Apparatus and method for measuring concentrations of molecules through a barrier

• US 20060030031A1
• Filed: 07/28/2005
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ivan E. Modrovich
• Original Assignee: Ivan E. Modrovich
• Inventors: Modrovich, Ivan E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,595,170 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/287.200
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1486 using enzyme electrodes, e.g. with immobilised oxidase
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance

Abstract

An apparatus and method for detecting the presence and measuring the concentrations of molecules through a barrier and/or at a distance utilizes the principle of chemical/electrostatic attraction (hereinafter “affinity”), i.e., the affinity between charged atoms and molecules that cause their chemical interactions and reactions, to infer, based on the behavior of molecules on one side of the barrier, the presence and concentration of corresponding molecules on the other side of the barrier. The invention is useful, by way of example and not limitation, in non-invasively measuring glucose levels of diabetic patients.

Claims

1. A device including constituents that are affected by affinity forces acting through a barrier or over a distance, said affinity forces change a physical or chemical aspect of said constituents to achieve a predetermined purpose.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said predetermined purpose is the detection of said affinity forces.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said detection of affinity forces enables detection of analytes in a living organism from outside the living organism.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said affinity forces act on said constituents through a barrier.

5. A method of achieving a predetermined purpose, comprising the steps of:

providing constituents having a physical or chemical aspect that changes in response to affinity forces acting through a barrier or over a distance;

permitting said affinity forces to change said physical or chemical aspect of said constituents to achieve said predetermined purpose.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said predetermined purpose is the detection of said affinity forces.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said detection of affinity forces enables detection of analytes in a living organism from outside the living organism.

8. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said affinity forces act on said constituents through a barrier.

9. A device for detecting a presence of biochemical analytes in an organism from outside the organism, said device comprising agents having affinity with said biochemical analytes, wherein an effect of affinity forces on said agents is indicative of the presence of said biochemical analytes.

10. A device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said device measures a magnitude of said effect on said agents in order to measure a concentration of said biochemical analytes.

11. Apparatus for measuring a presence of target entities through a barrier or over a distance, comprising a measuring probe that includes:

a plurality of measuring agents having an affinity for said target entities;

a material for suspending said measuring agents that permits the measuring agents to change a measurable characteristic when affected by said affinity for said target entities;

a measuring device for measuring changes in the measurable characteristic of the measuring agents when the target entities are present.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said target entities are selected from the group consisting of atoms, compounds, or molecules capable of exerting strong enough affinity forces on complimentary atoms, compounds of molecules to produce a measurable change in a physical or chemical state of the complimentary atoms, compounds or molecules at a distance when separated by barriers, one or more of said complimentary atoms, compounds or molecules being selected as the measuring agents.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said target entities includes a target molecule and said measuring agents include a measuring molecule.

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said apparatus is arranged to measure concentration as well as presence of said target molecule.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the physical characteristic is the spatial orientation of the measuring molecule.

16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein the material for suspending said target molecule is a gel.

17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said measuring device for measuring changes in a measurable characteristic of the measuring agents comprises electrodes positioned adjacent said gel for measuring changes in a resistivity of said gel as a result of changes in orientation of the measuring molecule in response to affinity forces between said measuring molecule and said target molecule.

18. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said target molecule is a substrate and said measuring molecule is an enzyme.

19. Apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein said target molecule is glucose and said measuring molecule is a glucose enzyme.

20. Apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein said measuring molecule is glucose oxidase, glucose dehydrogenase, or glucose mutarotase.

21. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said target molecule is an antigen and said measuring molecule is an antibody.

22. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said target molecule is an antibody and said measuring molecule is an antigen.

23. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said apparatus is arranged to test for allergic reactions.

24. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said target molecule is c-reactive protein (CRP) and said measuring molecule is a CRP specific monoclonal antibody.

25. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said apparatus is arranged to test for indications of infectious biological entities.

26. Apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein said apparatus is arranged to detect microorganisms.

27. Apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein said apparatus is arranged to detect antibodies produced in response to microorganisms.

28. Apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein said apparatus is arranged to detect a concentration of said biological entities.

29. Apparatus claimed in claimed in claim 28, wherein said biological entities are microorganisms.

30. Apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein said apparatus is arranged to detect a concentration of antibodies produced in response to microorganisms.

31. Apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein said biological entities are viruses or bacteria.

32. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said target molecules are immunogobulins.

33. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said immunogobulins are selected from the group consisting of IgG, IgM, and IgA.

34. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said target molecules are lipoproteins.

35. A method for measuring a presence of target entities through a barrier or over a distance, comprising the steps of:

bringing a plurality measuring agents sufficiently to the target entities to cause measurable changes in a characteristic of the measuring agents;

measuring said changes in the characteristic of the measuring agents; and

inferring, based on the changes, the presence of the target entities.

36. A method as claimed in claim 35, wherein said target entities are selected from the group consisting of atoms, compounds, or molecules capable of exerting strong enough affinity forces on complimentary atoms, compounds of molecules to produce a measurable change in a physical or chemical state of the complimentary atoms, compounds or molecules at a distance when separated by barriers, one or more of said complimentary atoms, compounds or molecules being selected as the measuring agents.

37. Apparatus as claimed in claim 35, wherein said target entities includes a target molecule and said measuring agents include a measuring molecule.

38. A method as claimed in claim 37, further comprising the step of determining, based on said measurement of changes, a concentration of said target molecule.

39. A method as claimed in claim 37, wherein the physical characteristic is spatial orientation.

40. A method as claimed in claim 39, wherein changes in said orientation are detected by measuring a resistivity of a material in which said measuring molecule is suspended.

41. A method as claimed in claim 40, wherein said material in which said measuring molecule is suspended in a gel or gel-like material.

42. A method as claimed in claim 39, wherein said target molecule is a substrate and said measuring molecule is an enzyme.

43. A method as claimed in claim 39, wherein said target molecule is glucose and said measuring molecule is a glucose enzyme.

44. A method as claimed in claim 43, wherein said measuring molecule is glucose oxidase, glucose dehydrogenase, or glucose mutarotase.

45. A method as claimed in claim 39, wherein said target molecule is an antigen and said measuring molecule is an antibody.

46. A method as claimed in claim 39, wherein said target molecule is an antibody and said measuring molecule is an antigen.

47. A method as claimed in claim 39, wherein said method is arranged to test for allergic reactions.

48. A method as claimed in claim 39, wherein said target molecule is c-reactive protein (CRP) and said measuring molecule is a CRP specific monoclonal antibody.

49. A method as claimed in claim 39, wherein said method is arranged to test for indications of infectious biological entities.

50. A method as claimed in claim 49, wherein said method is arranged to detect antibodies produced in response to microorganisms.

51. A method as claimed in claim 49, wherein said method is arranged to detect a concentration of said biological entities.

52. A method as claimed in claim 49, wherein said method is arranged to detect a concentration of antibodies produced in response to microorganisms.

53. A method as claimed in claim 49, wherein said biological entities are viruses or bacteria.

54. A method as claimed in claim 39, wherein said target molecules are immunogobulins.

55. A method as claimed in claim 39, wherein said immunogobulins are selected from the group consisting of IgG, IgM, and IgA.

56. A method as claimed in claim 39, wherein said target molecules are lipoproteins.