System for rapid chemical activation in high-throughput electrophysiological measurements
First Claim
1. An electrophysiological measurement apparatus for analyzing a biological material, comprising:
- a multi-well plate having a plurality of fluid chambers, wherein each fluid chamber is configured to hold a biological material to be analyzed;
a thin plastic substrate having an array of apertures in alignment with the chambers of the multi-well plate;
wherein the substrate is bonded to the multi-well plate such that the chambers are open at the top and sealed at the bottom, except for the apertures;
wherein the apertures are smaller in diameter than the biological material, thereby enabling a high-resistance seal to be formed between a biological material present in each chamber and a corresponding aperture; and
wherein the substrate has a glass coating at least in the region where the high-resistance seal is formed between the biological material and the substrate;
a fluid plenum to receive the multi-well plate such that at least the substrate is immersed;
a first electrode disposed in the fluid plenum;
at least one second electrode adapted to fit into the top openings of the fluid chambers of the multi-well plate;
a light source for illuminating one or more of the chambers so as to facilitate the rapid release of a caged compound present therein; and
electrophysiological measurement circuitry in electrical communication with the electrodes.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An ultraviolet light source is added to a high-throughput electrophysiogical measurement system to allow for rapid chemical stimulation via caged compound release to a plurality of measurement samples. The integrated electrophysiogical measurement system includes a computer-controlled data collection system, an integrated electronics head for making parallel electrical measurements, and an integrated fluidics head used in part to transfer test compounds into the measurement process. This light source, and associated light coupling to a plurality of test samples, is used in conjunction with the system to make effectuate high-throughput electrical measurements with respect to fast-acting, chemically-activated electrophysiological events. The UV-source modification allows for rapid stimulation and measurement of multiple fast ligand-gated ion channel events in parallel.
-
Citations
40 Claims
-
1. An electrophysiological measurement apparatus for analyzing a biological material, comprising:
-
a multi-well plate having a plurality of fluid chambers, wherein each fluid chamber is configured to hold a biological material to be analyzed; a thin plastic substrate having an array of apertures in alignment with the chambers of the multi-well plate; wherein the substrate is bonded to the multi-well plate such that the chambers are open at the top and sealed at the bottom, except for the apertures; wherein the apertures are smaller in diameter than the biological material, thereby enabling a high-resistance seal to be formed between a biological material present in each chamber and a corresponding aperture; and wherein the substrate has a glass coating at least in the region where the high-resistance seal is formed between the biological material and the substrate;
a fluid plenum to receive the multi-well plate such that at least the substrate is immersed;a first electrode disposed in the fluid plenum; at least one second electrode adapted to fit into the top openings of the fluid chambers of the multi-well plate; a light source for illuminating one or more of the chambers so as to facilitate the rapid release of a caged compound present therein; and electrophysiological measurement circuitry in electrical communication with the electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. An electrophysiological measurement apparatus for analyzing a biological material, comprising:
-
a multi-well plate having a plurality of fluid chambers, wherein each fluid chamber is configured to hold a biological material to be analyzed; a thin substrate having an array of apertures in alignment with the chambers of the multi-well plate; wherein the substrate is bonded to the multi-well plate such that the chambers are open at the top and sealed at the bottom, except for the apertures; and wherein the apertures are smaller in diameter than the biological material, thereby enabling a high-resistance seal to be formed between a biological material present in each chamber and a corresponding aperture; a fluid plenum to receive the multi-well plate such that at least the substrate is immersed; a first electrode disposed in the fluid plenum; at least one second electrode adapted to fit into the top openings of the fluid chambers of the multi-well plate; a light source for illuminating one or more of the chambers so as to facilitate the rapid release of a caged compound present therein; electrophysiological measurement circuitry in electrical communication with the electrodes; and a mechanism for moving the at least one second electrode into the chambers of the multi-well plate, so as to automate the measurement of the material contained therein. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
-
-
38. An electrophysiological measurement apparatus, comprising:
-
a first fluid chamber, configured to contain a cell or membrane to be measured; a second fluid chamber; a thin plastic substrate separating the two chambers, the substrate having an aperture formed therethrough which is smaller in diameter than the cell or membrane, thereby enabling a high-resistance seal to be formed between the cell or membrane and the substrate, the substrate further having a glass coating at least in the region where the high-resistance seal is formed between the biological material and the substrate; a light source for illuminating one or more of the chambers so as to facilitate the rapid release of a caged compound present therein; an electrode disposed in each of the fluid chambers; and electrophysiological measurement circuitry in electrical communication with the electrodes.
-
-
39. An electrophysiological measurement apparatus, comprising:
-
a first fluid chamber, configured to contain a cell or membrane to be measured; a second fluid chamber; a thin substrate separating the two chambers, the substrate having an aperture formed therethrough which is smaller in diameter than the cell or membrane, thereby enabling a high-resistance seal to be formed between the cell or membrane and the substrate; a light source for illuminating one or more of the chambers so as to facilitate the rapid release of a caged compound present therein; an electrode disposed in each of the fluid chambers; electrophysiological measurement circuitry in electrical communication with the electrodes; and a mechanism for moving at least one of the electrodes into a corresponding at least one of the fluid chambers, so as to automate the measurement of the material contained therein. - View Dependent Claims (40)
-
Specification