Sensor, measuring device, and measuring method

• US 7,691,255 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2005
• Issued: 04/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kitawaki, Fumihisa, Kawamura, Tatsurou, Kamei, Akihito
• Primary Examiner(s): NOGUEROLA, ALEXANDER STEPHAN
• Application Number:
  US11/579,638
• Publication Number:
  US 20080105566A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,810 Days
• Field of Search: 20440301-40315, 204/416, 205/777.5, 205/778, 205/792, 205/789, 422 55- 58
• US Class Current: 205/777.5
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/03 Cuvette constructions
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/59 Transmissivity G01N21/25 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48707 by electrical means G01N33/49, G01N33/493 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5302 Apparatus specially adapted for immunological test procedures

Abstract

A sensor capable of measuring a plurality of measuring items quickly and accurately, a measuring device, and a measuring method are provided. The sensor includes a sample-holding unit for holding a sample containing an analyte; a sample-supplying port for supplying the sample to the sample-holding unit; a detecting unit for carrying out an electrochemical measurement, the unit being provided in the sample-holding unit; an optical measuring unit for carrying out an optical measurement, the unit being provided in the sample-holding unit; and a reagent-holding unit for holding a reagent for the optical measurement, the unit being provided in the sample-holding unit; wherein in the flowing direction of the sample supplied from the sample-supplying port in sample-holding unit, the sample-supplying port, the detecting unit, and the reagent-holding unit are positioned in the order recited.

Claims

1. A measuring method for an analyte using a sensor comprising:

a sample-holding unit including a space for holding a sample including a first analyte comprising an antigen and a second analyte comprising an ion;

a sample-supplying port for supplying said sample to said sample-holding unit, the port being connected to the space;

a detecting unit for carrying out an electrochemical measurement, the detecting unit being provided in said sample-holding unit;

a light-entrance unit for introducing incident light to said sample-holding unit, the light-entrance unit being provided in said sample-holding unit;

a light-exit unit for releasing outgoing light from inside said sample-holding unit to outside said sample-holding unit, the light-exit unit being provided in said sample-holding unit; and

a reagent-holding unit for holding a reagent comprising an antibody for said optical measurement, the reagent-holding unit being provided in said sample-holding unit;

wherein in a flowing direction of said sample supplied from said sample-supplying port in said sample-holding unit, said sample-supplying port, said detecting unit, and said reagent-holding unit are positioned in the order recited;

the method comprising the steps of;

(A) supplying said sample to said sample-holding unit;

(B) applying a voltage to said detecting unit;

(C) measuring an electric-signal from said detecting unit;

(D-1) quantifying said second analyte based on said electric-signal measured in said step (C);

(D-2) causing antigen-antibody reaction between said first analyte in said sample and said antibody held in said sample-holding unit;

(E) applying incident light to said sample held in said sample-holding unit via said light-entrance unit;

(F) measuring outgoing light released from inside said sample-holding unit to outside said sample-holding unit via said light-exit unit, caused by the application of said incident light; and

(G) quantifying said first analyte based on said outgoing light measured in said step (F) and quanitification result of said second analyte.

2. The measuring method in accordance with claim 1, wherein upon detecting said electric-signal in said step (C), said incident light is applied in said step (E).

3. The measuring method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said detecting unit comprises an ion-selective electrode.