Method of and apparatus for immune analysis
First Claim
1. A method for quantitatively determining a target antigen or a target antibody in a liquid sample in an immunoassay, comprising:
- (a) reacting said liquid sample with a solution comprising an antibody or antigen labelled with a colloidal noble metal particle, wherein said antibody or antigen specifically binds to said target antigen or said target antibody, respectively, to form a liquid sample/solution mixture containing a labelled immune complex;
(b) contacting said liquid sample/solution mixture with a total reflection cell having a surface comprising a total reflection prism;
(c) illuminating said total reflection prism with a measuring beam of light having a wavelength in a range of visible to infrared light at an angle of incidence which causes total reflection at an interface between said total reflection prism and said liquid sample/solution mixture in said total reflection cell;
(d) measuring absorption of said measuring beam at the interface; and
(e) comparing said measured absorption to a standard absorption obtained from a known concentration of said target antigen or said target antibody processed according to steps (a)-(d) to determine the amount of said target antigen or said target antibody in said liquid sample.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A total reflection cell has a total reflection prism on at least one surface thereof. A mixed solution containing a gold colloid labelled antibody which is adsorbed on a gold colloid is stored in the total reflection cell, and a sample solution containing an antigen causing antigen-antibody reaction with the antibody is added thereto for forming a gold colloid labelled immune complex. A measuring beam is introduced into the total reflection prism from an incident optical system at an angle θ of incidence causing total reflection and an outgoing beam from the total reflection prism is received by a measuring optical system, thereby measuring absorption by the gold colloid labelled immune complex and carrying out qualification and determination of the antigen.
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Citations
5 Claims
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1. A method for quantitatively determining a target antigen or a target antibody in a liquid sample in an immunoassay, comprising:
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(a) reacting said liquid sample with a solution comprising an antibody or antigen labelled with a colloidal noble metal particle, wherein said antibody or antigen specifically binds to said target antigen or said target antibody, respectively, to form a liquid sample/solution mixture containing a labelled immune complex; (b) contacting said liquid sample/solution mixture with a total reflection cell having a surface comprising a total reflection prism; (c) illuminating said total reflection prism with a measuring beam of light having a wavelength in a range of visible to infrared light at an angle of incidence which causes total reflection at an interface between said total reflection prism and said liquid sample/solution mixture in said total reflection cell; (d) measuring absorption of said measuring beam at the interface; and (e) comparing said measured absorption to a standard absorption obtained from a known concentration of said target antigen or said target antibody processed according to steps (a)-(d) to determine the amount of said target antigen or said target antibody in said liquid sample. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method for qualitatively determining a target antigen or a target antibody in a liquid sample in an immunoassay, comprising:
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(a) reacting said liquid sample with a solution comprising an antibody or antigen labelled with a colloidal noble metal particle, wherein said antibody or antigen specifically binds to said target antigen or said target antibody, respectively, to form a liquid sample/solution mixture containing a labelled immune complex; (b) contacting said liquid sample/solution mixture with a total reflection cell having a surface comprising a total reflection prism; (c) illuminating said total reflection prism with a measuring beam of light having a wavelength in a range of visible to infrared light at an angle of incidence which causes total reflection at an interface between said total reflection prism and said liquid sample/solution mixture in said total reflection cell; and (d) measuring absorption of said measuring beam at the interface to determine the presence of said target antigen or said target antibody in said liquid sample.
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Specification