Peptide or protein microassay method and apparatus
First Claim
1. An assay system, comprising:
- a computer and a set of operating instructions resident in computer software of the computer for operating;
a set of reactant dot applicator pins;
an xy positioner operatively connected to the reactant dot applicator pins, wherein said reactant dot applicator pins create a microarray of liquid hydrophilic reaction dots on a planar surface, each of said reactant dots adhering to said planar surface in a non-covalent manner and having a diameter ranging from 10 microns to 100 microns and being separated by a center to center distance of 50 microns to 500 microns, and having one or more constituents therein; and
a separate device for biological sample aerosol mist generation, wherein the aerosolized biological sample mist droplets are applied simultaneously to said microarray by said separate device for sample aerosol mist generation, without forming a wetting film, for computer-enhanced assay of any reaction between the sample mist droplets and said constituents.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A peptide or protein microassay method and apparatus in which a wide variety of chromogenic or fluorogenic peptide or protein substrates of interest are individually suspended or dissolved in a hydrophilic carrier, with aliquots of each substrate being deposited in an array or microarray of reaction loci, or “dots.” Each dot, therefore, provides an individual reaction vessel containing the peptide or protein of interest, to which a biological sample may be applied for assay purposes. The sample is applied to the array or microarray of dots by one of a variety of focused sample application techniques, including aerosolizing or misting of the sample, or target application of the sample, onto each dot without creating fluid channels between the dots which would cause cross-contamination.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. An assay system, comprising:
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a computer and a set of operating instructions resident in computer software of the computer for operating; a set of reactant dot applicator pins; an xy positioner operatively connected to the reactant dot applicator pins, wherein said reactant dot applicator pins create a microarray of liquid hydrophilic reaction dots on a planar surface, each of said reactant dots adhering to said planar surface in a non-covalent manner and having a diameter ranging from 10 microns to 100 microns and being separated by a center to center distance of 50 microns to 500 microns, and having one or more constituents therein; and a separate device for biological sample aerosol mist generation, wherein the aerosolized biological sample mist droplets are applied simultaneously to said microarray by said separate device for sample aerosol mist generation, without forming a wetting film, for computer-enhanced assay of any reaction between the sample mist droplets and said constituents. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification