Apparatus for performing biochemical processing using container having wells

• US 20070077648A1
• Filed: 09/28/2006
• Published: 04/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Okamoto, Hideaki, Numajiri, Yasuyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,879,595 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/303.100
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/10 Integrating sample preparation and analysis in single entity, e.g. lab-on-a-chip concept
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0829 Multi-well plates; Microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1822 using Peltier elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1827 using resistive heater
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/52 with provision for submitting samples to a predetermined sequence of different temperatures, e.g. for treating nucleic acid samples amplification or hybridisation processes per se C12Q1/68; controlling sequential reactions for synthesis B01J19/0046
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/54 using spatial temperature gradients
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 435/809 Incubators or racks or holders for culture plates or containers

Abstract

A biochemical processing apparatus includes a thermal cycle section, a processing section for performing a processing not requiring heating or cooling, and a cooling section. These sections are arranged in that order and opposed to a container with a plurality of wells.

Claims

1. A biochemical processing apparatus for performing biochemical processing on an analyte in a container with a plurality of wells, the apparatus comprising:

a support that supports the container;

a heating section disposed so as to oppose wells used for heating;

a cooling section disposed so as to oppose other wells used for cooling; and

a processing section that performs a processing not requiring heating or cooling, the processing section being disposed so as to oppose wells between the wells used for heating and the wells used for cooling,

wherein the heating section, the processing section, and the cooling section are arranged in that order, and are opposed to the container supported by the support.

2. The biochemical processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the biochemical processing is DNA amplification, and the heating section performs a thermal cycle for amplification in a polymerase chain reaction.

3. The biochemical processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the cooling section stores and cools reagents and primers used for the polymerase chain reaction, and the reagents and primers are held in the wells opposing the cooling section.

4. The biochemical processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the processing section purifies a product of the amplification in the polymerase chain reaction.

5. The biochemical processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heating section includes a thermal cycle block having a plurality of recesses corresponding to the wells used for heating, and a Peltier device for heating.

6. The biochemical processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the periphery of the heating section is covered with a heat insulator.

7. The biochemical processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cooling section includes a cooling block having a plurality of recesses corresponding to the wells used for cooling, and a Peltier device for cooling.

8. The biochemical processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the periphery of the cooling section is covered with a heat insulator.

9. The biochemical processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the processing section includes a magnetic member generating a magnetic field that is movably disposed and used for collecting magnetic particles, and the wells opposing the processing section contain the magnetic particles.

10. The biochemical processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the container is a microplate having 96 wells arrayed in an 8×

12 matrix.

11. The biochemical processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises a cover for covering the wells used for heating, and a heating block for heating from above the wells used for heating.

12. A biochemical processing apparatus for performing biochemical processing on an analyte in a container with a plurality of wells, the apparatus comprising:

a support that supports the container;

a heating section disposed so as to oppose wells used for heating;

a cooling section disposed so as to oppose other wells used for cooling; and

a processing section that performs a processing not requiring heating or cooling, the processing section being disposed above wells that are located between the wells used for heating and the wells used for cooling.

13. The biochemical processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the processing section includes a column filter.