Abstract: We describe instruments, and cartridges therefor, for processing droplets of water in oil-in-water emulsions, the droplets containing biological entities such as cells. In one embodiment a method of such processing comprises: providing a plurality of the entities in a fluid: preparing a droplet from said fluid: determining whether said droplet contains one or more entities of said plurality of entities, or whether said droplet does not contain a said entity; sorting said droplet dependent on an outcome of said determination; and dispensing said sorted droplet into a reservoir, wherein said dispensing comprises: identifying said sorted droplet for dispensing; extracting said sorted droplet from a first fluidic flow path of said fluid by transferring said sorted droplet from said first fluidic flow path into a second fluidic flow path; and ejecting said sorted droplet from said second fluidic flow path into said reservoir by applying pressure to said second fluidic flow path.

Abstract: Instruments and cartridges for processing droplets in emulsions containing biological entities such as cells. A method of such processing comprises providing a plurality of the entities in a fluid; preparing a droplet from the fluid; determining whether the droplet contains one or more entities of said plurality of entities, or whether said droplet does not contain a said entity; sorting said droplet dependent on an outcome of the determination; and dispensing the sorted droplet into a reservoir. The dispensing may comprise identifying and extracting the sorted droplet from a first fluidic flow path of said fluid by transferring the sorted droplet from into a second fluidic flow path and then ejecting the sorted droplet into a reservoir by applying pressure to the second fluidic flow path. The droplet contents may be tracked so that the contents of an individual droplet can be sorted, selectively dispensed, and retrieved.

Abstract: Instruments and cartridges for processing droplets in emulsions containing biological entities such as cells. A method of such processing comprises providing a plurality of the entities in a fluid; preparing a droplet from the fluid; determining whether the droplet contains one or more entities of said plurality of entities, or whether said droplet does not contain a said entity; sorting said droplet dependent on an outcome of the determination; and dispensing the sorted droplet into a reservoir. The dispensing may comprise identifying and extracting the sorted droplet from a first fluidic flow path of said fluid by transferring the sorted droplet from into a second fluidic flow path and then ejecting the sorted droplet into a reservoir by applying pressure to the second fluidic flow path. The droplet contents may be tracked so that the contents of an individual droplet can be sorted, selectively dispensed, and retrieved.