Gel suspension apparatus
OwnerDarius Kelly, Sean Gallagherinventors
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for expeditiously carrying out the preparation and imaging steps of the electrophoresis process. The apparatus of the invention includes a novel supporting surface comprising TEFLON® AF that acts as a multi-function gel supporting surface which minimizes the probability of damaging the gel during transfer and provides a supporting surface that has an index of refraction lower than that of water and that of water based gel. When the TEFLON® AF supporting surface is used to support the gel, or other mostly aqueous, fluorescent sample, the surface becomes a planar, aqueous core waveguide which traps the excitation light thereby increasing the efficiency of excitation.
Claims7
A gel support for use in conducting an electrophoresis experiment comprising a surface having a coating of TEFLON® AF thereon.
An apparatus for conducting a gel electrophoresis experiment comprising:
- (a) a substrate having a generally planar surface having a coating of TEFLON® AF thereon;
- (b) a gel disposed on said coating of TEFLON® AF to form a first subassembly;
- (c) a gel running container having a chamber for receiving said first subassembly to run said gel to form a second subassembly;
- (d) a staining tray having a chamber containing a staining medium for receiving said second subassembly to stain said gel to form a third subassembly that includes a stained gel;
- (e) an illumination box assembly having a chamber containing a matching fluid for receiving said third subassembly, said illumination box assembly having side illumination means for illuminating said stained gel create fluorescence;
- and
- (f) a detector disposed proximate said illumination box assembly for detecting said fluorescence.
A method for conducting a gel electrophoresis experiment using an apparatus comprising a substrate having a generally planar surface having a coating of TEFLON® AF thereon;
- a gel disposed on the coating of TEFLON® AF to form a first subassembly;
- a gel running container having a chamber;
- a staining tray having a chamber containing a staining medium;
- an illumination box assembly having a chamber containing a matching fluid, said illumination box assembly having side illumination means;
- and a detector disposed proximate the illumination box, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) positioning the first subassembly within the chamber of the gel running container to run the gel to form a second subassembly;
- (b) positioning the second subassembly within the staining medium to stain the gel to form a third subassembly that includes a stained gel;
- (c) positioning the third subassembly within the matching fluid and, using illumination means, illuminating the stained gel to create fluorescence;
- and
- (d) using the detector, detecting the fluorescence.
A method of for conducting a gel electrophoresis experiment using an apparatus comprising a gel running container having a chamber;
- a staining tray having a chamber containing a staining medium;
- an illumination box assembly having a chamber containing a matching fluid, said illumination box assembly having a generally planar floor coated with TEFLON® AF and side illumination means;
- and a detector disposed proximate the illumination box, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) positioning the gel within the running container to run the gel;
- (b) following running the gel, positioning the gel within the staining medium to stain the gel to form a stained gel;
- (c) positioning the stained gel within the matching fluid and, using illumination means, illuminating the stained gel to create fluorescence;
- and
- (d) using the detector, detecting the fluorescence.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.