Flow cell device, sensor unit and assay apparatus

• US 7,625,748 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2006
• Issued: 12/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Shimizu, Hitoshi, Ogura, Nobuhiko, Kuruma, Koji, Fujikura, Tatsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu; Melanie
• Application Number:
  US11/475,064
• Publication Number:
  US 20070004030A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,253 Days
• Field of Search: 435/7.1, 435/283.1, 435/287.1, 435/287.2, 435/288.3, 435/288.4, 435/288.5, 422/50, 422/58, 422/68.1, 436/524, 436/525, 436/527
• US Class Current: 435/288.5
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/05 Flow-through cuvettes G01N21/09 takes precedence; handling fluid samples G01N1/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/553 and using surface plasmons fluorescence excitation G01N21/648; enhanced Raman G01N21/658

Abstract

A flow cell device is incorporated in the sensor unit for surface plasmon resonance (SPR) assay. A box shaped flow cell body has a lower surface, and is disposed in contact of the lower surface with a sensing surface for detecting reaction of sample. Two flow channels are formed in the flow cell body, for flow of the sample. Each of the flow channels include a fluid passageway, formed in the lower surface, for flow of the sample in contact with the sensing surface. Two end cavities are formed in an upper surface of the flow cell body and open therein, to extend from ends of the fluid passageway. The flow channels are arranged adjacent to one another, disposed to extend in a direction of the flow. Fluid passageways of the flow channels are overlapped partially on one another in a flow cell longitudinal direction of the flow cell body.

Claims

1. A flow cell device comprising:

a flow cell body, having a lower surface, and disposed in contact of said lower surface with a sensing surface for detecting reaction of sample;

at least two flow channels, formed in said flow cell body, for flow of said sample;

each of said flow channels including a fluid passageway, formed in said lower surface, for flow of said sample in contact with said sensing surface, and two end cavities, formed in an upper surface of said flow cell body and open therein, to extend from ends of said fluid passageway;

at least one flow channel set constituting said at least two flow channels, said flow channels being arranged adjacent to one another as viewed in a direction of said flow, disposed to extend in said direction of said flow, fluid passageways of said flow channels being overlapped partially on one another in a predetermined direction of said flow cell body;

wherein each of said fluid passageways extends to intersect with a reference straight line extending in said predetermined direction, and wherein a measurement point of each of said fluid passageways is disposed at a point on the reference straight line.

2. The flow cell device as defined in claim 1, wherein said reference straight line is a flow cell central line defined by a shape of said flow cell body.

3. The flow cell device as defined in claim 2, wherein said fluid passageway is so disposed that a straight line that passes through the ends thereof is inclined with said reference straight line.

4. The flow cell device as defined in claim 3, wherein said fluid passageway is so disposed that said end cavities are disposed at an equal path length from intersection point between said straight line and said reference straight line.

5. The flow cell device as defined in claim 3, wherein said fluid passageway is formed to extend substantially linearly.

6. The flow cell device as defined in claim 3, wherein said fluid passageway is formed to extend in a wave shaped bent form.

7. The flow cell device as defined in claim 2, wherein said fluid passageway is so disposed that a straight line that passes through the ends thereof extends along with said reference straight line.

8. The flow cell device as defined in claim 7, wherein said fluid passageway is in a bent form toward a reference straight line, and said two flow channels are opposed to one another with respect to said reference straight line.

9. The flow cell device as defined in claim 7, wherein said fluid passageway is formed to extend in an S shaped bent form.

10. The flow cell device as defined in claim 9, wherein said two flow channels are opposed to one another with respect to said reference straight line.

11. The flow cell device as defined in claim 1, further comprising a retention portion, formed to project from said flow cell body, engageable with a support having said sensing surface, for keeping said sensing surface in contact with said lower surface.

12. The flow cell device as defined in claim 1, wherein said flow cell body includes:

a hard part; and

an elastic flexible part, formed together with said hard part according to dual molding, having a smaller hardness than said hard part, for constituting at least an edge of said fluid passageway.

13. A sensor unit, having a dielectric medium overlaid with a thin film for attenuating reflected illuminating light upon application of said illuminating light to satisfy a total reflection condition, and at least one flow cell device disposed to contact said dielectric medium, for causing sample to flow to a sensing surface on said thin film, wherein when said sample contacts said sensing surface, an incidence angle of said illuminating light of occurrence of attenuation is changed according to reaction of said sample, said sensor unit comprising:

said flow cell device including;

a flow cell body, having a lower surface, and disposed in contact of said lower surface with said sensing surface;

at least two flow channels, formed in said flow cell body, for flow of said sample;

each of said flow channels including a fluid passageway, formed in said lower surface, for flow of said sample in contact with said sensing surface, and two end cavities, formed in an upper surface of said flow cell body and open therein, to extend from ends of said fluid passageway;

said flow cell device including at least one flow channel set constituting said at least two flow channels, said flow channels being arranged adjacent to one another as viewed in a direction of said flow, disposed to extend in said direction of said flow, fluid passageways of said flow channels being overlapped partially on one another in a predetermined direction of said flow cell body;

wherein each of said fluid passageways extends to intersect with a reference straight line extending in said predetermined direction, and wherein a measurement point of each of said fluid passageways is disposed at a point on the reference straight line.

14. The sensor unit as defined in claim 13, wherein said flow channels in said flow channel set include:

a first flow channel adapted to generating a measuring signal of information of detecting said reaction; and

a second flow channel adapted to generating a reference signal for analysis of said measuring signal.

15. The sensor unit as defined in claim 13, wherein said at least one flow cell device is plural flow cell devices arranged in a flow cell array.

16. An assay apparatus for an assay utilizing attenuated total reflection, comprising:

an assay stage for supporting a removable sensor unit,

a light source for applying illuminating light to a thin film of said sensor unit to satisfy a total reflection condition, and

a photo detector for receiving said illuminating light reflected by said thin film and for conversion into an electric signal, wherein;

said sensor unit comprises a dielectric medium overlaid with said thin film for attenuating reflected illuminating light upon application of said illuminating light to satisfy a total reflection condition, and at least one flow cell device disposed to contact said dielectric medium, for causing sample to flow to a sensing surface on said thin film, wherein when said sample contacts said sensing surface, an incidence angle of said illuminating light of occurrence of attenuation is changed according to reaction of said sample; and

said flow cell device comprises;

a flow cell body, having a lower surface, and disposed in contact of said lower surface with said sensing surface;

at least two flow channels, formed in said flow cell body, for flow of said sample;

each of said flow channels including a fluid passageway, formed in said lower surface, for flow of said sample in contact with said sensing surface, and two end cavities, formed in an upper surface of said flow cell body and open therein, to extend from ends of said fluid passageway;

said flow cell device including at least one flow channel set for constituting said at least two flow channels, said flow channels being arranged adjacent to one another as viewed in a direction of said flow, disposed to extend in said direction of said flow, fluid passageways of said flow channels being overlapped partially on one another in a predetermined direction of said flow cell body;

wherein each of said fluid passageways extends to intersect with a reference straight line extending in said predetermined direction, and wherein a measurement point of each of said fluid passageways is disposed at a point on the reference straight line.

17. The assay apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein there are two paths where said light source applies said illuminating light to said thin film, and said illuminating light travels to a measuring point defined in said fluid passageway;

said measuring point is disposed at a first path length from a first end cavity for dispensing said sample among said end cavities, said first path length being equal in each of said at least two flow channels.

18. The assay apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein said measuring point is disposed at a second path length from a second end cavity for exiting said sample among said end cavities, and said second path length is equal to said first path length.