Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
  • B01L3/00—Containers or dishes for laboratory use, e.g. laboratory glassware; Droppers
  • B01L3/50—Containers for the purpose of retaining a material to be analysed, e.g. test tubes
  • B01L3/508—Rigid containers without fluid transport within
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N33/00—Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00
  • G01N33/48—Biological material, e.g. blood, urine; Haemocytometers
  • G01N33/50—Chemical analysis of biological material, e.g. blood, urine; Testing involving biospecific ligand binding methods; Immunological testing
  • G01N33/53—Immunoassay; Biospecific binding assay; Materials therefor
  • G01N33/543—Immunoassay; Biospecific binding assay; Materials therefor with an insoluble carrier for immobilising immunochemicals
  • G01N33/54366—Apparatus specially adapted for solid-phase testing
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N35/00—Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor
  • G01N35/00029—Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor provided with flat sample substrates, e.g. slides
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
  • B01L2300/00—Additional constructional details
  • B01L2300/08—Geometry, shape and general structure
  • B01L2300/0809—Geometry, shape and general structure rectangular shaped
  • B01L2300/0819—Microarrays; Biochips

Definitions

• the present invention relates to apparatus, method and systems for automated chemical and biological analysis.
• markers may include, for example, genetic markers, cancer mark ⁇ ers, autoimmune disease markers etc. In biological and biochemical testing, each marker is associated with an analyte.
• U.S. Patent 5,126,276 describes an analytical system for simultaneously assaying a plurality of samples for at least one analyte and including a comb-like ana ⁇ lyte support and a multi-compartment reaction container.
• the present invention seeks to provide an improved and automated " system employing a comb-like analyte support generally as described in the aforesaid U.S. Patent 5,126,276, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
• a relatively small sample of body fluid can be used simultaneously to test for a large number of markers or analytes.
• an automat ⁇ ed analysis system including a comb-like analyte support having at least one tab including a. multiplicity of reactive zones arranged in a two dimensional array of predetermined configuration and automatic apparatus for reading the multiplicity of reactive zones.
• the comb-like device has a plurality of tabs.
• a comb-like analyte support having at least one tab and preferably a plurality of tabs, each including a multiplicity of reactive zones arranged in a two dimensional array of predetermined configuration.
• a method for producing a comb-like analyte support having at least one tab and preferably a plurality of tabs, each includ ⁇ ing a multiplicity of reactive zones arranged in a two dimensional array of predetermined configuration comprising the steps of: providing a comb-like analyte support blank having a plurality of tabs; and automatically dispensing onto each tab of the blank, analyte material in a two dimensional array of predetermined configuration.
• an automat ⁇ ed analysis method including the steps of: dispensing analytes at a multiplicity of reac ⁇ tive zones arranged in a two dimensional array of prede ⁇ termined configuration on at least one tab of an analyte support, carrying out a test using the analytes; and following the test, automatically reading the multiplicity of reactive zones.
• the multiplicity of reactive zones includes at least a plurality of different analytes.
• the automatic apparatus for reading the multiplicity of reactive zones comprises a color scanner and comparator for comparing the scanning image of the multiplicity of reactive zones with at least one reference image.
• FIG. 1 is an illustration of a preferred embod ⁇ iment of an analyte bearing support constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention
• Fig. 2 is a simplified block diagram illustra ⁇ tion of an analysis system constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
• Fig. 3 is a simplified block diagram illustra ⁇ tion of a method and apparatus for producing the analyte bearing support of Fig. 1.
• Fig. 1 is a pictorial illustration of an analyte bearing support 10 constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
• the support 10 comprises a blank typically formed of paper, of nitrocel ⁇ lulose, glass fibers or high impact polystyrene including a handle portion 12 and at least one and preferably a plurality of generally parallel tabs 14 depending there ⁇ from.
• each of the tabs 14 there is formed on each of the tabs 14 at least one closely spaced two-dimensional array 16 of analytes 18, each analyte defining a reactive zone.
• each analyte appears as a round drop. It is appreciated that any other suitable shape, such as a stripe or triangle may alternatively be employed.
• a support 10 may be used to conduct a test, such as a chemical, biochemical, biological or other suitable test, preferably in association with a multi- chambered container 20, such as that described in assign ⁇ ee's U.S. Patent 5,126,276, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
• the analyte support is supplied to a scanner 22, such as a scanner described and claimed in assignee's copending Israel Patent Application 108301 the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference, or any other suitable scanner.
• Scanner 22 is operative to provide an output indication of the colors of each of the analytes 18 in each array 16 on the sup ⁇ port 10.
• the scanner is preferably responsive to both the spectral frequency and the intensity of the colors.
• the output indication from scanner 22 is sup- plied to analysis apparatus 24, which preferably com ⁇ prises a comparator 26which is operative to compare the output indication with at least one reference.
• the refer ⁇ ence may be a stored reference which corresponds to a given test result or alternatively may be a reference which is read simultaneously from an adjacent array on the same or a different tab 14.
• the comparator may provide an output indicative of the test results to a operator interface 28 which may comprise a display or printer as well as to data storage and processing apparatus 30.
• FIG. 3 is a simplified block diagram illustration of a method and apparatus for producing the analyte bearing support of Fig. 1.
• Support blanks 40 are prepared from suitable substrate by a die cutter 42 and are supplied to a pre ⁇ cise dispenser 44, employing a three-dimensional posi ⁇ tioner such as those commonly used in the electronic industry, for example the Dot Master system commercially available from Diraa SMT Systems NL BV of Deurne, the Netherlands.
• the dispenser 44 is operative to dispense on at least one tab at least one closely spaced two-dimen ⁇ sional array 16 of analytes 18, each analyte defining a reactive zone.

Landscapes

• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Immunology (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Hematology (AREA)
• Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Pathology (AREA)
• Biomedical Technology (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Molecular Biology (AREA)
• Urology & Nephrology (AREA)
• Biochemistry (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Cell Biology (AREA)
• Medicinal Chemistry (AREA)
• Food Science & Technology (AREA)
• Microbiology (AREA)
• Biotechnology (AREA)
• Clinical Laboratory Science (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Measuring Or Testing Involving Enzymes Or Micro-Organisms (AREA)
• Apparatus Associated With Microorganisms And Enzymes (AREA)
• Automatic Analysis And Handling Materials Therefor (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

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• 1994
  • 1994-01-19 IL IL10837794A patent/IL108377A0/xx unknown
• 1995
  • 1995-01-17 EP EP95905244A patent/EP0765480A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1995-01-17 JP JP7519479A patent/JPH09508462A/ja active Pending
  • 1995-01-17 WO PCT/NL1995/000023 patent/WO1995020164A1/en not_active Ceased

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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