Method and system for performing in continuous flow a biological, chemical or biochemical protocol

• US 20040053418A1
• Filed: 07/21/2003
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission)
• Original Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission)
• Inventors: Sarrut, Nicolas, Charles, Raymond, Claustre, Patricia, Fouillet, Yves
• Granted Patent: US 7,404,930 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 436/164
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00237 Handling microquantities of analyte, e.g. microvalves, capillary networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1037 Using surface tension, e.g. pins or wires
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00009 provided with a sample supporting tape, e.g. with absorbent zones
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 Automated chemical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/110833 Utilizing a moving indicator strip or tape
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/113332 with conveyance of sample along a test line in a container or rack
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

The invention concerns the performing, in continuous flow, of a biological, chemical or biochemical protocol on substances to be analysed, comprising several steps which consists in: in causing a mobile analysis support (11) comprising means (12) for receiving substances to be analysed and reagents to move past; implementing the steps of the protocol on the substances as the mobile analysis support (11) moves past.

Claims

1. System to perform a biological, chemical or biochemical protocol in continuous flow on substances to be analysed, the system comprising:

a mobile analysis support (11, 30, 50) comprising means of reception of substances to be analysed and reagents, the reception means being arranged so as to form a matrix of rows and columns,

the support being connected to a mechanism moved with a continuous movement or in small steps to enable each column in said reception means to pass in front of the different elements necessary to perform the protocol,

said reception means being covered with a liquid film immiscible with the substances to be analysed and the reagents, so as to prevent the evaporation of substances to be analysed and reagents,

characterised in that the system comprises;

heating means (14, 15, 34, 35, 54, 55, 56) arranged such that the support reception means pass in front of them while the protocol is being implemented to bring the reception means to different determined temperatures successively.

2. System according to claim 1, characterised in that it also comprises means (36) of delivering the substances to be analysed and reagents sequentially to the mobile analysis support reception means.

3. System according to either of claims 1 and 2, characterised in that it also comprises detection means applied to substances on which the protocol has been performed to provide an analysis of these substances.

4. System according to claim 1, characterised in that the said heating means comprise at least one thermal rod (54, 55, 56) brought to said determined temperature.

5. System according to claim 4, characterised in that the thermal rod is brought to said determined temperature by circulation of a heat transporting fluid and/or by Joule effect and/or the Peltier effect and/or light radiation.

6. System according to claim 4 or 5, characterised in that it also comprises means (59) of bringing the mobile analysis support close to the thermal rod.

7. System according to claim 1, characterised in that the different elements necessary to implement the protocol are arranged so as to obtain the following, in sequence:

bringing a first chemical compound into a reaction volume to the reception means,

displacement of the mobile analysis support towards a first injection element,

bringing a second chemical compound into the reaction volume through the first injection element,

and optionally, displacement of the mobile analysis support towards a second injection element to add a third chemical compound to the reaction volume.

8. System according to claim 3, characterised in that the detection means are means that provide an analysis of substances directly on the mobile analysis support.

9. System according to claim 3, characterised in that the detection means are means providing an analysis of substances after they have been transferred from the mobile analysis support.

10. System according to claim 1, characterised in that the mobile analysis support consists of a plate, the reception means being composed of pads arranged on a face of the plate and used to attach the substances to be analysed.

11. System according to claim 1, characterised in that the mobile analysis support is a film (30).

12. System according to claim 11, characterised in that the reception means originate from capillarity forces between a surface of the film and the substances to be analysed.

13. System according to claim 11, characterised in that the film (30) is free to move between an unwinder reel (37) and a winder reel (38).

14. System according to claim 11, characterised in that the film (30) is a uniform film, and the film surface is a hydrophilic surface.

15. System according to claim 11, characterised in that the film is a structured film, and the structure of the film can be used to determine the location of the reception means.

16. System according to claim 15, characterised in that said surface of the film is hydrophobic and supports hydrophilic pads forming said reception means.

17. System according to claim 11, characterised in that the film has an anisotropic thermal conductivity, the thermal conductivity through the thickness of the film being greater than the thermal conductivity in the plane of the film.

18. A process for performing a biological, chemical or biochemical protocol in continuous flow on substances to be analysed, the process using a system according to any one of claims 1 to 17, and comprising:

moving the mobile analysis support (11, 30, 50),

implementation of the protocol on substances to be analysed while the mobile analysis support is moving, due to the input of the thermal energy supplied by the heating means.

19. Process according to claim 18, characterised in that the substances to be analysed and the reagents are brought successively to the different reception means of the support as it moves.

20. Process according to claim 18 or 19, characterised in that the detection means also make an analysis of substances on which the protocol was performed.

21. Process according to claim 19, characterised in that it takes place so as to obtain the following in sequence:

bringing a first chemical compound in a reaction volume as far as the reception means,

displacement of the analysis support to a first injection element,

bringing a second chemical compound into the reaction volume by the first injection element,

and optionally, displacement of the mobile analysis support towards a second injection element to bring a third chemical compound into the reaction volume.

22. Process according to claim 20, characterised in that said substances on which the protocol was performed are analysed directly on the mobile analysis support.

23. Process according to claim 20, characterised in that said substances on which the protocol was performed are analysed after their transfer from the mobile analysis support.