Method and apparatus for performing microassays
AssigneeMassachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorIan W. Hunter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for analyzing a plurality of liquid samples. The system has a platen having two substantially parallel planar surfaces and a plurality of through-holes dimensioned so as to maintain a liquid sample in each through-hole by means of surface tension. A source of optical radiation illuminates the through-holes, and an optical arrangement analyzes the light emanating from the through-holes. The through-holes may be individually addressable, and may have volumes less than 100 nanoliters. Samples may be drawn from a planar surface by capillary action and may be accurately dispensed, diluted and mixed in accordance with embodiments of the invention.
Claims14
A perforated platen having substantially parallel planar surfaces for manipulating distinct liquid samples, each sample having a volume less than 1 microliter, the platen comprising:
- a. an inner layer of hydrophilic material;
- b. two outer layers of hydrophobic material coupled to opposite sides of the inner layer in such a manner as to isolate the distinct liquid samples from each other;
- and
- c. a two-dimensional array of through-holes for retaining the distinct liquid samples, the through-holes each having a characteristic cross-sectional dimension of between 100 and 400 micrometers, the through-holes spaced on a two-dimensional grid with a center-to-center spacing between nearest neighbors of twice the characteristic cross-sectional dimension or less, each through-hole traversing the inner layer and the two outer layers in a direction substantially perpendicular to the planar surfaces of the platen,
- wherein the platen has a substantially circular shape and includes a central aperture.
A system for analyzing a plurality of distinct liquid samples, the system comprising:
- a. a platen having two substantially parallel planar surfaces and a two-dimensional array of through-holes, the platen having apertures and walls for retaining the distinct liquid samples in such a manner that the distinct liquid samples may not intermix, the through-holes each having a characteristic cross-sectional dimension of between 100 and 400 micrometers;
- b. a source of optical radiation for illuminating a plurality of through-holes of the two-dimensional array;
- and
- c. an optical arrangement including a detector array for separately analyzing light emanating from each of the plurality of illuminated through-holes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.