Discrete zoned microporous nylon coated glass platform for use in microwell plates and methods of making and using same

• US 20060108287A1
• Filed: 09/21/2005
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Arnold, Todd E., Spearin, Aaron, Meyering, Mark T., Solomon, Keith, Wesner, Keith, Meier, Peter M., He, Zhijun
• Application Number:
  US11/231,670
• Publication Number:
  US 20060108287A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/638
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/08 Flat membrane modules
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/081 Manufacturing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/088 Microfluidic devices comprising semi-permeable flat membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 65/003 Membrane bonding or sealing
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 65/102 Detection of leaks in membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/56 Polyamides, e.g. polyester-amides
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/12 Specific details about manufacturing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/069 Absorbents; Gels to retain a fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0819 Microarrays; Biochips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0822 Slides
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/165 Specific details about hydrophobic, oleophobic surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/508 rigid containers not provided for above
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5085 for multiple samples, e.g. microtitration plates

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to processes and methods for producing a hydrophobic zone boundary that surrounds a hydrophilic porous material layer mounted on a substrate, the hydrophilic porous material layer containing tortuous channels and pores such that the fluid contained within one hydrophilic layer region does not cross the hydrophobic zone boundary and the articles formed thereby and, more particularly, to processes and methods for producing a hydrophobic zone boundary that separates adjacent regions of a hydrophilic porous material layer mounted on a substrate, the hydrophilic porous material layer containing tortuous channels and pores mounted on a substrate such that a uniform hydrophobic zone boundary layer in the z-direction is formed in the hydrophilic porous material or the removal of the hydrophilic porous material layer from the substrate to form a hydrophilic porous material zone on the substrate, the so formed hydrophilic porous material zone having a predetermined geometric shape such that the combination produced thereby is useful in microarray applications and other applications. Methods of making and using discrete zoned microporous nylon coated glass plateforms for use with microwell plates are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of contacting a reactant with an analyte comprising the acts of;

providing a microarray composite slide comprising;

a solid substrate;

a porous polymer membrane operatively connected to the solid substrate;

boundary structure, operatively formed on the porous polymer membrane side of the composite slide structure, the boundary structure defining at least two porous polymer membrane areas having a predetermined shape on the surface of the porous polymer membrane, the boundary structure being effective to retain a liquid and an analyte within the at least two porous polymer membrane areas on the surface of the porous polymer membrane defined by the boundary structure such that the at least two porous polymer membrane areas are distinct from each other; and

depositing a quantity of a liquid and an analyte on the surface of at least one of the at least two porous polymer membrane areas such that the liquid and the analyte are sufficiently retained within the at least one of the at least two porous polymer membrane areas defined by the boundary structure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyte is a probe.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the probe is selected from the group comprising:

cDNA, a nucleotide, an oligonucleotide, a biomolecule, a steroid hapten, a nucleic acid, (DNA, RNA), a nucleic acid mimetic (PNA, LNA) or an enzyme-conjugated antibody.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the porous polymer membrane comprises:

a pigmented nylon having fluorescence dampening.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the leakage of solutions containing biological polymer (i.e., analytes including but not limited to nucleic acids or proteins), and/or leakage of reagents that effect the detection of analytes positioned on the surface of the composite microarray slide from the porous polymer membrane areas is substantially reduced.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the act of:

providing a multiwell plate having a plurality of wells.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the act of:

aligning the porous polymer membrane areas with the plurality of wells of the multiwell plate.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the multiwell plate comprises 96 wells.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the multiwell plate comprises more than 96 wells.

5. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

at least three to ninety six porous polymer membrane areas.