Fluorescence reference plate

• US 7,072,036 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2003
• Issued: 07/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Amersham Biosciences UK Ltd (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GE Healthcare UK Limited (Danaher Corporation)
• Inventors: Looker, Michael Roger, Meyler, Philip John, Jessop, Robert Arnold, Page, Michael Keith, Jones, Christopher Nicholas, Hatcher, Malcolm John
• Primary Examiner(s): Lauchman, Layla G.
• Application Number:
  US10/442,776
• Publication Number:
  US 20040036868A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,140 Days
• Field of Search: 356/246, 356/243.1, 356/243.4, 356/244, 356/234.1, 422/102, 422/82.02, 422/942, 436/172, 436/164, 435/288.4
• US Class Current: 356/246
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5085 for multiple samples, e.g. microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/278 Constitution of standards
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/64 Fluorescence; Phosphorescence

Abstract

A multi-modality fluorescence reference plate comprising wells coated with a fluorogenic compound is described, together with a method of producing such a plate. The plate has utility for calibrating fluorescent plate readers and imaging systems for measuring steady-state fluorescence, time-resolved fluorescence, fluorescence lifetime and/or fluorescence polarisation.

Claims

1. A method of producing a multi-modality fluorescence reference plate comprising the steps of:

i) ink jet printing or screen-printing a fluorogenic compound onto a first surface of a base sheet; and

ii) affixing said base sheet to a first surface of a plate comprising one or more wells to provide a seal therebetween.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said seal is a water-tight seal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the base sheet includes printing paper or card.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said printing paper or card includes a metallic film.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said metallic film is selected from the group consisting of silver, aluminium, tin and gold.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the printing paper or the card further comprises a polymeric coating.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the base sheet includes an organic polymer.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said organic polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polystyrene polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and nylon.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the base sheet includes a metal.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said metal is aluminium or stainless steel.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of securing a first surface of a support to a second surface of the base sheet to provide strengthening therefor.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of securing a bottom to a second surface of said support.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluorogenic compound is selected from the group consisting of fluorescein, rhodamine, umbeliferone, Hoechst 33342, Cy2, Cy3, Cy3B, Cy5, Cy5B, Cy7, CypHer, coumarin, FITC, DAPI, Alexa dyes, DRAQ5, acridone, quinacridone, lanthanide chelates, ruthenium complexes, tartrazine, green fluorescent proteins (GFP), phycocyanin, allophycocyanin and phycoerythrin.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluorogenic compound consists of stable, non-radioactive atoms.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluorogenic compound comprises an unstable, radioactive isotope.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of wells in the plate is selected from the group consisting of one, six, twelve, twenty-four, forty-eight, ninety-six, three hundred and eighty-four, and fifteen hundred and thirty-six.