Advantage of droplet encapsulation scheme in microflow cytometer based detection

Microflow cytometers are gaining popularity due to their size and ability to perform multi-parametric analyses of cells. Focusing sample in a single file is essential to obtain accurate and repeatable information. Various complex geometries of microchannel have been proposed in the literature for 2D focusing of cells in a single file, but complex fabrication remains a limitation for its wide use. We report the advantages of the droplet encapsulation of cells in microflow cytometer. Due to non-inertial lift force, droplets tend to migrate to the center of the channel, which helps in focusing of cell encapsulated in it. Improvement in fluorescence signal detection has been observed in experiments. Also, no significant optical loss has been observed in simulations.