Droplet-based affinity assay device and system
First Claim
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1. A droplet microactuator comprising:
- (a) substrates spaced apart to form an intervening space and comprising electrodes for conducting electrowetting droplet operations, the droplet operations comprising merging and splitting operations, wherein the intervening space is substantially filled with a filler fluid comprising oil;
(b) reagent droplets for executing an immunoassay protocol, wherein the reagent droplets;
(i) comprise one or more wash droplets;
(ii) are situated in the intervening space and surrounded by the filler fluid;
(iii) are subject to the electrowetting droplet operations mediated by the electrodes; and
(iv) comprise an aqueous droplet surrounded by the filler fluid; and
(c) an antibody immobilized on a surface of a magnetically responsive bead comprised in the aqueous droplet.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a droplet-based affinity assay device and system. According to one embodiment, a droplet microactuator is provided and includes an antibody immobilized on a surface. According to another embodiment, a droplet microactuator is provided and includes a droplet on the droplet microactuator, the droplet comprising an antibody.
259 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A droplet microactuator comprising:
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(a) substrates spaced apart to form an intervening space and comprising electrodes for conducting electrowetting droplet operations, the droplet operations comprising merging and splitting operations, wherein the intervening space is substantially filled with a filler fluid comprising oil; (b) reagent droplets for executing an immunoassay protocol, wherein the reagent droplets; (i) comprise one or more wash droplets; (ii) are situated in the intervening space and surrounded by the filler fluid; (iii) are subject to the electrowetting droplet operations mediated by the electrodes; and (iv) comprise an aqueous droplet surrounded by the filler fluid; and (c) an antibody immobilized on a surface of a magnetically responsive bead comprised in the aqueous droplet. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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2. A droplet microactuator comprising:
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(a) substrates separated to form an intervening space substantially filled with a filler fluid comprising oil, the substrates comprising electrodes for conducting electrowetting droplet operations comprising droplet transport, merging, dispensing and splitting operations; and (b) droplets in the intervening space surrounded by the filler fluid, the droplets comprising reagents for executing an immunoassay protocol, one or more of the droplets comprising a magnetically responsive bead having antibodies immobilized thereon;
the droplets further comprising one or more wash droplets for washing the magnetically responsive antibody-capture bead and wherein each of the droplets is subject to one or more of the electrowetting droplet operations.
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3. A droplet microactuator comprising:
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(a) substrates separated to form an intervening space substantially filled with an oil filler fluid, the substrates comprising electrodes for conducting electrowetting droplet operations; and (b) droplets in the intervening space comprising reagent droplets for executing an immunoassay protocol, including one or more droplets; (i) surrounded by the oil filler fluid; (ii) comprising a magnetically responsive antibody-capture bead; and (iii) subject to the electrowetting droplet operations mediated by the electrodes.
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Specification