Cartridge and Method for Sample Analysis

• US 20090286692A1
• Filed: 04/15/2009
• Published: 11/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Carnegie Institution of Washington, Charles River Laboratories Incorporated (Pathology Associates, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Carnegie Institution of Washington
• Inventors: Steele, Andrew, Wainwright, Norman R.
• Application Number:
  US12/424,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20090286692A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 506/9
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0819 Microarrays; Biochips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0825 Test strips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502723 characterised by venting arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50273 characterised by the means or forces applied to move the fluids micropumps F04B19/006, of the membrane type F04B43/043
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/54366 Apparatus specially adapted for solid-phase testing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/6803 General methods of protein analysis not limited to specific proteins or families of proteins

Abstract

The invention provides a cartridge containing an addressable array for detecting the presence of one or more target analytes in a fluid sample. The cartridge comprises (i) a housing defining a sample inlet, an optical cell, an outlet, a first conduit in fluidic communication with the sample inlet and the optical cell, and a second conduit in fluidic communication with the outlet and the optical cell, (ii) an addressable array disposed within the optical cell; and (iii) a reagent dried upon a fluid contacting surface of at least one of the sample inlet and the first conduit, such that, when a fluid sample is applied to the fluid inlet, the fluid sample mobilizes and transports the reagent to the optical cell. The invention also provides a method of detecting one or more analytes in a fluid sample of interest.

Claims

1. A cartridge for detecting presence of a target analyte in a fluid sample, the cartridge comprising:

a housing defining a sample inlet, an optical cell, an outlet, a first conduit in fluidic communication with the sample inlet and the optical cell, and a second conduit in fluidic communication with the outlet and the optical cell;

an addressable array disposed within the optical cell; and

a reagent dried upon a fluid contacting surface of at least one of the sample inlet and the first conduit, such that, when a fluid sample is applied to the fluid inlet, the fluid sample mobilizes and transports the reagent to the optical cell.

2. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the dried reagent comprises a detectable label.

3. The cartridge of claim 2, wherein the dried reagent comprises a chemical moiety capable of chemically coupling the detectable label to the target analyte.

4. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the dried reagent comprises a binder for the analyte.

5. The cartridge of claim 4, wherein the binder for the analyte is associated with a detectable label.

6. The cartridge of any one of claims 1, wherein the second conduit defines a first volume.

7. The cartridge of claim 6, wherein the sample inlet defines a sample well.

8. The cartridge of claim 7, wherein the sample well defines a second volume, wherein the first volume is greater than the second volume.

9. The cartridge of claim 6, wherein the optical cell defines a third volume, wherein the first volume is greater than the third volume.

10. The cartridge of any one of claims 1, wherein the cartridge further comprises a second reagent dried on a fluid contacting surface of the inlet conduit at a location downstream of the first reagent, such that fluid sample contacts the first reagent before contacting the second reagent.

11. The cartridge of claim 10, wherein the second reagent is capable of binding the first reagent.

12. The cartridge of any one of claims 1, wherein the outlet is adapted to cooperate with a pump external to the cartridge.

13. The cartridge of any one of claims 1, wherein the array comprises a plurality of spaced apart regions.

14. The cartridge of claim 13, wherein each region comprises an immobilized binder for an analyte.

15. The cartridge of claim 14, wherein each region comprises plurality of immobilized binders, wherein each binder binds a preselected analyte.

16. The cartridge of claim 14, wherein a first binder immobilized in a first region binds a first preselected analyte and a second binder immobilized in a second region binds a second, different preselected analyte.

17. The cartridge of any one of claims 13, wherein the array comprises at least 5 regions, each of which is capable of binding a separate analyte.

18. The cartridge of claim 17, wherein the array comprises at least 10 regions, each of which is capable of binding a separate analyte.

19. The cartridge of claim 18, wherein the array comprises at least 50 regions, each of which is capable of binding a separate analyte.

20. The cartridge of any one of claims 1, wherein the array is disposed upon a base of the optical cell.

21. The cartridge of claim 20, wherein the array is disposed directly on the base of the optical cell.

22. The cartridge of claim 21, wherein the array is disposed upon a solid support separate from the base of the optical cell.

23. The cartridge of any one of claims 1, wherein at least a portion of the optical cell is substantially transparent.

24. The cartridge of any one of claims 1, wherein the sample inlet is defined at least in part by an upper portion of the cartridge.

25. A method of detecting presence of a target analyte in a fluid sample, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) applying a fluid sample to the sample inlet of the cartridge of any one of claims 1; and

(b) detecting the presence of a signal produced at the addressable array, wherein the presence of signal is indicative of the presence of a preselected analyte in the sample.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein a plurality of signals are detected at different locations of the array, and wherein each signal is indicative of the presence of different analytes in the fluid sample.