs and a flow cell interface adapted to be coupled to a flow cell. The apparatus includes a sample cartridge interface having one or more ports and adapted to be coupled to a sample cartridge carrying a sample of interest. The sample cartridge interface positioned downstream of the flow cell interface. The apparatus includes a pump adapted to load a channel of the flow cell with the sample of interest via the flow cell interface associated with an outlet of the flow cell and a corresponding port of the sample cartridge interface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 coupling a flow cell having a first channel and a second channel to a flow cell interface;   moving a first sample valve of one or more sample valves of a sample loading manifold assembly to a first position to fluidically couple a first sample reservoir of a sample cartridge to an outlet of the first channel of the flow cell;   pumping a first sample of interest from the first sample reservoir into the first channel of the flow cell through the outlet of the first channel;   wherein an inlet of the first channel is fluidically connected to a waste reservoir via a central valve when the central valve is in a first position;   moving the first sample valve of the one or more sample valves of the sample loading manifold assembly to a second position to fluidically disconnect the first sample reservoir of the sample cartridge and to fluidically connect the outlet of the first channel with the waste reservoir;   moving the central valve to a second position to fluidically couple a reagent reservoir with the first channel and the second channel of the flow cell; and   pumping a first volume of reagent through the first channel and into the waste reservoir.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein pumping the first sample of interest from the first sample reservoir into the first channel of the flow cell includes moving the first sample of interest from the sample cartridge to a corresponding sample port of the sample loading manifold assembly, out of an associated pump port of the sample loading manifold assembly, and into a pump-channel fluidic line of a pump manifold assembly, and moving the first sample of interest from the pump-channel fluidic line, through the associated pump port, and through a corresponding flow cell port of the sample loading manifold assembly, each flow cell port being coupled to a corresponding port of the flow cell interface and associated with one of the channels of the plurality of channels of the flow cell. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein moving the first sample valve of the one or more sample valves to the first position includes fluidically coupling a port of a sample cartridge interface and a corresponding pump and moving the first sample valve of the one or more sample valves to the second position includes fluidically coupling the corresponding pump and the first channel of the plurality of channels of the flow cell. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising operating one or more of a plurality of pumps to individually control fluid flow for each channel of the plurality of channels of the flow cell. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising flowing the first sample of interest out of the first channel of the flow cell and into an auxiliary waste fluidic line, the auxiliary waste fluidic line being upstream of the flow cell and fluidically coupled to the central valve and the waste reservoir. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising flowing a reagent through a shared reagent fluidic line to the plurality of channels of the flow cell and subsequently flowing another reagent through a dedicated reagent fluidic line to the plurality of channels of the flow cell. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a flow cell interface adapted to be coupled to a flow cell comprising a plurality of channels;   a central valve; and   an auxiliary waste fluidic line coupled to the central valve and adapted to be coupled to a waste reservoir, wherein the central valve is coupled to the flow cell interface and movable between a first position fluidically connecting an inlet of the plurality of channels to the auxiliary waste fluidic line and a second position fluidically connecting a reagent reservoir and the plurality of channels.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising a sample cartridge interface adapted to be coupled to a sample cartridge, wherein the sample cartridge interface is positioned downstream of the flow cell interface. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising a sample loading manifold assembly positioned between the flow cell interface and the sample cartridge interface and comprising a body carrying a plurality of sample valves and defining a plurality of sample ports and a plurality of flow cell ports. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein each sample port is coupled to a corresponding port of the sample cartridge interface via a sample fluidic line. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising flow cell fluidic lines coupling the corresponding flow cell ports and the ports of the flow cell interface, each flow cell fluidic line associated with one of the plurality of channels of the flow cell. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein each of the sample valves are movable between a first position fluidically connecting a corresponding sample port and a corresponding outlet of the plurality of channels and a second position fluidically coupling the corresponding outlet of the plurality of channels and the waste reservoir. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising a shared line valve and a shared reagent fluidic line, the shared reagent fluidic line to couple the shared line valve and the central valve and is adapted to flow one or more reagents to the flow cell via the central valve. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising a bypass valve and a plurality of dedicated reagent fluidic lines, each dedicated reagent fluidic line couples the bypass valve and the central valve and is adapted to flow a reagent to the flow cell via the central valve. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising a bypass fluidic line and a pump manifold assembly comprising a cache, the bypass fluidic line coupling the bypass valve and the cache. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising a plurality of flow cell fluidic lines corresponding to each channel of the flow cell and a pump manifold assembly comprising a pump for each flow cell fluidic line. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the pump manifold assembly is positioned downstream of the flow cell interface. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein each pump of the pump manifold assembly is fluidically coupled to the central valve by the corresponding flow cell fluidic line. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the pumps are selectively actuated to urge a sample of interest toward the flow cell and into the respective channels of the flow cell. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the pumps are to draw reagent from the reagent reservoir and through the channels of the flow cell. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the pumps of the pump manifold assembly are fluidically coupled to the auxiliary waste fluidic line by the central valve. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising a flow cell cartridge assembly comprising the flow cell comprising the channels and a flow cell manifold, wherein the flow cell manifold comprises a single upstream opening in communication with each of the channels and the channels each comprise a downstream opening fluidically coupled the corresponding flow cell fluidic line. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the flow cell manifold comprises a laminate.