Methods for use with nanoreactors
OwnerMichael S. URDEA, Theodore M. TARASOW +1inventors
InventorsMichael S. URDEA, Theodore M. TARASOW, Edward J. MOLER
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Abstract
The invention relates to methods of using nanoreactor technology for sample analysis in microfluidic systems.
Claims26
A method of washing a nanoreactor containing a particle in a microfluidic system, comprising the steps of:
- a) fusing a first nanoreactor containing a particle with a second nanoreactor containing a washing solution to form a combined nanoreactor, wherein the diameter of the second nanoreactor is at least about two fold the diameter of the first nanoreactor;
- and wherein a molecule within the first nanoreactor is diluted in the combined nanoreactor;
- b) splitting the combined nanoreactor into a plurality of nanoreactors;
- and
- c) separating the nanoreactor containing the particle from the plurality of nanoreactors formed in step b) in a microfluidic system.
A method for tracking a sample in a nanoreactor comprising the steps of a) fusing a sample nanoreactor comprising a sample and a reporter with a reagent nanoreactor comprising a particle and a reagent, wherein the reporter comprises a first reactive group, and a second reactive group and a reagent are associated with the particle;
- wherein the first reactive group reacts with the second reactive group so that the reporter is linked to the particle;
- and b) tracking the sample nanoreactor that has reacted with the reagent nanoreactor by tracking the nanoreactor containing the reporter.
A method of measuring concentration of an analyte in a sample, said method comprising:
- a) compartmentalizing a sample into a plurality of nanoreactors, wherein at least about 80% of the nanoreactors contain no more than a single analyte molecule;
- and
- b) detecting the nanoreactor containing at least an analyte molecule;
- wherein the number of nanoreactors containing analyte molecules indicates the concentration of the analyte in the sample.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.