Illuminator for Visualization of Fluorophores

• US 20110253541A1
• Filed: 04/17/2011
• Published: 10/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CC IMEX
• Original Assignee: CC IMEX
• Inventors: Chan, Richard, Walker, Winston Glenn, Wong, Rita M., In, Jason
• Granted Patent: US 8,974,651 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 204/612
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44721 by optical means

Abstract

The present invention discloses apparatuses and methods for the visualization of fluorophores in biological systems such as electrophoresis gels and cell cultures. Preferred embodiments of the apparatuses consists of a tray or tank having one or more light sources disposed to direct light through an electrophoresis gel disposed within the vessel such that the luminescence from fluorophores in the gel are easily visualized.

Claims

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23. An apparatus useful for the visualization of fluorophores in biological systems comprising:

a vessel configured to contain an electrophoresis gel wherein the electrophoresis gel comprises a top planar surface, a bottom planer surface parallel to the top planar surface and at least one planer edge perpendicular to the plane of the top and bottom planar surfaces; and

at least one light source configured to provide orthogonal illumination to the at least one vertical edge of the electrophoresis gel disposed within the gel vessel such that light emitted from one or more fluorophores within the gel is emitted through the top surface or bottom surface of the gel such that the fluorophores can be visualized by a viewer or an optical instrument suitable for such visualization by directed to the top or bottom surface of the gel.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the vessel is a polygonal shaped vessel comprising a base having flat inner surface and a plurality of vertical walls less than or equal to the number of edges of the polygon, wherein each vertical wall has an inner surface and wherein the vessel is dimensioned to contain the electrophoresis gel;

and wherein said at least one light source is at least one first vertical wall light source attached to the inner surface of a first vertical wall.

25. The apparatus of claim 23 further comprising one or more optical filters disposed between the top planar surface of the gel and the viewer or the optical instrument such that the optical filter is selected to function as an aid for visualization of fluorescence emitted from the gel.

26. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said at least one light source is a visible light source.

27. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said at least one light source is an ultraviolet light source.

28. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said at least one light source comprises one or more light emitting diodes.

29. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the shape of the polygonal shaped vessel base is similar to the shape of the base of the gel disposed therein.

30. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the polygonal shaped vessel base is a rectangular vessel base.

31. The apparatus of claim 24 further comprising at least one second vertical wall light source attached to the inner surface of a second vertical wall wherein the second vertical wall light source is positioned to provide orthogonal illumination to a second vertical edge of the gel.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the first vertical wall and second vertical wall are adjacent.

33. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the first vertical wall and second vertical wall are opposed.

34. The apparatus of claim 31 further comprising at least one third vertical wall light source attached to the inner surface of a third vertical wall wherein the third vertical wall light source is positioned to provide orthogonal illumination to a third vertical edge of the gel.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 further comprising at least one fourth vertical wall light source attached to the inner surface of a fourth vertical wall wherein the fourth vertical wall light source is positioned to provide orthogonal illumination to a fourth vertical edge of the gel.

36. The apparatus of claim 24 further comprising at least one light guide positioned in proximity to said at least one first vertical wall light source and suitably disposed to diffuse light emitted by the first vertical wall light source evenly across an edge of the gel being viewed.

37. An apparatus useful for the visualization of fluorophores in biological systems comprising:

a vessel comprising a rectangular vessel base having flat inner surface and one to four vertical walls, wherein each wall has an inner surface defining four inner corners and wherein the vessel is dimensioned to contain an electrophoresis gel having flat parallel top and bottom gel surfaces and gel edges disposed orthogonally to the plane of the top and bottom surfaces; and

a first light source disposed in a first inner corner of the vessel wherein the first light source is positioned to directly or indirectly illuminate an electrophoresis gel disposed within the vessel, and wherein the first light source provides one or more of the excitation wavelengths required to effect the emission of fluorescence by fluorophores contained within a gel disposed within the vessel such that the fluorophores can be visualized by a viewer or an optical instrument suitable for such visualization by directed to the top or bottom surface of the gel.

38. The apparatus of claim 37 further comprising a first light guide an end of which is disposed in proximity to the first light source and extending longitudinally along the inner surface of a vessel wall to a terminus at or near an adjacent inner corner such that the light emitted by the first light source is diffused by the first light guide to provide orthogonal illumination an edge of a gel disposed within the vessel.

39. The apparatus of claim 37 further comprising a second light source disposed in a second inner corner of the vessel wherein the second light source is positioned to illuminate an electrophoresis gel disposed within the vessel and wherein the second light source provides one or more of the excitation wavelengths required effect the emission of fluorescence by fluorophores contained within a gel disposed within the vessel;

and further comprising a second light guide an end of which is disposed in proximity to the second light source and extending longitudinally along the inner surface of a vessel wall to a terminus at or near an adjacent inner corner such that the light emitted by the second light source is diffused by the second light guide to provide orthogonal illumination an edge of a gel disposed within the vessel.

40. The apparatus of claim 37 further comprising a third light source disposed in a third inner corner of the vessel wherein the third light source is positioned to illuminate an electrophoresis gel disposed within the vessel and wherein the third light source provides one or more of the excitation wavelengths required effect the emission of fluorescence by fluorophores contained within a gel disposed within the vessel;

and further comprising a third light guide an end of which is disposed in proximity to the third light source and extending longitudinally along the inner surface of a vessel wall to a terminus at or near an adjacent inner corner such that the light emitted by the third light source is diffused by the third light guide to provide orthogonal illumination an edge of a gel disposed within the vessel.

41. The apparatus of claim 37 further comprising a fourth light source disposed in a fourth inner corner of the vessel wherein the fourth light source is positioned to illuminate an electrophoresis gel disposed within the vessel and wherein the fourth light source provides one or more of the excitation wavelengths required effect the emission of fluorescence by fluorophores contained within a gel disposed within the vessel;

and further comprising a fourth light guide an end of which is disposed in proximity to the fourth light source and extending longitudinally along the inner surface of a vessel wall to a terminus at or near an adjacent inner corner such that the light emitted by the fourth light source is diffused by the fourth light guide to provide orthogonal illumination an edge of a gel disposed within the vessel.

42. An apparatus useful for the visualization of fluorophores during a gel electrophoresis procedure comprising:

a vessel equipped to perform electrophoreses procedures in the form of a rectangular tray or tank comprising a bottom and four walls having an inner and an outer surface and wherein the tray is dimensioned to contain an electrophoresis gel and one or more light sources attached to the internal or external surface of at least one of the walls, wherein the one or more walls to which the light sources are attached are essentially transparent to wavelengths emitted by the light sources and wherein the light sources are positioned to illuminate at least one edge of an electrophoresis gel disposed within the vessel allowing the fluorescence emitted by the gel to be visualized by a viewer or an optical instrument suitable for such visualization by directed to the top or bottom surface of the gel.

43. The apparatus of claim 42 further comprising one or more optical filters disposed between the gel and a viewer or an optical instrument wherein that the optical filter functions to aid in detection of fluorescence emitted from a gel therein disposed.

44. An apparatus useful for the visualization of fluorophores in biological systems comprising:

a vessel comprising a rectangular base having a flat inner surface and one to four vertical walls each disposed along an edge of the rectangular base, wherein each vertical wall has an inner surface and wherein the vessel is dimensioned to contain an electrophoresis gel, said gel comprising parallel planer top and bottom gel surfaces and gel edges disposed orthogonally to the plane of said top and bottom gel surfaces;

wherein

at least one vertical wall is provided with one or more light sources positioned to illuminate at least one gel edge of an electrophoresis gel disposed therein; and

wherein

said one or more light sources provide one or more of the excitation wavelengths required to effect the emission of fluorescence by fluorophores contained within a gel disposed within the vessel such that the fluorophores can be visualized by a viewer or an optical instrument suitable for such visualization by directed to the top or bottom surface of the gel; and

wherein

at least one vertical wall is movable with respect to an edge of a gel disposed therein such that the distance between said one or more light sources and the gel edge can be varied to provide a desired illumination intensity.

45. The apparatus of claim 44 further comprising one or more light guides positioned to direct light emitted by said one or more light sources towards one or more edges of a gel disposed therein.