Dielectrophoretic controlled scat hormone immunoassay apparatus and method

• US 20070117221A1
• Filed: 06/15/2006
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Knowm Tech LLC
• Original Assignee: Knowm Tech LLC
• Inventors: Nugent, Alex, Horning, Matthew, McVittie, Partick, Molter, Timothy
• Application Number:
  US11/453,619
• Publication Number:
  US 20070117221A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 436/518
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/543 with an insoluble carrier for immobilising immunochemicals
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/54306 Solid-phase reaction mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5432 Liposomes or microcapsules
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/74 involving hormones or other non-cytokine intercellular protein regulatory factors such as growth factors, including receptors to hormones and growth factors

Abstract

An immunoassay apparatus on a chip is disclosed, which can quantitatively measure the concentration of hormones (particularly corticosterone and progesterone) in a biological sample. Such an apparatus can be designed to be used in the field, saving time and money for those taking the measurements. The measurements are made within a micro-fluidic channel configured on a substrate of a chip, which is loaded using simple capillary forces. Competitive immunoassay can be performed, with the competing agents being the hormone (e.g., antigen) and hormone-coated latex beads (e.g., both pre-mixed in a methanol solution).

Claims

1. An immunoassay testing apparatus, comprising:

a chip comprising a substrate upon which a plurality of interdigitated capacitors are formed; and

at least one micro-fluidic channel configured from said substrate, wherein antibodies are connected to said chip within said at least one micro-fluidic channel between said plurality of interdigitated capacitors, such that a biological sample can be loaded into said at least one micro-fluidic channel using a capillary force in order to perform an immunoassay upon said biological sample and thereby quantitatively measure the concentration of hormones in said biological sample.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a mechanism for performing said immunoassay, wherein said immunoassay is based on a plurality of competing agents, which comprise said hormones and a plurality of hormone-coated latex beads.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said hormones comprise antigens.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said plurality of hormone-coated latex beads are pre-mixed in a methanol solution.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein after a particular incubation time, a positive DEP is used to pull said plurality of hormone-coated latex beads to said antibodies so that a particular quantity of beads will attach to said antibodies.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein a number of resulting antigen-antibody bonds connecting said plurality of hormone-coated latex beads and the chip is inversely related to a number of hormones in an original solution associated with said biological sample.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein a negative DEP is utilized to increasingly push said plurality of hormone-coated latex beads away from said substrate.

12. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein a number of resulting antigen-antibody bonds connecting said plurality of hormone-coated latex beads and the chip is inversely related to a number of hormones in an original solution associated with said biological sample.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein a negative DEP is utilized to increasingly push said plurality of hormone-coated latex beads away from said substrate.

8. An immunoassay testing apparatus, comprising:

a chip comprising a substrate upon which a plurality of interdigitated capacitors are formed; and

at least one micro-fluidic channel configured from said substrate, wherein antibodies are connected to said chip within said at least one micro-fluidic channel between said plurality of interdigitated capacitors, such that a biological sample can be loaded into said at least one micro-fluidic channel using a capillary force in order to perform an immunoassay upon said biological sample and thereby quantitatively measure the concentration of hormones in said biological sample; and

a mechanism for performing said immunoassay, wherein said immunoassay is based on a plurality of competing agents, which comprise said hormones and a plurality of hormone-coated latex beads.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said hormones comprise antigens.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said plurality of hormone-coated latex beads are pre-mixed in a methanol solution.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein after a particular incubation time, a positive DEP is used to pull said plurality of hormone-coated latex beads to said antibodies so that a particular quantity of beads will attach to said antibodies.

14. An immunoassay method, comprising:

providing a substrate;

configuring a chip from said substrate;

forming a plurality of interdigitated capacitors upon said substrate;

configuring at least one micro-fluidic channel from said substrate;

connecting antibodies to said chip within said at least one micro-fluidic channel between said plurality of interdigitated capacitors; and

loading a biological sample into said at least one micro-fluidic channel using a capillary force in order to perform an immunoassay upon said biological sample and thereby quantitatively measure the concentration of hormones in said biological sample.

15. The method of claim 15 f performing said immunoassay based on a plurality of competing agents, which comprise said hormones and a plurality of hormone-coated latex beads.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said hormones comprise antigens.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said plurality of hormone-coated latex beads are pre-mixed in a methanol solution.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising utilizing a positive DEP after a particular incubation time to pull said plurality of hormone-coated latex beads to said antibodies so that a particular quantity of beads attaches to said antibodies.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein a number of resulting antigen-antibody bonds connecting said plurality of hormone-coated latex beads and the chip is inversely related to a number of hormones in an original solution associated with said biological sample.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising utilizing a negative DEP to increasingly push said plurality of hormone-coated latex beads away from said substrate.