Detecting target molecules in a sample

• US 10,670,589 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2017
• Issued: 06/02/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Van Herpen, Maarten Marinus Johannes Wilhelmus, Klunder, Derk Jan Wilfred, Stapert, Hendrik Roelof
• Primary Examiner(s): Boesen, Christian C
• Application Number:
  US15/710,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20180074047A1
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 30/10 by measuring physical properties, e.g. mass
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 60/04 Integrated apparatus specially adapted for both screening libraries and identifying library members
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6428 Measuring fluorescence of fluorescent products of reactions or of fluorochrome labelled reactive substances, e.g. measuring quenching effects, using measuring "optrodes" in vivo A61B5/00; immunoassay G01N33/53
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5306 Improving reaction conditions, e.g. reduction of non-specific binding, promotion of specific binding

Abstract

The invention relates to detection the presence of a target molecule in a sample, wherein the sample is contacted with a substrate, the substrate subsequently being washed in a wash step. In particular, the invention relates to a method of detecting the presence of a target molecule in a sample, the method comprising: (a) contacting the sample (37) with a substrate having immobilized thereon probe molecules that specifically binds to the target molecule; (b) washing the substrate (38) in a wash step by a wash fluid in order to remove or dilute unbound target molecules; (c) detect the presence of resultant binding complexes (39) on the substrate to determine whether the target molecule is present in the sample—The wash fluid being substantially refractive index matched to the substrate.

Claims

1. An apparatus for preparing an assay, the apparatus comprising:

a handler

arranged to receive a substrate,

wherein the substrate has a first side and a second side,

wherein the second side is opposite to the first side,

wherein probe molecules are immobilized upon the substrate,

wherein the probe molecules specifically bind to a target molecule, and

wherein the handler is arranged to contact a sample with the substrate; and

a washer

arranged to press a wash fluid through the substrate by introducing a stream of the wash fluid under pressure at the first side of the substrate, the stream of the wash fluid passing through the substrate and out of the second side of the substrate, and

wherein the wash fluid has a refractive index substantially matched to a refractive index of the substrate.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the refractive index of the wash fluid is within a range of the refractive index of the substrate, and

wherein the range is a range of plus and minus 10% to the refractive index of the substrate.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the handler is arranged to flow the sample through the substrate by introducing a stream of the sample to the first side of the substrate, the stream of the sample passing through and out of the second side of the substrate forming binding complexes that are bound throughout the substrate while leaving unbound luminescently labeled target molecules.

4. An apparatus for preparing an assay, the apparatus comprising:

a handler arranged to receive a substrate, the substrate having probe molecules immobilized thereon, the probe molecules specifically bind to a target molecule,

wherein the substrate has a first side and a second side,

wherein the second side is opposite to the first side,

wherein the handler is arranged to contact a sample with the substrate,

wherein the handler is arranged to flow the sample through the substrate by introducing a stream of the sample to the first side of the substrate, the stream of the sample passing through and out of the second side of the substrate forming binding complexes that are bound throughout the substrate while leaving unbound luminescently labeled target molecules; and

a washer arranged to perform washing on the substrate using a wash fluid, the wash fluid having a refractive index substantially matched to a refractive index of the substrate.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the refractive index of the wash fluid is within a range of the refractive index of the substrate, and

wherein the range is a range of plus and minus 10% to the refractive index of the substrate.