Electroactive microspheres and methods
AssigneeArrowhead Center, Inc.
InventorsJoseph Wang, Ronen Polsky, Kathryn L. Turner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and devices for electrochemical detection of a specific binding pair member utilizing a microsphere with an incorporated electroactive marker, wherein a member of the specific binding pair to be detected is bound, directly or through one or more intermediates, to the microsphere. Multiple specific binding pair members may be detected by use of electrochemically distinguishable electroactive markers. Microspheres with incorporated electroactive markers may include one or more functional groups for binding members of specific binding pairs, and are preferably insoluble in aqueous solvents but soluble in selected organic solvents.
Claims23
A method of analyzing a sample for the presence of a member of a specific binding pair, the method comprising:
- providing a polymeric microsphere having an electroactive molecule encapsulated within the polymeric microsphere and a first member of a specific binding pair attached to the polymeric microsphere wherein the polymeric microsphere is not a liposome;
- introducing a sample suspected to comprise a second element of the specific binding pair complex to the polymeric miscrosphere;
- selecting for the polymeric microsphere by formation of a specific binding pair complex in fluid suspension;
- releasing the electroactive molecule from the polymeric microsphere with an organic solvent;
- and
- detecting the specific binding pair complex via voltammetry or amperometry for the electroactive molecule released from the polymeric microsphere.
A method of analyzing a sample for the presence of two or more analytes, the method comprising:
- providing a first polymeric micro sphere having a first electroactive molecule incorporated into a body of the first polymeric microsphere;
- providing a second polymeric microsphere having a second electroactive molecule electrochemically distinguishable from the first electroactive molecule encapsulated within the body of the second polymeric microsphere wherein neither the first polymeric microsphere nor the second polymeric micropshere is a liposome;
- attaching a first binding pair member specific to a first analyte to the first polymeric microsphere;
- attaching a second binding pair member specific to a second analyte to the second polymeric microsphere;
- incubating the first polymeric microsphere and second polymeric microsphere in a solution comprising the sample to be analyzed;
- selecting for the first polymeric microsphere and second polymeric microsphere by formation of specific binding pair complexes in fluid suspension;
- and
- releasing the electroactive molecules from the first and second polymeric microspheres with an organic solvent detecting the specific binding pair via voltammetry or amperometry for the first electroactive molecule and the second electroactive molecule released from the first polymeric microsphere and the second polymeric microsphere.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.