Solid phase immunoassay with carriers matching the shape of sample wells

• US 6,197,597 B1
• Filed: 07/28/1995
• Issued: 03/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Labsystems Oy (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Labsystems Oy (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Tuunanen, Jukka
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Christopher L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, BAO THUY L
• Application Number:
  US08/495,515
• Time in Patent Office: 2,048 Days
• Field of Search: 422/57, 422/58, 422/61, 422/63, 422/68.1, 422/99, 435/7.1, 435/7.93, 435/7.94, 435/7.95, 435/287.9, 435/288.1, 435/288.4, 435/294.1, 435/299.2, 435/305.3, 435/305.4, 435/962, 436/518, 436/538, 436/807, 436/810, 436/824, 436/809
• US Class Current: 436/518
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/044 pierceable, e.g. films, membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0829 Multi-well plates; Microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0848 Specific forms of parts of containers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/16 Surface properties and coatings
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/02 Burettes; Pipettes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50853 with covers or lids
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1055 for immobilising reagents, e.g. dried reagents
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/54366 Apparatus specially adapted for solid-phase testing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/0098 involving analyte bound to insoluble magnetic carrier, e.g. using magnetic separation magnetic particles used in immunoassays G01N33/54326; magnetic separation in general B03C
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/026 having blocks or racks of reaction cells or cuvettes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 435/962 Prevention or removal of interfering materials or reactants or other treatment to enhance results, e.g. determining or preventing nonspecific binding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/807 Apparatus included in process claim, e.g. physical support structures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/809 Multifield plates or multicontainer arrays
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/81 Tube, bottle, or dipstick
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/824 Immunological separation techniques

Abstract

The invention concerns a solid-phase determination method and equipment and an adapter for use in these. In the method a sample is allowed to react with a separating reagent bound to the outer surface of a separate solid phase body, whereafter the body is removed from the vessel and is taken to a measurement vessel, if required through one or several intermediate step vessels. At least one vessel contains a medium needed in a determination step to be performed therein when the phase body is brought into this vessel. The invention is especially suitable for use in automatic immunodetermination systems.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use in a solid-phase immunoassay to determine the presence of an analyte in a sample, the apparatus comprising:

a. a reaction vessel for a sample to be analyzed;

b. a solid phase body for insertion into a reaction vessel, said solid phase body having a cross-section similar to the reaction vessel, and an outer surface sloping continuously downwardly and having a sharp cusp at its lower end, the outer surface containing a separating reagent to react with the sample;

c. at least one additional vessel for performing intermediate steps upon the solid phase body after the reaction between the separating reagent and the sample;

d. a measuring vessel for conducting measurements of the reaction between the separating reagent and the sample in the measuring vessel; and

e. an actuator means for inserting, removing, and moving the solid phase body from one vessel to another, wherein at least one vessel contains a medium when said solid phase body is inserted into said vessel.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the solid phase body has grooves or protrusions to increase the surface area of the solid phase body.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the solid phase body has grooves or ridges extending to its lowest end.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an agitating means for agitating the medium in the vessel.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the agitating means is the solid phase body.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the solid phase body is moved vertically for agitating the medium.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of the vessels contain medium.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of the vessels are joined together to form one vessel unit.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one vessel is closed with a penetrable film.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein each vessel is closed with a penetrable film.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein at least one closed vessel contains an inert gas.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said body is constructed of sufficient width to form a gap between a vessel and said removing means.

13. An apparatus for use in a solid-phase immunoassay to determine the presence of an analyte in a sample, the apparatus comprising:

a. a reaction vessel for a sample to be analyzed;

b. a solid phase body for insertion into a reaction vessel, said solid phase body having a cross-section similar to the reaction vessel, and having an outer surface sloping continuously downward and having a sharp cusp at its lowest end, the outer surface containing a separating reagent to react with the sample;

c. at least one additional vessel for performing intermediate steps upon the solid phase body after the reaction between the separating reagent and the sample;

d. a measuring vessel for conducting measurements of the reaction between the separating reagent and the sample;

e. a measuring means for measuring the reaction between the separating reagent and the sample in the measuring vessel; and

f. an actuator means for inserting, removing, and moving the solid phase body from one vessel to another, wherein at least one vessel contains a medium when said solid phase body is inserted into said vessel and said body being constructed of sufficient width to form a gap of suitable narrowness between a vessel and said removing means for moving said medium efficiently when said body is moved vertically in said vessel.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 in which said reaction vessel contains a medium and a substance is disposed within said medium.

15. An apparatus for use in a solid-phase immunoassay to determine the presence of an analyte in a sample, the apparatus comprising:

a. a reaction vessel for a sample to be analyzed;

b. a solid phase body for insertion into a reaction vessel, said solid phase body having a cross-section similar to the reaction vessel, and having an outer surface sloping continuously downward and having a sharp cusp at its lowest end, the outer surface containing a separating reagent to react with the sample;

c. at least one additional vessel for performing intermediate steps upon the solid phase body after the reaction between the separating reagent and the sample;

d. a measuring vessel for conducting measurements of the reaction between the separating reagent and the sample;

e. a measuring means for measuring the reaction between the separating reagent and the sample in the measuring vessel; and

f. an actuator means for inserting, removing, and moving the solid phase body from one vessel to another, wherein at least one vessel contains a medium when said phase body is inserted into said vessel, each of said vessels being joined together to form one vessel unit.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 in which said body is constructed of sufficient width to form a gap between a vessel and said removing means.

17. An apparatus for use in a solid-phase immunoassay to determine the presence of an analyte in a sample, the apparatus comprising:

a. a solid phase body having an upper portion tapering outwardly from a smaller diameter to a maximum diameter, and a lower portion tapering inwardly from said maximum diameter, to a sharp cusp at a lower end of the lower portion, said upper portion and said lower portion defining an outer surface which contains a separating reagent; and

b. a reaction vessel for the sample shaped complimentary to the lower portion of the solid phase body so that the lower portion of the solid phase body and the reaction vessel are in close proximity when the solid phase body is in the reaction vessel.