Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method of detecting formation of oligomer complexes of molecules on surfaces of cell membranes. SOLUTION: This method employs pairs of tagged probes and cleaving probes, each of which binds specifically to a cell surface molecule. The tagged probe includes a molecular tag that is linked to a first binding compound through a cleavable linkage, and the cleaving probe includes a second binding agent and a cleavage-inducing moiety that can cleave the linkage when within a defined proximity thereto. Binding of two probes to cell surface molecules that have formed an oligomeric complex results in release of the molecular tag from the binding compound, and providing measure of formation of the complex. COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a microfluid device and a system which are controlled for attaining various desirable sample injection characteristics. SOLUTION: The system is employed for injecting a liquid sample into an electrolyte channel inside a microfluid device that has a channel network, and the channel network includes an electrolyte channel having upstream and downstream channel portions and a first side channel, a second side channel, and a third side channel. The first side channel, the second side channel and the third side channel intersect the electrolyte channel between the two channel portions respectively at a first port, a second port, and a third port; at least one port has an axial section, crossing the electrolyte channel between the two channel sections; and here, at least one of the ports has a gap spaced in the axial direction, from the other two ports along the electrolyte. COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a separable composition in use for detecting multiplex assays. SOLUTION: The composition has a region which works as a connection region, where an identifying Tag (called an eTag TM reporter) in use for electrokinetic analysis can be cut off, a mass alternation region, a charge alternation region and a detectable region. The number of different regions partially depends on the method of separation and identification. A compound having these separate regions finds out the way of usage in relation to other compounds where these regions are combined in the same area. COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO
Abstract:
A method of separating components having a given negative or positive charge and contained in a sample is disclosed. The method involves, in one embodiment, loading a microchannel with a sample, placed between a trailing-edge electrolyte having a selected concentration of a titratable species, and a leading-edge electrolyte. With the application of a voltage potential across the microchannel, charged components in the sample stack by isotachophoresis, and electrolytic hydroxyl or hydrogen ions formed by electrolysis at the upstream-end electrode migrate into the trailing-edge ion buffer, titrating the titratable species therein, where the concentration of the titratable species in the trailing-edge electrolyte is selected, in relation to the lengths of the upstream channel region and sample-loading volume, to permit the sample to stack into a relatively small sample volume before electrolytic-ion migration from the upstream electrode into and through the sample-volume region is effective to overtake the charged sample components. With continued application of an electric potential across the channel ends, charged sample components in the stacked sample volume separate by zone electrophoresis.
Abstract:
Microfluidic unit arrays and their use are provided for performing in parallel a plurality of operations. The units are arrayed in a format comparable to microtiter well formats, so that transfer by a dispenser having a plurality of dispensing units can be performed with the same footprint, the format of the source and microfluidic unit receiving reservoirs are substantially the same. Operations are carried out simultaneously under comparable conditions, which permits more exact comparisons between the operations.
Abstract:
Compositions and methods are provided for performing capillary electrophoresis using a composition comprising in combination in an aqueous buffered medium a coating polymer and a sieving polymer, where the sieving polymer is more hydrophilic than the coating polymer and is present in greater amount. Of particular interest are uncrosslinked acrylamide polymer mixtures for coating plastic channels and providing sieving for performing DNA separations in microfluidic devices. Polyacrylamide or N,N-dimethyl acrylamide is used with a N,N-dialkyl acrylamide copolymer, either separately or together for sieving and coating, serving as the medium in capillary electrophoresis DNA separations.
Abstract:
A microchannel apparatus and method for processing a sample are disclosed. The apparatus include a multisite reaction channel, one or more sample-preparation stations upstream of the reaction channel, for carrying out one or more selected sample-preparation steps effective to convert a sample to the bulk-phase medium, and one or more product-processing stations downstream of the reaction channel, for processing products generated in one or more of the reaction regions. Also included is structure for transferring solvent or solvent components between one of the sample-preparation stations and one or more selected reaction regions in the reaction channel, and between one or more selected reaction regions in the reaction channel and one of said product-processing stations, under the control of a control unit.
Abstract:
Methods of sample loading and separation in a microfluidics device are described. The methods provide high resolution and high signal intensity, using, in a preferred embodiment, a simple two-electrode injection scheme with isotachophoretic (ITP) stacking, followed by ZE separation in the same channel.
Abstract:
Probe sets for the multiplexed detection of the binding of, or interaction between, one or more ligands and target antiligands are provided. Detection involves the release of identifying tags as a consequence of target recognition. The probe sets include electrophoretic tag probes or e-tag probes, comprising a detection region and a mobility-defining region called the mobility modifier, both linked to a target-binding moiety. Target antiligands are contacted with a set of e-tag probes and the contacted antiligands are treated with a selected cleaving agent resulting in a mixture of e-tag reporters and uncleaved and/or partially cleaved e-tag probes. The mixture is exposed to a capture agent effective to bind to uncleaved or partially cleaved e-tag probes, followed by electrophoretic separation. In a multiplexed assay, different released e-tag reporters may be separated and detected providing for target identification. The methods employ compositions comprising luminescent molecules such as, for example, fluorescent molecules, which are modified to provide for electrophoretic properties that differ for each modified luminescent molecule while maintaining substantially the same absorption, emission and quantum yield properties of the original luminescent molecule. The compositions may be cleavably linked to binding molecules to form the e-tag probes.