Ligand assay using interference modulation
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for determining the presence and/or concentration of one or more analytes in a sample, in which each analyte to be determined is capable of being recognized as a ligand by at least one antiligand, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing one or more assay substrate(s), each comprising a transparent surface which is coated with an antiligand capable of binding an analyte;
b) reacting the sample with each provided assay substrate under conditions sufficient to cause each analyte whose presence or concentration is to be determined, if and when present in the sample, to bind to the surface coated with its corresponding antiligand;
c) reacting each surface form step b) with an antiligand specific for the analyte immobilized thereon under conditions sufficient to cause the introduced antiligand to bind to the surface substantially only if and when analyte is bound to the surface;
d) providing an opaque mask containing two or more transparent apertures through which light may be projected to form an interference pattern;
e) determining the interference pattern formed when light is projected through apertures substantially identical to the apertures of the mask provided in step d);
f) positioning each assay substrate so that the surface treated in steps b), and c) covers at least one of the apertures of the mask provided in step d), with the proviso that at least one of the apertures of the mask remains uncovered;
g) determining the interference pattern formed when light is projected through the apertures after the positioning of the surface in step f) andh) correlating changes in one or more features of the interference patterns of step e) and g) with the presence and/or concentration of an analyte in the sample.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An optical detection method for detecting specific ligands in an immunoassay is formed by diffracting a beam of light through slits formed in a mask and thererby forming an interference pattern. The diffracted light of one of the slits is distributed by an assay having a ligand which when reacted with anti-ligand changes the optical characteristics of the assay thereby changing the interference pattern in a concentration dependent manner.
217 Citations
22 Claims
-
1. A method for determining the presence and/or concentration of one or more analytes in a sample, in which each analyte to be determined is capable of being recognized as a ligand by at least one antiligand, comprising the steps of:
-
a) providing one or more assay substrate(s), each comprising a transparent surface which is coated with an antiligand capable of binding an analyte; b) reacting the sample with each provided assay substrate under conditions sufficient to cause each analyte whose presence or concentration is to be determined, if and when present in the sample, to bind to the surface coated with its corresponding antiligand; c) reacting each surface form step b) with an antiligand specific for the analyte immobilized thereon under conditions sufficient to cause the introduced antiligand to bind to the surface substantially only if and when analyte is bound to the surface; d) providing an opaque mask containing two or more transparent apertures through which light may be projected to form an interference pattern; e) determining the interference pattern formed when light is projected through apertures substantially identical to the apertures of the mask provided in step d); f) positioning each assay substrate so that the surface treated in steps b), and c) covers at least one of the apertures of the mask provided in step d), with the proviso that at least one of the apertures of the mask remains uncovered; g) determining the interference pattern formed when light is projected through the apertures after the positioning of the surface in step f) and h) correlating changes in one or more features of the interference patterns of step e) and g) with the presence and/or concentration of an analyte in the sample. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A method for determining the presence and/or concentration of an analyte in a sample, in which the analyte to be determined is capable of being recognized as a ligand by at lest one antiligand, comprising the steps of:
-
a) providing an assay substrate, comprising a narrow surface coated with an antiligand capable of binding the analyte, with the proviso that the coated surface of the assay substrate and areas immediately adjacent to the coated surface are substantially transparent prior to the assay procedure; b) reacting the sample with the assay substrate under conditions sufficient to cause the analyte whose presence or concentration is to be determined, if and when present in the sample to bind to the surface coated with the antiligand; c) reacting the surface form step b) with an antiligand specific for the analyte immobilized thereon under conditions sufficient to cause the introduced antiligand to bind to the surface substantially only if an when analyte is bound to the surface; d) providing an opaque mask containing a transparent slit whose width exceeds the width of the antiligand coated surface on the assay substrate, through which light may be projected to form an interference pattern; e) determining the interference pattern formed when light is projected through a slit substantially identical to the slit of the mask provided in step d); f) positioning the assay substrate so that its antiligand coated surface lies medially over the center of the slit of the mask provided in step
3);g) determining the interference pattern formed when light is projected through the covered slit after the positioning of the surface in steps f); and h) correlating changes in one or more features of the interference patterns of steps e) and g) with the presence and/or concentration of the analyte in the sample. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
-
Specification