Microparticles attached to nanoparticles labeled with flourescent dye
AssigneeLuminex Corporation
InventorsMark B. Chandler, Don J. Chandler
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Abstract
This invention provides a novel fluorescent article comprising a core or carrier particle having on its surface a plurality of smaller polymeric particles or nanoparticles, which are stained with different fluorescent dyes. When excited by a light source they are capable of giving off multiple fluorescent emissions simultaneously, which is useful for multiplexed analysis of a plurality of analytes in a sample. The coupled complex particles carrying on their surface fluorescent nanoparticles, methods of preparing such polymer articles, and various applications and methods of using such particles are claimed.
Claims25
An article comprising a carrier microparticle having attached thereto a predetermined amount of nanoparticles labeled with at least one fluorescent dye.
A method of making a fluorescent article comprising attaching to a carrier polymer microparticle at least one set of polymer nanoparticles, each said set of said nanoparticles having a distinct fluorescent signal.
A method for determining the presence or absence of at least one analyte in a sample, comprising the steps of:
- (a) mixing the sample and known amounts of microparticles having disposed thereon at least one fluorescently labeled nanoparticle and at least one analytical reactant which binds or reacts with a respective analyte, to form a reaction mixture;
- and
- (b) analyzing microparticles having reacted or bound the analyte, to establish the presence or absence of the analyte in the sample.
A kit suitable for use in detection of a plurality of analytes of interest, said kit comprising:
- (a) a series of fluorescent articles, each said fluorescent article comprising a microparticle with attached nanoparticles having a distinct fluorescent signal and each fluorescent article in said series having an analytical reactant capable of specifically binding with one of analytes of interest;
- (b) a secondary reagent comprising a reagent, which binds to the same analyte as the analytical reagent;
- and
- (c) a fluorescent label provided on or by, or associated with, said secondary reagent
- whereby, when said kit is in use, the analytical reactant becomes associated with the analyte of interest via specific binding, the secondary reagent being capable of becoming associated with the fluorescent article as a function of the binding of the analyte to the specific analytical reactant, a signal from said fluorescent label being detectable by a signal detection means independently from the fluorescent signal from the fluorescent articles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.