method for identifying compounds that affect a transport of a protein through menbrane trafficking pathway

• US 20090294303A1
• Filed: 10/12/2005
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Jochems, Carlo, Fiore, Stefano Di, Fischer, Rainer, Emans, Neil, Hurling, Stephan, Herrenknecht, Kurt
• Application Number:
  US11/665,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20090294303A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 205/780.5
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00653 the compounds being bound to electrodes embedded in or on the solid supports
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00722 Nucleotides
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00731 Saccharides
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00736 Non-biologic macromolecules, e.g. polymeric compounds
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5027 by integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g. lab-on-a-chip B01L3/5023 takes precedence; micromixers B01F33/30; microreactors for synthesis B01J19/0093; microcapillary devices in general B81B1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 15/00 Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/126 comprising organic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/127 comprising nanoparticles

Abstract

Resistive-sensors are provided wherein networks or nanoframeworks of conducting polymer nanowires are electrochemically grown from pre-polymer solutions in the junction gap located between electrode pairs.

Claims

1. A sensor comprising:

a first electrode pair comprising;

a first electrode comprising a first junction surface; and

a second electrode comprising a second junction surface wherein said first and second junction surfaces are located adjacent to each other to form a junction gap; and

a junction located in said junction gap, said junction comprising a network of nanowires comprising a conducting polymer, said network providing an electrically conductive connection between said first and second electrode.

2. The sensor of claim 1 that further comprises

an electrolyte gate located at said junction of said first electrode pair.

3. A sensor according to claim 2 that further comprises:

at least one additional electrode pair comprising;

a first electrode comprising a first junction surface; and

a second electrode comprising a second junction surface wherein said first and second junction surfaces are located adjacent to each other to form a junction gap;

a junction located in said junction gap of said at least one additional electrode pair, said junction comprising a network of nanowires comprising a conducting polymer, said network providing an electrically conductive connection between said first and second electrode of said at least one additional electrode pair; and

an electrolyte gate located at said junction of said at least one additional electrode pair.

4. A test device, comprising:

a sensor according to claim 3;

a detection unit coupled to said sensor; and

a readout unit coupled to said detection unit.

5. A test device according to claim 4,

wherein said first electrodes of said first electrode pair and said at least one additional electrode pair are electrically coupled to each other and to said detection unit,

wherein said second electrodes of said first electrode pair and said at least one additional electrode pair are electrically coupled to each other and to said detection unit, and

wherein said electrolyte gates of said first electrode pair and said at least one additional electrode pair are electrically coupled to each other and to said detection unit.

6. A test device according to claim 4,

wherein said first electrodes of each said first electrode pair and said at least one additional electrode pair are electrically coupled to said detection unit,

wherein said second electrodes of each said first electrode pair and said at least one additional electrode pair are electrically coupled to said detection unit, and

wherein said electrolyte gates of each said first electrode pair and said at least one additional electrode pair are electrically coupled to said detection unit.

7. A sensor according to claim 3 wherein said network of nanowires of an electrode pair of said first electrode pair and said at least one additional electrode pair comprises a conducting polymer that is different from said network of nanowires of another electrode pair of said first electrode pair and said at least one additional electrode pair.

8. A sensor according to claim 3 wherein said network of nanowires of each electrode pair of said first electrode pair and said at least one additional electrode pair comprises the same conducting polymer.

9. A sensor according to claim 2 wherein said conducting polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyaniline, polypyrrole and poly(ethylenedioxythiophene).

10. A sensor according to claim 1, wherein said conducting polymer is selected from the group consisting of polypyrrole and poly(ethylenedioxythiophene).

11. A sensor according to claim 2 wherein said junction gap is from 1 to 100 μ

m wide.

12. A sensor according to claim 2 wherein said junction gap is from 2 to 100 μ

m wide.

18. A sensor according to claim 2 that further includes an analyte in contact with said junction.

19. A sensor according to claim 18, wherein said analyte is selected from the group consisting of ammonia, hydrogen chloride, ethanol, methanol, chloroform and acetone.

20. A sensor according to claim 18, wherein said analyte is selected from the group consisting of a saccharide molecule and a DNA molecule.

21. A sensor according to claim 18,

wherein said analyte comprises an aqueous solution, and

wherein said sensor responds to the pH of said aqueous solution.

22. A sensor according to claim 1 that further includes an analyte in contact with said junction, wherein said analyte is selected from the group consisting of a saccharide molecule and a DNA molecule.

29. A method comprising the steps of

providing a sensor according to claim 1;

contacting said junction present in said sensor with a test medium;

measuring the change in conductance of electricity across said junction when said junction is contacted with said test medium.

30. A method comprising the steps of:

providing a sensor according to claim 2;

contacting said junction present in said sensor with a test medium;

measuring the on/off current ratio of said first electrode pair when said junction is contacted with said test medium.

31. A method according to claim 30 wherein said test medium is a liquid.

32. A method according to claim 30 wherein said test medium is a solution.

33. A method according to claim 30 wherein said test medium is a gas.

34. A method comprising the steps of:

providing a sensor according to claim 3;

contacting said junctions of said first electrode pair and said at least one additional electrode pair present in said sensor with a test medium; and

measuring the on/off current ratio of said first electrode pair and said at least one additional electrode pair when said junctions are contacted with said test medium.

35. An arrangement comprising the sensor of claim 3,

wherein said first electrode pair and said at least one additional electrode pair comprise the same conducting polymer, and

wherein said junction of an electrode pair of said first electrode pair and said at least one additional electrode pair is in contact with a first test medium, and said junction of another electrode pair of said first electrode pair and said at least one additional electrode pair is in contact with another test medium different than the first test medium.

36. An arrangement comprising the sensor of claim 3,

wherein an electrode pair of said first electrode pair and said at least one additional electrode pair comprises a first conducting polymer, and another electrode pair of said first electrode pair and said at least one additional electrode pair comprises another conducting polymer different from said first conducting polymer, and

wherein said junction of each electrode pair of said first electrode pair and said at least one additional electrode pair are in contact with the same test medium.

37. A microfluidic device comprising:

a substrate having at least one microchannel for the transport of at least one fluid; and

the sensor according to claim 1,

wherein said first electrode bounds a portion of said at least one microchannel, and said second electrode bounds another portion of said at least one microchannel.

38. A microfluidic device comprising:

a substrate having at least one microchannel for the transport of at least one fluid; and

the sensor according to claim 2,

wherein said first electrode bounds a portion of said at least one microchannel, and said second electrode bounds another portion of said at least one microchannel.

39. A microfluidic device comprising:

a substrate having at least one microchannel for the transport of at least one fluid; and

the sensor according to claim 3,

wherein said first electrode of said first electrode pair bounds a first portion of said at least one microchannel, and said second electrode of said second electrode pair bounds a second portion of said at least one microchannel, and

wherein said first electrode of said at least one additional electrode pair bounds a first additional portion of said at least one microchannel, and said second electrode of said at least one additional electrode pair bounds a second additional portion of said at least one microchannel.

13. (canceled)

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17. (canceled)

23. A method for making a sensor comprising the steps of:

providing a first electrode pair comprising;

a first electrode comprising a first junction surface; and

a second electrode comprising a second junction surface wherein said first and second junction surfaces are located adjacent to each other to form a junction gap;

filling said junction gap with a solution comprising a pre-polymer of a conducting polymer; and

providing a sufficient electrical current between said first and second electrodes for a sufficient time to polymerize said pre-polymer to form a junction between said first and second electrodes that comprises a network of conducting polymer nanowires.

24. A method for making a sensor according to claim 23 that includes the additional step of providing an electrolyte gate at said junction of said first electrode pair.

25. (canceled)

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27. (canceled)

28. (canceled)

40. (canceled)

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46. (canceled)