×

Interstitial fluid sampling above microneedle array

  • US 10,105,080 B1
  • Filed: 12/29/2014
  • Issued: 10/23/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2014
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A system comprising:

  • a plurality of nanosensors, wherein each nanosensor comprises a nanoparticle and an analyte-selective agent that selectively interacts with an analyte present in interstitial fluid, wherein the analyte-selective agent is disposed on a surface of the nanoparticle or within an interior of the nanoparticle, and wherein each nanosensor has an optical property that changes in response to interaction with the analyte;

    a detector;

    a plurality of microneedles, wherein each microneedle comprises (i) a first end shaped to penetrate skin, (ii) a second end opposite the first end, and (iii) a channel that extends from a first opening proximate the first end to a second opening proximate the second end such that interstitial fluid is received into the channel via the first opening when the microneedle penetrates the skin, and wherein the nanosensors are disposed relative to the microneedles such that the microneedles direct the received interstitial fluid to the nanosensors via the channels; and

    a controller operably coupled to the detector, wherein the controller comprises a processor and data storage that stores program instructions, wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor to perform controller operations comprising;

    operating the detector to detect the optical property of the nanosensors; and

    detecting the analyte in the received interstitial fluid based on the detected optical property of the nanosensors,wherein the analyte is an ion; and

    wherein each nanosensor comprises;

    an ionophore, wherein the ionophore selectively interacts with the ion;

    a linking agent, wherein the linking agent changes a local pH in response to the ionophore selectively interacting with the ion; and

    a fluorophore, wherein the fluorophore is a pH-sensitive fluorophore having a fluorescent property that is dependent upon the local pH.

View all claims
  • 3 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×