Electrophoresis in microfabricated devices using photopolymerized polyacrylamide gels and electrode-defined sample injection
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of Michigan
InventorsMark A. Burns, Sundaresh N. Brahmasandra, Victor M. Ugaz
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a novel, small-scale, electrophoretic separation system based on photodefined polymers and electrode-defined sample injection. Diffusion and displacement coefficients may be modified by varying the gel concentration, the intensity of the incident UV radiation and the temperature at which the gel is run. The device is an major advance over current technology since it provides for a significant reduction in size of the micro-electrophoresis apparatus and a significant cost savings.
Claims33
A device, comprising:
- i) a housing;
- ii) one or more electrophoresis channels etched into said housing;
- and
- iii) a microelectrode sample injection component configured to inject one or more samples into said channels.
A device, comprising:
- i) a housing;
- ii) one or more electrophoresis channels etched into said housing;
- iii) a polymer deposited in said one or more channels;
- and
- iv) a microelectrode sample injection component configured to inject one or more samples into said polymer.
A method, comprising:
- a) providing a sample and a device, wherein said device comprises
- i) a housing;
- ii) one or more electrophoresis channels etched into said housing;
- iii) a polymer deposited in said one or more channels;
- and
- iv) a microelectrode sample injection component configured to inject one or more samples into said polymer;
- and
- b) injecting said sample into said polymer with said microelectrode sample injection component.
A method of photopolymerizing a polymer, comprising:
- (a) providing,
- (i) a microelectrophoresis device comprising a loading channel;
- (ii) a polymer deposited in said channel;
- (iii) a UV illumination source;
- and
- (iv) a shielding device,
- (b) loading said polymer on to said loading channel and covering a portion of said polymer with said shielding device to produce a loaded electrophoresis device;
- and
- (c) exposing said loaded electrophoresis device to said UV illumination source under conditions such that said polymer is photopolymerized.
A method comprising:
- (a) providing;
- (i) a microelectrophoresis device comprising a polymer deposited in a loading channel;
- (ii) first and second microelectrodes wherein said second microelectrode is located approximately at the surface of said polyacrylamide gel said first microelectrode is located approximately in said loading channel;
- and
- (iii) a sample;
- (b) introducing the sample to said loading channel to produce a loaded channel;
- (c) applying a negative charge to said first microelectrode and applying a positive charge to said second microelectrode to concentrate said sample at said second microelectrode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.