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Publication Number
US-11162941-B2
Publication Date
2021-11-02
Expiration Date
Abstract
An immunoassay cartridge is disclosed that can enhance the reliability of an antigen-antibody reaction while increasing a speed of an antigen-antibody reaction. An immunoassay cartridge includes a reaction chamber and a fluorescence sensor assembly. A plurality of antibodies or antigens is attached to an inner surface including a bottom surface of the reaction chamber closest to the sensor. The fluorescence sensor assembly is disposed on a bottom surface of the reaction chamber. Since the bottom surface of the reaction chamber and the upper surface of the fluorescence sensor assembly are arranged to coincide with each other, even if fluid is repeatedly moved in a first direction after the fluid moves in a second direction in the reaction chamber and then moved in the first direction, there is no obstacle in the movement of the fluid. Thus, it is possible to increase the probability of antigen-antibody reaction in the reaction chamber.
Core Innovation
An immunoassay cartridge is provided with a reaction chamber that includes an inner surface including a bottom surface and an upper surface. A plurality of antibodies or antigens is provided, with a location-based material including dendron mixed with the plurality of antibodies or antigens, and the location-based material is attached to the inner surface of the reaction chamber in dots arranged in rows and columns.
A fluorescence sensor assembly is disposed on the bottom surface of the reaction chamber, and the fluorescence sensor assembly photographs an image in plan view for image analysis. In the plan-view image analysis, a luminescent signal generated by an immune reaction in each dot is measured for each pixel, and the microscopic signal is interpreted as a meaningful value. The bottom surface of the reaction chamber includes the upper surface of the fluorescence sensor assembly, and the bottom surface of the reaction chamber and the upper surface of the fluorescence sensor assembly are coplanar.
In another aspect, the immunoassay cartridge includes an emission filter disposed below the reaction chamber that has an optical characteristic filtering regardless of an incident angle of the excitation light and transmitting a radiation tight having a wavelength larger than that of the excitation light. A single sensor disposed below the emission filter includes a fluorescent sensor array or an array measuring luminance of the emission light that has passed through the emission filter. The emission filter comprises a flat base medium that is transparent and does not generate fluorescence or phosphorescence by excitation light, a photoresist disposed in the base medium and fixed in a solid state by at least one of thermosetting, photocuring and drying, and a pigment disposed in the base medium and absorbing light of a predetermined wavelength.
Claims Coverage
The partial content identifies two independent immunoassay cartridge claims, each centered on plan-view fluorescence imaging of immune-reaction dots/pixels, with additional claim-specific inventive features. One claim combines a dendron-based location-based dot arrangement with coplanar reaction chamber and fluorescence sensor assembly surfaces, and the other combines coplanar sensor geometry with an emission-filter optical structure and single-sensor configuration.
Dendron-based location-based dot array on an inner reaction chamber surface
A reaction chamber inner surface includes a bottom surface and provides a location-based material comprising dendron mixed with a plurality of antibodies or antigens, wherein the location-based material is attached to the inner surface in the form of dots arranged in rows and columns.
Plan-view luminescent per-dot per-pixel imaging with meaningful value interpretation
A fluorescence sensor assembly disposed on the bottom surface photographs an image in plan view for image analysis, in which a luminescent signal generated by an immune reaction in each dot is measured for each pixel and the microscopic signal is interpreted as a meaningful value.
Coplanar bottom surface of the reaction chamber and upper surface of the fluorescence sensor assembly
The bottom surface of the reaction chamber includes an upper surface of the fluorescence sensor assembly, and the bottom surface of the reaction chamber and the upper surface of the fluorescence sensor assembly are coplanar.
Incident-angle-independent emission filtering with longer-wavelength transmission
A fluorescence sensor assembly comprises an emission filter disposed below the reaction chamber, having an optical characteristic capable of filtering regardless of an incident angle of the excitation light and transmitting a radiation tight having a wavelength larger than that of the excitation light.
Single sensor configuration as fluorescent sensor array or luminance-measuring array
A single sensor disposed below the emission filter constitutes a fluorescent sensor array or an array measuring the luminance of the emission light that has passed through the emission filter.
Emission filter material stack with non-fluorescent base medium, fixed photoresist, and absorbing pigment
The emission filter comprises a flat base medium that is transparent and does not generate fluorescence or phosphorescence by excitation light, a photoresist disposed in the base medium and fixed in a solid state by at least one of thermosetting, photocuring and drying, and a pigment disposed in the base medium and absorbing light of a predetermined wavelength.
Across the two independent claims, the core claim coverage is an immunoassay cartridge that performs plan-view fluorescence imaging of immune-reaction dot signals with per-pixel measurement and interpretation as meaningful values, while enforcing coplanarity between the reaction chamber bottom surface and the fluorescence sensor assembly upper surface. One claim further centers on a dendron-based location-based dot arrangement of antibodies or antigens, and the other further centers on an emission filter and single-sensor fluorescence detection architecture defined by incident-angle-independent filtering and a specified emission-filter material structure.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
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