Chemistry: electrical and wave energy – Apparatus – Electrophoretic or electro-osmotic apparatus
Patent
1997-03-12
1999-05-18
Beisner, William H.
Chemistry: electrical and wave energy
Apparatus
Electrophoretic or electro-osmotic apparatus
204618, G01N27/26
Patent
active
059048255
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an arrangement in a gel electrophoresis apparatus for receiving a gel package, usually called a gel cassette.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In gel electrophoresis apparatuses known so far, the gels are received either vertically or horizontally, i.e. the gels either stand upright in the gel electrophoresis apparatuses or lie horizontally in the gel electrophoresis apparatuses. Usually, the necessary electrophoresis buffer is provided from two connecting liquid tanks or buffer containers, thus for a vertical gel an upper and a lower buffer container.
A disadvantage of receiving a gel in a gel cassette vertically in a gel electrophoresis apparatus is that the working position for the person who loads the gel with samples is very uncomfortable in that the refraction of light in the glass plates of the gel cassette makes it very difficult to clearly see the gel edge without placing one's eyes closely by the gel cassette at the same time as the pipette with which the wells are loaded, has to be brought up above eye-level in order for the samples to be applied in a correct manner into the wells without the pipette tip contacting and damaging the gel. Neither is it possible to instead look at the gel edge straight from above through the liquid surface in the upper buffer container to which the gel cassette is connected, since the vertical position of the pipette tip in relation to the gel edge can then not be determined.
The disadvantage of horizontally mounted gels is that present systems for loading of samples restrict the resolution which is the reason why horizontal systems cannot be used when a high resolution is required.
EP-A-339 975 discloses a gel electrophoresis apparatus where the gel cassette is inclined between 5.degree. and 10.degree. relative to the vertical plane. The purpose of the inclination is to facilitate the handling of the apparatus in that the inclination prevents the gel cassette from tipping when it is being clamped to the electrophoresis apparatus. The above difficulty of clearly seeing the gel edge is neither mentioned nor overcome by means of this inclination.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to bring about a gel electrophoresis apparatus at which the working position for a user, primarily the person who loads the gel with samples, will be much more comfortable in comparison with the working position at gel electrophoresis apparatuses with vertical gel known so far.
This is attained, mainly, in that the gel electrophoresis apparatus is adapted to receive the gel cassette inclined to such an extent that the upper edge of the gel can be seen through the liquid surface of the upper buffer container.
Hereby, the working position for the person who loads the gel will be much improved in comparison with the conditions at a gel in an upright position in that both the pipette tip and the gel edge will be clearly visible at an angle from above through the liquid surface in the upper buffer container, and, consequently, the pipette does not have to be brought above eye-level in connection with the loading of the samples.
The necessary inclination of the gel cassette in relation to the vertical plane for this to be achieved is normally about 15.degree. or greater, e.g. in the range of 15.degree. to 30.degree.. With a smaller inclination, such as in the above-mentioned EP-A-339 975, or with a completely vertical gel, light refraction phenomena in the liquid surface makes it impossible to see and estimate the distance to the upper edge of the gel through the liquid surface.
In addition to the working position thus being better when one can look from above during the sample application, several further advantages are attained, such as that the upper liquid tank (buffer container) can be made of a non-transparent material and can be mounted to the operator side of the gel package which leads to greater freedom in the construction.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The present invention will become more fully unde
REFERENCES:
patent: 3129158 (1964-04-01), Raymond et al.
patent: 4315812 (1982-02-01), Karlson
patent: 4747919 (1988-05-01), Anderson
Andersson Goran
Axelsson Urban Jonsson
Sowa Stefan
Beisner William H.
Noguerola Alex
Pharmacia Biotech AB
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