×

Method for detecting a target particle

  • US 9,354,176 B2
  • Filed: 02/04/2014
  • Issued: 05/31/2016
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2011
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A method for detecting a target particle dispersed and moving randomly in a sample solution, comprising:

  • (a) preparing a sample solution containing the target particle and luminescent probes, and allowing two or more luminescent probes to bind per one target particle in the sample solution,(b) moving a location of a photodetection region of an optical system of a confocal microscope or a multi-photon microscope in the sample solution,(c) detecting light from the photodetection region during the moving of the location of the photodetection region in the sample solution over a plurality of units of time, and generating time series light intensity data of the light from the light detection region detected while moving the position of the light detection region in the sample solution,(d) smoothing data values corresponding to light intensity variation over the plurality of units of time of a light signal from the luminescent probes bound to each target particle, said smoothing being conducted until a gap in the light intensity variation can be disregarded,(e) individually detecting the target particle bound to the luminescent probes when the light intensity variation in the time series light intensity data over consecutive units among the plurality of units of time has a predetermined profile which is expected from a single light-emitting particle moving relatively inside the photodetection region, and(f) counting the number of the target particles by using the light intensity of the target particle detected in the step (e) as an indicator thereof.

View all claims
  • 2 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×