Digital analyte analysis
The invention generally relates to detecting target molecules.
1. A method of detecting a target nucleic acid molecule, the method comprising:
providing a plurality of droplets, wherein one or more droplets comprise a target nucleic acid molecule and at least 99% of the droplets are empty;
flowing the plurality of droplets through a microfluidic channel, wherein the plurality of droplets are not single-file within a portion of the channel; and
flowing the plurality of droplets that are not single-file in the microfluidic channel past a detector in an overlapping configuration with respect to the detector, thereby detecting the one or more droplets comprising the target nucleic acid molecule.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein prior to the providing step, the method comprises forming the plurality of droplets.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of droplets are aqueous droplets in an immiscible fluid.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the immiscible fluid is oil.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the oil comprises a surfactant.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the surfactant is a fluorosurfactant.
7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the oil is a fluorinated oil.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the droplets are uniform in size.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the droplets are non-uniform in size.