Chemical apparatus and process disinfecting – deodorizing – preser – Analyzer – structured indicator – or manipulative laboratory... – Sample mechanical transport means in or for automated...
Patent
1989-06-16
1991-10-08
Lacey, David L.
Chemical apparatus and process disinfecting, deodorizing, preser
Analyzer, structured indicator, or manipulative laboratory...
Sample mechanical transport means in or for automated...
436165, 436808, 436810, 435975, G01N 3000, G01N 2103
Patent
active
050552589
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
A number of methods are known for ascertaining the presence of an antigen in a liquid sample, in which a solid body, on the surface of which is fixed an antibody which specifically binds the antigen, is dipped into the liquid sample and is furthermore treated with a conjugated antibody which is either directly labelled with a dye or is conjugated with an enzyme which forms a dye in a secondary reaction. If the antigen sought is present in the liquid sample, then it is bonded to the antibody fixed on the solid body, while the conjugated or labelled other antibody which is present in excess is bonded on the antigen. In this way, there is a fixing or formation of dye on the solid body if the desired antigen is present in the sample; otherwise not.
Also, various devices are known for ascertaining the presence of an antigen in a liquid sample, as disclosed for instance in U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,901. This device consists of a cylinder filled with a porous absorbent material above which there is at the top end of the cylinder an adjacent transverse membrane above which there is a funnel part. The corresponding antibody which is intended to bind the antigen is itself bound on the membrane.
When this device is used, the sample to be investigated is poured into the funnel part and is drawn through the membrane by the absorbent material, any antigen which it contains being bonded on the antibody which is fixed on the membrane.
Such a device is certainly suitable for laboratory use since a specific volume of the sample to be investigated has to be introduced by pipette into the funnel part, because the investigated volume of sample must not be too large nor may it be too small. Such a measurement of volume or the use of a pipette is hardly feasible in domestic use, for example for pregnancy testing, since most people are unaccustomed to the use of equipment such as pipettes, so that such methods and devices entail too high a risk of error.
For home use, the carrying out of the test must be as simple and reliable as possible without any possibility of error.
The problem on which the invention is based therefore resided in providing a method of and a device for ascertaining the presence of an antigen or of an antibody in a liquid sample, the said method being capable of being carried out particularly easily and reliably and being virtually foolproof when performed by unskilled persons. In particular, the method was intended to avoid the application of liquid by pipette and also of avoiding any other measurement of volume. Preferably, even the transfusion of the test solution such as urine, should be avoided.
The method according to the invention for ascertaining the presence of an antigen or an antibody in a liquid sample, in which the sample is brought in contact with a porous membrane on which a corresponding antibody or corresponding antigen is bonded and adjacent to which there is a porous absorbent material which absorbs a liquid, and a conjugated or labelled antibody binding on the antigen or antibody, the said antibody possibly being developed to form a dye, is characterised in that there is introduced into a container such a volume of the liquid sample as will only partially fill the pore volume of the absorbent material, after which the membrane with the absorbent material adjacent to it is so dipped into the liquid sample that the latter is substantially completely or in a predetermined volume sucked into the absorbent material by the membrane and against the force of gravity, a final stage possibly being--once the membrane has been removed from the sample--to dip it in a developer solution and allow this latter to be sucked into the absorbent material against the force of gravity.
The conjugated or labelled antibody can be drawn through the membrane together with or after the liquid sample. To this end, it is either contained in the liquid sample while this is being drawn in or is disposed in a separate solution which is sucked in after the liquid sample.
It is essential that the volume of absorbent and the volu
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Brodt Rainer
Fehse Peter
Gorka Gunther
Holmes Steve
Reid John
Dunn Michael L.
Ellis Howard M.
Flemming GmbH
Lacey David L.
Ludlow Jan M.
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