Device for performing an assay, a method for manufacturing said device, and use of a membrane in the manufacture of said device

• US 6,635,493 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2001
• Issued: 10/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PamGene B.V. (VitrOmics Healthcare Holding BV)
• Original Assignee: PamGene B.V. (VitrOmics Healthcare Holding BV)
• Inventors: Kreuwel, Hermanus Johannes Maria, van Damme, Hendrik Sibolt
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Christopher L.
• Application Number:
  US09/843,929
• Publication Number:
  US 20020102565A1
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 422/57, 422/58, 435/5, 435/6, 435/7.1, 435/287.1, 435/287.2, 435/810, 436/518, 436/524
• US Class Current: 436/524
• 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 2219/00378 Piezoelectric or ink jet dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00497 Features relating to the solid phase supports
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00511 Walls of reactor vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00527 Sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0059 Sequential 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 2219/00612 the surface being inorganic
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00619 using hydrophilic or hydrophobic regions
• 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 2219/0063 Other, e.g. van der Waals forces, hydrogen bonding
• 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 2219/00659 Two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00722 Nucleotides
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5025 for parallel transport of multiple samples
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6834 Enzymatic or biochemical coupling of nucleic acids to a solid phase
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6837 using probe arrays or probe chips C12Q1/6874 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/703 : Viruses associated with AIDS
• 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: G01N 33/551 : the carrier being inorganic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 435/81 : Packaged device or kit

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for performing an assay, which device comprises a substrate having oriented through-going channels, said channels opening out on a surface for sample application, the channels in at least one area of the surface for sample application being provided with a first binding substance capable of binding to an analyte. The object of the present invention is to provide a substrate having both a high channel density and a high porosity, allowing high density arrays comprising different first binding substances to be applied to the surface for sample application. More in particular, the object of the present invention is to provide a device comprising a relatively cheap substrate that does not require the use of any typical microfabrication technology and, that offers an improved control over the liquid distribution over the surface of the substrate. The above objects are achieved with a device as mentioned above wherein the porous substrate is an electrochemically manufactured metal oxide membrane.

Claims

1. A method for the detection of an analyte in a sample, the method comprising the steps of

a) contacting the sample with a device, which device comprises a substrate having through-going channels, said channels opening out on a surface for sample application, the channels in at least one area of the surface for sample application being provided with a first binding substance capable of binding to an analyte, wherein the substrate is an electrochemically manufactured metal oxide membrane and the first binding substance is within the through-going channels in the substrate;

b) passing the sample through the membrane in one direction perpendicular to the surface of the membrane in a manner sufficient to allow binding to take place between the first binding substance and the analyte to be detected;

c) repeating steps a) and b) by passing the sample through the membrane in the opposite direction; and

d) detecting whether binding has occurred between the first binding substance and the analyte.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein steps a), b) and c) are repeated at least once before performing step d).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyte comprises a nucleic acid.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the nucleic acid is derivable from a human immunodeficiency virus.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising using the results of step d) to determine sequence information of the nucleic acid.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyte comprises an antibody, an antigen, a receptor, a hapten, or a ligand.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the analyte is from a human immunodeficiency virus.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first binding substance is an oligonucleotide.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first binding substance is a sequence of amino acids.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first binding substance is an antibody.