Multi-through hole testing plate for high throughput screening

• US 7,666,360 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2002
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: BioTrove, Inc. (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Liu, Amy Deming, Schellenberger, Volker
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden; Jill
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEVKOVICH, NATALIA A
• Application Number:
  US10/223,893
• Publication Number:
  US 20020192716A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,744 Days
• Field of Search: 435/4, 435/283.1, 435/29, 422/102, 422/104, 422/100
• US Class Current: 422/552
• 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 2219/00286 Reactor vessels with top and bottom openings
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00317 Microwell devices, i.e. having large numbers of wells
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00319 the blocks being mounted in stacked arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0052 in the shape of elongated tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00524 in the shape of fiber bundles
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00533 essentially rectangular
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00596 Solid-phase processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00644 the porous medium being present in discrete locations, e.g. gel pads
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00659 Two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00662 Two-dimensional arrays within two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00707 separated from the reactor apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0654 Lenses; Optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0809 rectangular shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/161 Control and use of surface tension forces, e.g. hydrophobic, hydrophilic
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5025 for parallel transport of multiple samples
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5085 for multiple samples, e.g. microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50857 using arrays or bundles of open capillaries for holding samples
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 60/14 for creating libraries
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00237 Handling microquantities of analyte, e.g. microvalves, capillary networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1065 : Multiple transfer devices

Abstract

A method for holding samples for analysis and an apparatus thereof includes a testing plate with a pair of opposing surfaces and a plurality of holes. Each of the holes extends from one of the opposing surfaces to the other one of the opposing surfaces. The holes are arranged in groups, where each group has at least two rows and two columns of holes. The groups are arranged in sets, where each set has at least two rows and two columns of groups. To analyze samples, at least one of the opposing surfaces of the testing plate is immersed in a solution to be analyzed. A portion of the solution enters openings for each of the holes in the immersed opposing surface. Once the holes are filled with solution, the testing plate is removed and is held above a supporting surface. Surface tension holds the solution in each of the holes. The solution in one or more of the holes is then analyzed and the solution in one of these holes is identified for further study. The location of the identified solution is marked based upon its location within a particular set and group of holes.

Claims

1. An apparatus for holding samples for analysis comprising:

a plate with a pair of opposing surfaces; and

a plurality of holes in the plate, each of the holes extending from one of the opposing surfaces to the other one of the opposing surfaces;

wherein the holes are arranged in at least two predetermined groups on the plate, each hole being spaced equidistantly from each adjacent hole in the group,

and wherein each group (i) is spaced a predetermined distance from each adjacent group, the predetermined distance between groups being the same or different, but different from the spacing between holes in the groups, and (ii) comprises at least two rows and two columns of holes.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the holes holds between about 0.1 microliter and 10 microliters of a solution.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the holes has a diameter of about 1 millimeter.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an evaporation plate is secured to at least one of the opposing surfaces.

5. A system comprising two or more apparatus of claim 1 stacked one on top of the other.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising respective liquid sample portions held by surface tension in the respective plurality of holes.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the through-holes are substantially cylindrical.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a hydrophobic material disposed on at least one of the opposing surfaces of the plate.