Immunoassays in capillary tubes
First Claim
1. A process for screening for an analyte in a sample, which process comprisesimporting a fluid mixture into a capillary tube having a wall and coated on at least a portion of its interior surface with a substrate, wherein the fluid mixture comprises a sample suspected of containing the analyte and a reagent comprising a fluorescently-labeled conjugate that(a) binds to the analyte or to the analyte and the substrate and(b) fluoresces when irradiated with an appropriate electromagnetic signal;
- maintaining the fluid mixture in the capillary tube for a time sufficient for binding to take place between the substrate and the fluorescently-labeled conjugate;
removing excess fluid mixture from the capillary tube;
externally irradiating the coated portion of the capillary tube with an electromagnetic signal sufficient to cause fluorescence of bound fluorescently labeled conjugate; and
detecting through the capillary tube wall the resulting fluorescence occurring on the capillary tube interior surface to screen for the analyte.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fluorescent immunoassay employing the interior surface of a capillary tube is provided. Devices to permit immunoassays using one or more capillary tubes, an apparatus for use with the devices, and a process for screening for analyte in a sample using the devices and apparatus are also provided. Samples suspected of containing analyte are added to a disposable self-contained sample tray containing one or more sample wells, mixed with a reagent, drawn into one or more spaced-apart capillary tubes held within a disposable cartridge connected to an analytical apparatus, reacted with a binding member on the surface of the capillary tube, washed to stop the reaction, and dried by the apparatus. The capillary tube is then exposed to a signal generation device to create a fluorescence signal that is detected using a signal detector. The apparatus determines the presence of the analyte and optionally determines the amount of analyte present in the sample, and presents the results to the operator.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A process for screening for an analyte in a sample, which process comprises
importing a fluid mixture into a capillary tube having a wall and coated on at least a portion of its interior surface with a substrate, wherein the fluid mixture comprises a sample suspected of containing the analyte and a reagent comprising a fluorescently-labeled conjugate that (a) binds to the analyte or to the analyte and the substrate and (b) fluoresces when irradiated with an appropriate electromagnetic signal; maintaining the fluid mixture in the capillary tube for a time sufficient for binding to take place between the substrate and the fluorescently-labeled conjugate;
removing excess fluid mixture from the capillary tube;
externally irradiating the coated portion of the capillary tube with an electromagnetic signal sufficient to cause fluorescence of bound fluorescently labeled conjugate; and
detecting through the capillary tube wall the resulting fluorescence occurring on the capillary tube interior surface to screen for the analyte.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
Specification