A dry reagent delivery system with membrane having porosity gradient
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for the preparation of a dry chemistry reagent system for analysis of heterogenous fluid samples, said method comprising:
- (a) providing a porous membrane having an essentially uniform composition, said porous membrane being characterized as having two planar surfaces and a porosity gradient from one planar surface to the other, the inherent porosity on at least one of said planar surfaces being essentially exclusive of particulate matter on the order of magnitude of cells present in biological fluid samples;
(b) sequentially imbibing into said porous membrane (i) an indicator and (ii) a reagent cocktail specific for reaction with an analyte believed to be present in the fluid sample; and
(c) contacting said porous membrane with an absorption effective amount of conditioning agent, said conditioning agent enhancing the absorption characteristics of the porous membrane to fluid samples, said contact of said porous membrane with a conditioning agent occurring either independent of and prior to time to contact of said porous membrane with an indicator or subsequent to contact of said porous membrane with said indicator.
10 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Dry chemistry reagent system, kit and method for detection of an analyte such as glucose, cholesterol, urea, antigen or antibody. The reagent system is a porous membrane or bibulous film having a porosity gradient from one planar surface to the other. In the membrane are uniformly distributed an indicator, a flow control agent and a reagent cocktail. The membrane is also modified by a conditioning agent.
-
Citations
40 Claims
-
1. A method for the preparation of a dry chemistry reagent system for analysis of heterogenous fluid samples, said method comprising:
-
(a) providing a porous membrane having an essentially uniform composition, said porous membrane being characterized as having two planar surfaces and a porosity gradient from one planar surface to the other, the inherent porosity on at least one of said planar surfaces being essentially exclusive of particulate matter on the order of magnitude of cells present in biological fluid samples; (b) sequentially imbibing into said porous membrane (i) an indicator and (ii) a reagent cocktail specific for reaction with an analyte believed to be present in the fluid sample; and (c) contacting said porous membrane with an absorption effective amount of conditioning agent, said conditioning agent enhancing the absorption characteristics of the porous membrane to fluid samples, said contact of said porous membrane with a conditioning agent occurring either independent of and prior to time to contact of said porous membrane with an indicator or subsequent to contact of said porous membrane with said indicator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A dry chemistry reagent system for detection of an analyte in a heterogenous fluid sample, said system comprising:
a porous membrane of essentially uniform composition and a porosity gradient from one planar surface thereof to the other, wherein said porous membrane'"'"'s inherent fluid absorption and distribution characteristics have been modified by imbibing a conditioning agent, an indicator, flow control agent and reagent cocktail into its matrix, the effect of such absorption being to effect an essentially uniform distribution of indicator, flow control agent and reagent cocktail within the porous membrane thereby enhancing the uniformity of internal structure of said film so as to enhance the uniformity of absorption and modulate the rate of absorption of the fluid sample and its interaction with the reagent cocktail. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
21. A rapid analytical method for screening a heterogenous fluid sample for an analyte of interest, comprising:
-
(a) providing a dry chemistry reagent system comprising a porous membrane of essentially uniform composition and a porosity gradient from one planar surface thereof to the other, wherein said porouse membrane'"'"'s inherent fluid absorption characteristics have been modified by sequentially imbibing a conditioning agent, an indicator, flow control agent and reagent cocktail into its matrix, the effect of such absorption being to effect an essentially uniform distribution of indicator, flow control agent and reagent cocktail within the porous membrane thereby enhancing the uniformity of internal structure of said porous membrane so as to modulate both the rate and the uniformity of absorption of the fluid sample and its interaction with the reagent cocktail; (b) applying a heterogenous fluid sample to the sample receptive surface of the bibulous medium of the reagent system; and (c) monitoring the surface of the bibulous medium opposite to the sample receptive surface for a change of color or fluorescence or for the development of color or fluorescence. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
-
-
31. A test kit for analysis of a heterogenous fluid sample, said kit comprising:
-
(a) dry chemistry reagent system comprising a porous membrane of essentially uniform composition and a porosity gradient from one planar surface thereof to the other, wherein said porous membrane inherent fluid absorption and distribution characteristics have been modified by sequentially imbibing a conditioning agent, an indicator and reagent cocktail into its matrix, the effect of such absorption being to effect an essentially uniform distribution of indicator, flow control agent and reagent cocktail within the porous membrane thereby enhancing the uniformity of internal structure of said film so as to modulate both the rate and uniformity of absorption of the fluid sample and its interaction with the reagent cocktail; and (b) a standard for comparison with the indicator of the dry chemistry reagent system. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
-
Specification