Microchip and method for detecting molecules and molecular interactions
First Claim
1. A microchip comprising:
- a substrate;
an inlet channel in said substrate;
an outlet channel in said substrate for guiding fluid below a fluid level in said outlet channel;
a plurality of test channels in said substrate formed between said inlet channel and said outlet channel, for guiding fluid flow from said inlet channel to said outlet channel, each one of said test channels having an inlet connected with said inlet channel and an outlet connected with said outlet channel, said inlet elevated from said outlet for inhibiting back flow through said inlet, said outlet elevated from said fluid level for inhibiting back flow through said outlet; and
one test site in each one of said test channels, for detection of at least one specific molecule and a molecular interaction at said test site;
wherein each one of said inlet channel, said outlet channel, and said test channels has a substantially flat bottom, said bottom of said inlet channel elevated from said bottoms of said test channels, said bottoms of said test channels elevated from said bottom of said outlet channel and elevated from said fluid level in said outlet channel;
wherein at least one of said test channels comprises a well for holding fluid therein; and
wherein at least one of said test channels comprises an overflow wall for forming said well, said overflow wall defining the outlet of said at least one of said test channels.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A microchip with flow-through inlet (104) and outlet (106) channels and test channels (108). The test channels (108) are in fluid communication with the inlet (104) and outlet (106) channels, through inlets (114) and outlets (116) respectively. Each test channel (108) has one test site therein for detection of specific molecules or molecular interactions. The inlet (114) in a test channel (108) is elevated from the outlet (116) of the test channel (108) and the outlet (116) is elevated from a fluid level (124) in the outlet channel (106). Back diffusion from outlet channel (106) to the test channels (108) and from the test channels (108) to the inlet channel (104) can thus be inhibited to reduce or eliminate cross-interference between different test sites. The microchip can be useful as a flow-through high density enzyme immunoassay array device with high-throughput.
11 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A microchip comprising:
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a substrate; an inlet channel in said substrate; an outlet channel in said substrate for guiding fluid below a fluid level in said outlet channel; a plurality of test channels in said substrate formed between said inlet channel and said outlet channel, for guiding fluid flow from said inlet channel to said outlet channel, each one of said test channels having an inlet connected with said inlet channel and an outlet connected with said outlet channel, said inlet elevated from said outlet for inhibiting back flow through said inlet, said outlet elevated from said fluid level for inhibiting back flow through said outlet; and one test site in each one of said test channels, for detection of at least one specific molecule and a molecular interaction at said test site; wherein each one of said inlet channel, said outlet channel, and said test channels has a substantially flat bottom, said bottom of said inlet channel elevated from said bottoms of said test channels, said bottoms of said test channels elevated from said bottom of said outlet channel and elevated from said fluid level in said outlet channel; wherein at least one of said test channels comprises a well for holding fluid therein; and wherein at least one of said test channels comprises an overflow wall for forming said well, said overflow wall defining the outlet of said at least one of said test channels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification