Microarray fabrication techniques and apparatus
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A capillary bundle comprising:
- a body having a proximal end and a distal end;
a plurality of isolated channels, each of said channels extending from said proximal end to said distal end and being surrounded by a channel wall having a first region in communication with said channel and at least a second region on a side of said first region opposite to said channel, wherein said first region has an optical refractive index higher than an optical refractive index of said second region so that light transmitted into the proximal end of said channel exits the capillary bundle at said distal end of said channel; and
wherein at least at said proximal and said distal ends, a cross-section of said capillary bundle as defined by any section orthogonal to a length of said capillary bundle comprises a continuous structure.
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Abstract
Disclosed is a microarray printing system and methods of printing probe microarrays. The system has a print-head formed of one or more capillary bundle, such as light-guiding capillaries. The bundles may especially be bundles of capillaries that provide a large number of probes on the surface of a substrate. Methods of registering or correlating the distal and proximal ends of the capillaries are also provided. Further, the invention provides methods and equipment for identifying defective microarrays that are missing one or more probes from the surface of the microarray.
82 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A capillary bundle comprising:
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a body having a proximal end and a distal end;
a plurality of isolated channels, each of said channels extending from said proximal end to said distal end and being surrounded by a channel wall having a first region in communication with said channel and at least a second region on a side of said first region opposite to said channel, wherein said first region has an optical refractive index higher than an optical refractive index of said second region so that light transmitted into the proximal end of said channel exits the capillary bundle at said distal end of said channel; and
wherein at least at said proximal and said distal ends, a cross-section of said capillary bundle as defined by any section orthogonal to a length of said capillary bundle comprises a continuous structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 23)
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6. A print system for printing probe microarrays comprising:
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a capillary bundle comprising;
a body having a proximal end and a distal end;
a plurality of isolated channels, each of said channels extending from said proximal end to said distal end and being surrounded by a channel wall;
at least a portion of said body located between said distal end and said proximal end being flexible such that said distal end may move independently of said proximal end; and
wherein at least at said proximal and said distal ends a cross-section of said capillary bundle as defined by any section orthogonal to a length of said capillary bundle comprises a continuous structure;
a plurality of reservoirs in fluid communication with said proximal ends of said channels of said capillary bundle;
a voltage source connected to an electrically-conductive material at said proximal end and an electrically conductive material at said distal end of each of said channels; and
a voltage controller being configured to individually adjust and control the voltage applied to each of said channels. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22)
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7. A print system for printing probe microarrays comprising:
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a capillary bundle comprising;
a body having a proximal end and a distal end;
a plurality of isolated channels, each of said channels extending from said proximal end to said distal end and being surrounded by a channel wall having a first region in communication with said channel and at least a second region on a side of said first region opposite to said channel, wherein said first region has an optical refractive index higher than an optical refractive index of said second region so that light transmitted into the proximal end of said channel exits the capillary bundle at said distal end of said channel; and
wherein at least at said proximal and said distal ends, a cross-section of said capillary bundle as defined by any section orthogonal to a length of said capillary bundle comprises a continuous structure; and
a plurality of reservoirs in fluid communication with said proximal ends of said channels of said capillary bundle. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification