Redrawn capillary imaging reservoir

• US 6,350,618 B1
• Filed: 04/27/1999
• Issued: 02/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Corning Incorporated
• Inventors: Borrelli, Nicholas F., Root, David, Wusirika, Raja Rao, Dannoux, Thierry L. A., Eid, Bernard, Carre, Alain R. E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Jill
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gordon, Brian R.
• Application Number:
  US09/300,121
• Time in Patent Office: 1,036 Days
• Field of Search: 422/100, 738/633.2, 738/633.1, 738/64, 738/640.1, 436/174, 436/180
• US Class Current: 436/174
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0046 Sequential or parallel reactions, e.g. for the synthesis of polypeptides or polynucleotides; Apparatus and devices for combinatorial chemistry or for making molecular arrays synthesis methods per se C40B50/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00274 Sequential or parallel reactions; Apparatus and devices for combinatorial chemistry or for making arrays; Chemical library technology
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0031 the racks or blocks being mounted in stacked arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00315 Microtiter plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00317 Microwell devices, i.e. having large numbers of wells
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00369 in multiple or parallel arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00378 Piezoelectric or ink jet dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/005 Beads
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00511 Walls of reactor vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00547 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00549 2-dimensional
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00585 Parallel processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00596 Solid-phase processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00605 the compounds being directly bound or immobilised to solid supports
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0061 The surface being organic
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00612 the surface being inorganic
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00621 by physical means, e.g. trenches, raised areas
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00626 Covalent
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00637 by coating it with another layer
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00641 the porous medium being continuous, e.g. porous oxide substrates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00648 : by the use of solid beads
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00659 : Two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00673 : Slice arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00722 : Nucleotides
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/021 : Adjust spacings in an array of wells, pipettes or holders, format transfer between arrays of different size or geometry
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0838 : Capillaries
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0244 : using pins
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0262 : using touch-off at substrate or container
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50857 : using arrays or bundles of open capillaries for holding samples
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/563 : Joints or fittings in general F16L; Separable fluid transfer means to transfer fluids between at least two containers, e.g. connectors
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 19/06 : by sintering, e.g. by cold isostatic pressing of powders and subsequent sintering, by hot pressing of powders, by sintering slurries or dispersions not undergoing a liquid phase reaction
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 23/047 : by drawing C03B23/091 , C03B37/025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 23/06 : by bending C03B23/096 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 37/028 : Drawing fibre bundles, e.g. for making fibre bundles of multifibres , image fibres; drawing multicore or photonic crystal fibres C03B37/027
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 40/06 : Libraries containing nucleotides or polynucleotides, or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 60/14 : for creating libraries
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 70/00 : Tags or labels specially adapted for combinatorial chemistry or libraries, e.g. fluorescent tags or bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/00 : Sampling; Preparing specimens for investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00237 : Handling microquantities of analyte, e.g. microvalves, capillary networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1037 : Using surface tension, e.g. pins or wires
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1069 : by adjusting the spacing between multiple probes of a single transferring head
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/54306 : Solid-phase reaction mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1065 : Multiple transfer devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1067 : for transfer to or from containers having different spacing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25 : including sample preparation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 : Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for depositing a high density biological or chemical array onto a solid support. Specifically, the apparatus is made up of a plurality of open ended channels collectively forming a matrix. The matrix has been redrawn and cut such that the pitch of the channels on the loading end is larger than the pitch of the channels on the liquid delivery end. The upper portion of each channel serves as a reservoir, while the opposing end, which has been formed by the redrawing process, is diametrically sized such that liquid in the reservoir is retained by capillary pressure at the delivery end. At any point along the height of the capillary reservoir device, all cross-sectional dimensions and areas are uniformly reduced. In other words, the on-center orientation of any two channels, also referred to as the pitch between 2 channels, measured as a function of the diameter of any cross section, is constant throughout the structure. The liquid within the channels is either printed directly from the tool onto a substrate or transferred to a substrate by a typographical pin plate. In another embodiment, the device may be used in transferring sample between multiwell plates of different well density.

Claims

1. A method of making an array of biological samples comprising the steps of:

a) providing a device having a plurality of open ended channels extending from an input face to an output face wherein at least along a length, each channel decreases approximately equally in diameter, cross sectional area, and wall thickness;

b) filling a plurality of said channels with a liquid that is capable of hardening under proper conditions, whereby said liquid contains a biological material;

c) allowing said liquid to harden; and

d) slicing a section of said device such that said sliced section becomes the array.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of bonding said sliced section to said substrate after said slicing step.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of freezing the device after said hardening step and prior to said slicing step.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of allowing the sliced section to thaw after said bonding step.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein said sliced section is 4-10 μ

m in thickness.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein said slicing step is performed by a microtome.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein said bonding is ultrasonic bonding.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein said substrate is optically clear.

9. The method of claim 3 wherein said substrate is composed of a glass.

10. The method of claim 3 wherein said substrate is composed of a thermoplastic polymer.

11. The method of claim 2 wherein said device is composed of an opaque material.

12. The method of claim 2 wherein said liquid contains a binding entity.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said binding entity is an oligonucleotide.