Reaction vessel for conducting an immunological assay

• US 5,399,316 A
• Filed: 03/03/1993
• Issued: 03/21/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Beckman Coulter Incorporated (Danaher Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamada, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Bidwell, Carol E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chin, Christopher L.
• Application Number:
  US08/025,833
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 436/518, 436/524, 436/527, 436/528, 436/533, 436/172, 436/807-810, 436/805, 436/165, 435/5, 435/7.92, 435/805, 435/962, 435/968, 435/970, 422/57, 422/58, 422/101, 422/102, 422/104
• US Class Current: 422/412
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/069 Absorbents; Gels to retain a fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0825 Test strips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0406 capillary forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0633 with moving parts
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/065 sliding valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50273 characterised by the means or forces applied to move the fluids micropumps F04B19/006, of the membrane type F04B43/043
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6428 Measuring fluorescence of fluorescent products of reactions or of fluorochrome labelled reactive substances, e.g. measuring quenching effects, using measuring "optrodes" in vivo A61B5/00; immunoassay G01N33/53
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/76 Chemiluminescence; Bioluminescence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5304 Reaction vessels, e.g. agglutination plates for solid-phase systems G01N33/543
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/54366 Apparatus specially adapted for solid-phase testing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 435/805 Test papers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 435/97 Test strip or test slide
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/805 Optical property
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/808 Automated or kit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/81 Tube, bottle, or dipstick

Abstract

A sample solution is dripped on an injection region with a pipette. The sample solution immediately spreads in a reaction region by a capillary phenomenon. The sample solution is left for a predetermined period of time to bind a biological associated material in the sample solution with a specific affinity material bound on the inner surface of the reaction region. After the reaction, the outer surface portion of a support member is pushed against a reaction vessel main body to deform the support member, thereby bringing the sample solution into contact with a water absorbent member at a removal region. The sample solution is absorbed by the water absorbent member and is removed from the reaction region. A cleaning solution is dripped on the injection region in an appropriate amount to perform B/F separation and is allowed to spread in the reaction region. The cleaning solution is absorbed and removed by the water absorbent member. The biological associated material bound to the reaction region is assayed.

Claims

1. A reaction vessel for an immunological assay, comprising:

a reaction vessel body comprising;

a bottom member;

a pair of spacer members on said bottom member, said spacer members being spaced apart and defining a linear capillary groove therebetween;

said linear groove extending through said reaction vessel body and having a predetermined height and substantially uniform width along the length thereof;

a cover member mounted on said spacer members over and spaced apart from said bottom member, with said spacer members between said bottom member and said cover member;

said bottom member and spacer members defining a liquid receiving section for receiving at least one of a sample solution containing a sample and a cleaning solution for injection into said reaction vessel body;

said bottom member, said spacer members and said cover member defining a reaction section for receiving a sample solution from said liquid receiving section and for carrying out an antigen-antibody binding reaction on a sample solution therein, said reaction section comprising an immobilized antigen or antibody capable of binding a target antibody or antigen respectively;

said reaction section being positioned downstream from said liquid receiving section;

a liquid outlet section positioned downstream from said reaction section for receiving said sample solution from said reaction section after completion of said antigen-antibody binding reaction;

said liquid receiving section, said reaction section and said liquid outlet section all being positioned in a straight line along said linear groove;

at least one of said bottom member and said cover member being transparent;

said liquid outlet section and said liquid receiving section being positioned at opposite ends of said reaction vessel body, wherein said liquid outlet section comprises an outlet which is positioned in a central portion of an end wall of said reaction vessel body; and

a support member coupled to said reaction vessel body directly opposite said liquid outlet section, said support member holding a liquid-absorbing member which absorbs said sample solution or said cleaning solution exiting through said liquid outlet section of said reaction vessel body;

said support member comprising;

an outer wall section having an inner surface, said liquid-absorbing member being mounted on said inner surface of said outer wall section; and

two parallel arm portions extending from opposite end portions of said outer wall section, said arm sections being movably connected to side portions of said reaction vessel body;

said linear groove of said reaction vessel body having an inner volume sized to house said sample solution or said cleaning solution which is to be received thereinto via said liquid receiving section and also being sized to define a capillary reaction section capable of containing a predetermined liquid volume therein to permit said sample solution or said cleaning solution to diffuse from said liquid receiving section through said reaction section to said liquid outlet section by capillary action; and

said support member being made of an elastic material such that at least said outer wall section thereof is elastically bendable toward said liquid outlet section responsive to a force applied thereto in a direction toward said liquid outlet section, wherein said liquid-absorbing member is held by said support member at a position spaced apart from said liquid outlet section of said reaction vessel body by a predetermined distance, and wherein said liquid-absorbing member is capable of being brought into physical contact with said liquid outlet section of said reaction vessel body to remove said sample solution or said cleaning solution therefrom when said force in a direction toward said reaction vessel body is applied to at least said outer wall section of said elastic support member, thereby controlling an amount of time said sample solution or said cleaning solution is in said reaction vessel body.

2. The reaction vessel of claim 1, wherein said liquid outlet section of said reaction vessel body has a concave portion which is contactable with said water-absorbing member.

3. The reaction vessel of claim 1, wherein said water-absorbing member is semi-circular in shape, and is shaped such that a center of an arcuate portion of the semi-circular shape is positioned to face said outlet section of said reaction vessel body.

4. The reaction vessel of claim 1, wherein said water-absorbing member held by said support member is made of pulp, cloth, sponge, paper, cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose or water-absorbing polymer.

5. The reaction vessel of claim 1, wherein:

said arm portions are connected to said reaction vessel body with a further elastic member interposed therebetween; and

when a force toward said liquid outlet section is applied to said outer wall section, said further elastic member is constricted to permit said support member to be moved toward said outlet section.

6. The reaction vessel of claim 1, wherein said support member is made of at least one material selected from the group consisting of cellulose acetate, polyethyleneterephthalate, polycarbonate, polystyrene and hard rubber.

7. The reaction vessel of claim 1, wherein:

said bottom member of said reaction vessel body comprises a substantially plate-like bottom member having a main surface;

said pair of spacer members comprise respective spacers arranged a predetermined distance apart from each other on said main surface of said plate-like bottom member;

said cover member covers at least a portion of said spacers and said main surface of said plate-like bottom member; and

said reaction section comprises a free space enclosed by said plate-like bottom member, said cover member and said spacers.

8. The reaction vessel of claim 7, wherein each of said spacers has a thickness of 0.1 to 1 mm in a direction perpendicular to the main surface of said plate-like bottom member, and said spacers are arranged 3 to 5 mm apart from each other so as to define said linear groove therebetween.

9. The reaction vessel of claim 8, wherein each of said spacers has a thickness of 0.1 to 0.5 mm in a direction perpendicular to the main surface of said plate-like bottom member.

10. The reaction vessel of claim 1, wherein said liquid receiving section is arranged to receive a solution containing a body fluid as said sample.

11. The reaction vessel of claim 10, wherein said liquid receiving section is arranged to receive a body fluid selected from the group consisting of blood, urine and cerebrospinal fluid.