Fluorescently labeled microbeads

• US 4,698,262 A
• Filed: 06/30/1986
• Issued: 10/06/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Becton Dickinson and Company MACK Centre Drive Paramus New Jersey
• Original Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Inventors: Schwartz, Abraham, Williams, Joel, Stevens, Robert D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schofer, Joseph L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Teskin, F. M.
• Application Number:
  US06/881,508
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• Field of Search: 252/301.35, 523/201, 523/223, 524/458, 526/201, 526/88, 526/320, 526/332, 428/407, 428/402, 521/60, 521/149, 525/243, 525/284
• US Class Current: 428/402
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 8/00 Chemical modification by after-treatment graft polymers, block polymers, crosslinking with unsaturated monomers or with polymers C08F251/00 - C08F299/00; of conjugated diene rubbers C08C
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2982 Particulate matter [e.g., sphere, flake, etc.]

Abstract

Highly uniform polymeric microbeads of a predetermined size, preferably having an attached fluorescent label on the surface, are prepared by causing seed particles to swell by absorption of a plurality of low molecular weight substances, at least one of which is a monomer having a reactive functional group. After absorption, the monomer is internally polymerized, and the reactive functional group is preferably reacted with a polyfunctional spacing agent thereby to provide a second reactive functional group. The latter is then reacted with a fluorescent label to provide the labeled microbead.

Claims

1. Microbeads comprising polymeric seed particles, a swelling agent having a molecular weight less than about 300 and a solubility in water less than about 10^-2 grams per liter and from about 0.1% to about 50% by weight of a polymer of the formula ##STR6## wherein R and R₁ are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and lower alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms and A is selected from the group consisting of a methylene or carbonyl group, said microbeads having a diameter from about 1 to 50 microns and having a size distribution within 10% of the mean.

2. Microbeads comprising polymeric seed particles, a swelling agent selected from the group consisting of a hydrocarbon and a halogenated hydrocarbon, said swelling agent having about 10-16 carbon atoms, and from about 0.1% to about 50% by weight of a polymer of the formula:

##STR7## wherein R and R₁ are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and lower alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms and A is selected from the group consisting of a methylene or carbonyl group, said microbeads having a diameter from about 1 to 50 microns and having a size distribution within 10% of the mean.

3. The microbeads of claim 2 wherein said halogenated hydrocarbon is a chlorinated hydrocarbon.