Thermal cycling methods and apparatus
OwnerAndre Marziali, Shu Gee Chowinventors
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Abstract
A thermal cycling method maintains inner wall surfaces of a well at temperatures greater than a temperature of a liquid being subjected to thermal cycling. The method may be applied in performing the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Apparatus for performing thermal cycling provides one or more wells having regions of reduced thermal conductivity.
Claims60
A method for thermal cycling of a liquid sample, the method comprising:
- placing a volume of the liquid sample into a well;
- varying a temperature of the liquid sample according to a desired temperature-time profile;
- and,
- while varying the temperature of the liquid sample, maintaining a temperature of one or more regions on an inner surface of the well at temperatures at least 1½° C. greater than the temperature of the liquid sample, the one or more regions constituting 50 percent or more of an area of the inner surface of the well above a separation level.
A well for use in conjunction with a thermal cycling apparatus having a heated lid and a temperature-controlled block having a socket for receiving the well to expose a volume of a liquid to thermal cycling, the well comprising:
- a wall having an inner surface surrounding a bore;
- a sample-holding volume located in the bore at a lower end of the well;
- wherein, there are one or more regions constituting 50% or more of an area of the inner surface of the well above the sample-holding volume, which regions, when the well is received in the socket, have relative thermal proximities of {fraction (1/19)} or greater to the heated lid and relative thermal proximities of 19 or less to the block.
Apparatus for performing thermal cycling on a volume of a liquid, the apparatus comprising:
- a well comprising a wall having an inner surface surrounding a bore and a sample holding volume located in the bore at a lower end of the well;
- a block comprising a socket for receiving the well and a temperature controller for controlling a temperature of the block;
- and,
- a heated lid capable of being brought into good thermal contact with an upper end of the well;
- wherein, when the well is received in the socket, the sample-holding volume has a first thermal contact with the block and one or more regions on the inner surface, which constitute 50 percent or more of an area of the inner surface of the well above the sample-holding volume, have a second thermal contact with the block, the first thermal contact being closer than the second thermal contact.
An apparatus for performing thermal cycling on a liquid sample, the apparatus comprising:
- a well comprising a wall surrounding a bore;
- a block comprising a socket for receiving the well and a temperature controller for controlling the temperature of the block;
- a heated lid capable of being brought into good thermal contact with an upper end of the well;
- wherein when the well is received in the socket, the well comprises a lower region, which has a first thermal contact with the block, and an upper region comprising one or more portions that constitute 50% or more of an area of an inner surface of the wall, which have a second thermal contact with the block, the first thermal contact being closer than the second thermal contact.
A well for use in conjunction with a thermal cycling apparatus having a heated lid and a temperature-controlled block having a socket for receiving the well to expose a volume of a liquid to thermal cycling, the well comprising:
- a wall having an inner surface surrounding a bore;
- the bore comprising a sample-holding volume located at a lower end of the bore, the sample holding volume having a first cross sectional area and a volume of 3 μl or less;
- the bore comprising an upper portion having a second cross sectional area greater than the cross sectional area of the sample holding volume.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.