Apparatus and Methods For Processing Biological Samples and a Reservoir Therefor

• US 20130023038A1
• Filed: 05/16/2012
• Published: 01/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dako Denmark A/S (Agilent Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Testa, Gregory A., Poulsen, Tim Svenstrup, Matthiesen, Steen Hauge, Rasmussen, Ole Feldballe, Winther, Lars
• Granted Patent: US 8,632,739 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/287.2
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/142 Preventing evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/043 Hinged closures
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/069 Absorbents; Gels to retain a fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0822 Slides
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/10 Means to control humidity and/or other gases
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1822 using Peltier elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1844 using fans
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/508 rigid containers not provided for above
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/52 with provision for submitting samples to a predetermined sequence of different temperatures, e.g. for treating nucleic acid samples amplification or hybridisation processes per se C12Q1/68; controlling sequential reactions for synthesis B01J19/0046
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 41/14 Incubators; Climatic chambers per se B01L1/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 41/36 of biomass, e.g. colony counters or by turbidity measurements electrooptical investigation of individual particles G01N15/14, flow cytometers G01N15/1404
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6841 In situ hybridisation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/312 for samples mounted on planar substrates
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/143333 Saccharide [e.g., DNA, etc.]

Abstract

An apparatus for processing at least one biological sample accommodated on at least one carrier member (15) in a chamber includes, at least one reservoir (18) able to accommodate a fluid on a surface inside the chamber adjacent to and/or facing a substantial part of the at least one biological sample. The apparatus may comprise a bottom member (12) arranged to support at least one carrier member (15) carrying at least one biological sample and a lid (14) including at least one fluid reservoir (18). The reservoir filled with water provides humidity to the chamber and impedes drying out of the sample.

Claims

1-102. -102. (canceled)

103. An apparatus adapted for nucleic acid denaturization and hybridization of at least one biological sample on at least one carrier member in a chamber, said apparatus comprising:

a bottom member of said chamber supporting said at least one carrier member;

a hydrophilic porous solid reservoir configured to sorb and desorb water and water vapor, said reservoir disposed inside said chamber;

a lid for the chamber configured to position the reservoir directly above the at least one biological sample such that the reservoir does not touch said at least one biological sample, when said lid is positioned to form a closed chamber; and

a sample temperature controlling device below said at least one carrier member controlling the temperature of said carrier member and said at least one biological sample, wherein said reservoir either sorbs or desorbs water and water vapor so as to control relative humidity within said closed chamber at above 85% relative humidity, when said lid is positioned to form the closed chamber.

104-121. -121. (canceled)