Micro-invasive method for painless detection of analytes in extracellular space
First Claim
1. An optical microprobe system for detecting at least one analyte in extra-cellular spaces comprising:
- a elongate microprobe body comprising a sensor head terminating in a distal optical tip adapted to enter the stratum corneum of the skin of a subject and extend toward the stratum basale of the skin terminating in extra-cellular spaces containing interstitial fluid, the elongate microprobe body comprising a micropipette tip, the micropipette tip comprising a conical base portion having a proximal and distal end, and a conical tip portion having a proximal and distal end with a substantial step configured where the conical base portion distal end meets the conical tip portion proximal end, the conical base portion distal end having a larger diameter than the conical tip portion proximal end, to cause the microprobe tip to stop in extra cellular spaces of the skin;
a sensor layer covering the distal optical tip of the microprobe body, said sensor layer being adapted to interact with a predetermined analyte to be detected in the interstitial fluid;
an optical detector within said distal optical tip sensor head and responsive to interaction of the sensor layer with the predetermined analyte to signal detection of said predetermined analyte.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of detecting at least one analyte in extra-cellular spaces includes the step of inserting a microprobe through the stratum corneum toward the stratum basale of the skin of a subject into extra-cellular spaces containing interstitial fluid having at least one analyte to be detected, said microprobe having a diameter at its tip no larger than approximately 10-50 microns. The method further includes optically testing for a predetermined analyte in the extra-cellular space adjacent the distal end of the microprobe without drawing a sample of the interstitial fluid. Preferably the microprobe body includes a sensor layer covering the distal optical tip of the microprobe body, the sensor layer being adapted to interact with a predetermined analyte to be detected in the interstitial fluid, and an optical detector responsive to interaction of the sensor layer with the predetermined analyte to signal detection of said predetermined analyte.
66 Citations
15 Claims
-
1. An optical microprobe system for detecting at least one analyte in extra-cellular spaces comprising:
-
a elongate microprobe body comprising a sensor head terminating in a distal optical tip adapted to enter the stratum corneum of the skin of a subject and extend toward the stratum basale of the skin terminating in extra-cellular spaces containing interstitial fluid, the elongate microprobe body comprising a micropipette tip, the micropipette tip comprising a conical base portion having a proximal and distal end, and a conical tip portion having a proximal and distal end with a substantial step configured where the conical base portion distal end meets the conical tip portion proximal end, the conical base portion distal end having a larger diameter than the conical tip portion proximal end, to cause the microprobe tip to stop in extra cellular spaces of the skin; a sensor layer covering the distal optical tip of the microprobe body, said sensor layer being adapted to interact with a predetermined analyte to be detected in the interstitial fluid; an optical detector within said distal optical tip sensor head and responsive to interaction of the sensor layer with the predetermined analyte to signal detection of said predetermined analyte. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A method of detecting at least one analyte in extra-cellular spaces comprising:
-
inserting an elongate microprobe sensor head comprising a micropipette tip, the micropipette tip comprising a conical base portion having a proximal end and a distal end and a conical tip portion having a proximal end and a distal end with a substantial step configured where the conical base portion distal end meets the conical tip portion proximal end, the conical base portion distal end having a larger diameter than the conical tip portion proximal end, to cause the microprobe to stop in extra cellular spaces of skin, a sensor layer covering the distal optical tip of the microprobe body, through the stratum corneum toward but not through the stratum basale of the skin of a subject into extra-cellular spaces containing interstitial fluid having at least one analyte to be detected, activating a light source and a detector, the light source and the detector disposed within the sensor head, and optically testing for a predetermined analyte in the extra-cellular space adjacent the distal end of the microprobe without drawing a sample of the interstitial fluid using the light source and the detector. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
Specification