Systems and methods for rapidly changing the solution environment around sensors
AssigneeCellectricon AB
InventorsOwe Orwar, Daniel Chiu, Johan Pihl, Jon Sinclair, Jessica Olofsson, Mattias Karlsson, Kent Jardemark
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Abstract
The invention provides microfluidic systems for altering the solution environment around a nanoscopic or microscopic object, such as a sensor, and methods for using the same. The invention can be applied in any sensor technology in which the sensing element needs to be exposed rapidly, sequentially, and controllably, to a large number of different solution environments whose characteristics may be known or unknown.
Claims32
-84. (canceled)
A method for generating an activated receptor, comprising a) providing a substrate, the substrate comprising:
- a chamber comprising a cell-based biosensor comprising a receptor which is activated by an agonist;
- and a plurality of delivery channels delivering agonist, antagonist, or both agonist and antagonist, each channel comprising an outlet for delivering a substantially separate aqueous stream into the chamber;
- and b) selectively exposing the biosensor to a fluid stream from one or more outlets.
A method for detection of a modulator of a receptor, comprising a) providing a substrate, the substrate comprising:
- a chamber comprising a cell-based biosensor, the biosensor comprising the receptor;
- and a plurality of channels, each channel comprising an outlet for delivering a substantially separate fluid stream into the chamber;
- and a scanning mechanism for selectively exposing the biosensor to a fluid stream from one or more outlets, b) providing a sample suspected of containing a modulator to at least one of the channels;
- c) measuring the response of the biosensor as it is selectively exposed to a fluid stream comprising the sample, wherein a change in the response of the biosensor indicates the presence of a modulator in the sample.
The method of 87, wherein the channels deliver a buffer, at least one agonist;
- at least one antagonist;
- at least one agonist and a buffer;
- at least one antagonist and a buffer;
- or at least one antagonist, at least one agonist, and a buffer.
-170. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.