Reference microplates and methods for making and using the reference microplates

• US 20070211245A1
• Filed: 03/09/2007
• Published: 09/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Corning Incorporated
• Inventors: Piech, Garrett A., Shedd, Gordon M., Pastel, David A., Zainul, Mohamed A., Shelton, Brett C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,674,435 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/246
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/148 Specific details about calibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0636 Integrated biosensor, microarrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0654 Lenses; Optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0829 Multi-well plates; Microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/168 Specific optical properties, e.g. reflective coatings
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1827 using resistive heater
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5085 for multiple samples, e.g. microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50851 specially adapted for heating or cooling samples laboratory heating apparatus B01L7/00; incubators C12M
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/2893 Preparing calibration standards
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/0325 Cells for testing reactions, e.g. containing reagents
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/0332 with temperature control control of temperature G05D23/00; cryostats F17C3/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/253 for batch operation, i.e. multisample apparatus analytical automats G01N35/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/274 Calibration, base line adjustment, drift correction
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/278 Constitution of standards
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/31 Investigating relative effect of material at wavelengths characteristic of specific elements or molecules, e.g. atomic absorption spectrometry G01N21/72 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00594 Quality control, including calibration or testing of components of the analyser
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/028 having reaction cells in the form of microtitration plates

Abstract

A reference microplate is described herein which can be used to help calibrate and troubleshoot an optical interrogation system. In one embodiment, the reference microplate has a frame with an array of wells each of which contains an optical biosensor and each optical biosensor is at least partially coated with a substance (e.g., elastomer, optical epoxy). In another embodiment, the reference microplate in addition to having its optical biosensors at least partially covered with a substance (e.g., elastomer, optical epoxy) also has a controllable heating device attached thereto which is used to heat the optical biosensors.

Claims

1. A microplate, comprising:

an upper plate which forms sidewalls for a plurality of wells;

a lower plate, attached to said upper plate, which forms bottom surfaces for the plurality of wells;

wherein each well has a biosensor located therein; and

wherein each well has a substance which at least partially coats each biosensor, said substance has a refractive index magnitude which is approximately 1.33.

2. The microplate of claim 1, wherein said substance has a refractive index magnitude within a range of 1.27-1.5.

3. The microplate of claim 1, wherein said substance is an elastomer.

4. The microplate of claim 1, wherein said substance is an optical epoxy.

5. The microplate of claim 1, further comprising a controllable heating device, attached to said lower plate, which heats said biosensors.

6. The microplate of claim 5, wherein said controllable heating device includes:

a thermocouple;

a thermistor; and

a heat sink.

7. A method for making a reference microplate, said method comprising the step of:

placing a substance on top of a plurality of biosensors located within a plurality of wells of a microplate, wherein said substance has a refractive index magnitude similar to that of water.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said substance has a refractive index magnitude within a range of 1.27-1.5.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said substance is an elastomer.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein said substance is an optical epoxy.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of attaching a controllable heating device to the microplate.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said controllable heating device includes:

a thermocouple;

a thermistor; and

a heat sink.

13. A method for using a reference microplate, said method comprising the steps of:

placing the reference microplate within an optical interrogation system, wherein said reference microplate includes;

a frame with a plurality of wells, wherein each well has a biosensor located therein, and wherein each well has a substance which at least partially coats each biosensor, said substance has a refractive index magnitude similar to that of water; and

interrogating at least one of the biosensors within the reference microplate.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said substance has a refractive index magnitude within a range of 1.27-1.5.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said substance is an elastomer.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said substance is an optical epoxy.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of controlling a temperature of the biosensors by using a controllable heating device attached to said reference microplate.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said controllable heating device includes:

a thermocouple;

a thermistor; and

a heat sink.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of using one or more resonance wavelengths obtained from said interrogating step to calibrate said optical interrogation system.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of using one or more resonance wavelengths obtained from said interrogating step to troubleshoot said optical interrogation system.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of using one or more resonance wavelengths obtained from said interrogating step to check an optical alignment of said optical interrogation system.

22. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of using one or more resonance wavelengths obtained from said interrogating step to check a position of said reference microplate within said optical interrogation system.

23. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of using one or more resonance wavelengths obtained from said interrogating step to determine how small of a wavelength shift can be measured by said optical interrogation system.

24. A microplate comprising a plurality of wells, wherein each well has a biosensor located therein, wherein each well has a substance which at least partially coats each biosensor, and wherein said substance has a refractive index magnitude which is approximately 1.33.

25. The microplate of claim 24, wherein said substance has a refractive index magnitude within a range of 1.27-1.5.

26. The microplate of claim 24, wherein said substance is an elastomer or an optical epoxy.

27. The microplate of claim 24, further comprising a controllable heating device.