Systems for immunoassay tests

An apparatus for loading and releasing a plurality of probes, each probe of the plurality of probes having a rod-shaped portion having a common diameter, the apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of pairs of groove unit and push pin, each pair comprising:
• a groove unit having a groove along a vertical direction configured to hold the rod-shaped portion of the probe along the vertical direction, and
• a push pin configured to move along a horizontal direction, the push pin being capable of residing at a first position and a second position,
• a ceiling configured to touch a top tip of the probe and to keep the probe in a vertical position relative to the groove unit and the push pin such that the groove unit and the push pin are aligned with a top portion of the rod-shaped portion of the probe,
• wherein the tip of the push pin is capable of pressing the rod-shaped portion of the probe against the groove when the push pin resides at the first position,
• the distance between the tip of the push pin and the groove is larger than the common diameter of the rod-shaped portion of the probe when the push pin resides at the second position, and
• the push pins of the pairs are mechanically coupled so that the push pins move along the horizontal direction simultaneously.

A cartridge for an immunoassay test, comprising:

• a probe well comprising a probe and a cap, wherein the probe includes a monolithic substrate, and a bottom tip of the probe is coated with analyte-binding molecules;
• a sample well to receive a sample;
• one or more reagent wells;
• a plurality of wash wells each containing a first aqueous solution;
• a measurement well having a light transmissive bottom, the measurement well containing a second aqueous solution;
• and
• wherein the openings of the sample well, reagent well, measurement well and wash wells are sealed, and wherein when the cap is in a closed position, the cap is folded over the probe well to enclose the probe in the probe well, but the cap does not cover the sample well, the wash wells or the measurement well.