JPH04348250A - Cuvette for centrifugal agitation - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To achieve an efficient dissolution of a reaction reagent in a simple structure and mixture/agitation with a liquid body to be inspected by forming a shape of a container which is opened upward and providing a pocket with a reagent storage portion at a bottom portion and an inclined bottom wall at one portion of a side wall. CONSTITUTION:A cuvette 10 is formed in a shape of a container which is opened upward entirely, its material is allowed not to react with a reagent with a certain degree of hardness and is suited for mass production relatively, and then it is formed to be disposable. A pocket 13 with a reagent storage portion 11 at the bottom portion and an inclined bottom wall 14 which becomes higher toward an outside at one portion of a side wall is provided. This cuvette 10 is set so that the pocket 13 faces an outside in rotary radius direction of a rotor 30 for reaction. Then, a reagent for reaction and a liquid inspection body are filled into the storage portion 11 and then it is pushed and then lifted toward an outside in rotation radius direction by centrifugal force due to rotation of the rotar 30 and then is retained at a specific position within the pocket 13. It drops naturally due to rotation stop and elevation is repeated due to repetition of rotation and stop, thus enabling the reagent to be dissolved, mixed, and agitated.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Industrial Application Field] The present invention is applicable to clinical tests, etc.
This relates to cuvettes used for analyzing liquid samples such as blood and urine.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art When analyzing a liquid sample as described above, it is common practice to place the liquid sample and a reaction reagent in a cuvette, allow the two to react, and then perform the analysis. In addition, when using a cuvette containing reaction reagents in advance, add a reagent solution or diluent to the cuvette to dissolve the reagent, then add the liquid sample to the cuvette to react with the reagent for analysis. will be held. In such analytical work, it is necessary to mix and stir the reaction reagent in the cuvette to dissolve the reaction reagent and to ensure that the reaction between the reaction reagent and the liquid sample occurs completely.

Conventionally, therefore, measures have been taken to introduce a stirring rod or stirrer into the reaction reagent solution, or to send an air jet into the reaction reagent solution.

0004

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] When introducing the above-mentioned stirring rod or stirring bar into a reaction reagent, it is necessary to ensure that even a small amount of other reagents or other samples that have adhered to the stirring rod or stirring bar from the previous measurement remain. If so, there is a risk that accurate analysis will not be possible due to adverse effects due to contamination of these other reagents or other samples. Also,
In order to completely prevent such cross-contamination, it is necessary to add a special mechanism to the instrument to replace the stirring section and ensure reliable cleaning, which increases the size of the analyzer and increases costs. It also has the disadvantage of being expensive.

On the other hand, according to the air jet method, there is no need to worry about mutual contamination as mentioned above, but in order to achieve effective stirring, it is necessary to consider the wind speed, air volume, blowing speed, blowing timing, etc. during use. However, this causes the inconvenience that the entire device becomes complicated and large, resulting in high cost.

Furthermore, in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 61-11637, a sample chamber and a reagent chamber provided in a cuvette (cell in the publication) are filled with a sample and a reagent separately, and the cuvette is set on a rotor and the same process is carried out. The rotor is rotated, and the centrifugal force is used to mix the two liquids, which are then introduced into the measurement chamber, and optical measurements are performed while the liquids are held in the measurement chamber. The purpose of the cuvette is to perform optical measurements with the liquid mixture pressed into the measurement chamber by the centrifugal force, and the cuvette is designed to constantly keep the liquid mixture stationary in the measurement chamber, and to actively It does not stir. In addition, in the case of this cuvette, the measurement chamber extends in the direction of the rotation radius, so the above measurements must be performed while the cuvette is rotating, which requires advanced technology to perform high-precision measurements. Therefore, there is a disadvantage that the analyzer becomes complicated and expensive.

In view of the above circumstances, the present invention provides a cuvette that has a simple structure and can effectively dissolve a reaction reagent and mix and stir a reaction reagent and a liquid sample without any inconvenience. The purpose is to

[0008]

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention has a container shape that opens upward, is provided with a reagent accommodating portion at the bottom, and has a pocket on a part of the side wall that has a sloped bottom wall that becomes higher toward the outside of the cuvette. (
Claim 1).

[0009] Here, the pocket is provided at a position higher than the bottom surface of the reagent accommodating portion (claim 2), and at least a portion of the side wall and bottom wall forming the reagent accommodating portion is optically provided from the outside. It is more preferable if there is an optical window for performing the measurement (claim 3).

[0010] Further, according to the present invention, an auxiliary reagent accommodating portion is provided on the side wall of the cuvette at a position higher than the bottom surface of the reagent accommodating portion and communicated with the reagent accommodating portion and the pocket (claim 4). , further excellent effects such as those described below can be obtained. Here, the sub-reagent accommodating portion may be provided at a position facing the pocket (claim 5), or may be provided at a position closer to the pocket than the position facing the pocket, and the guide passage (claim 6).

[0011] Furthermore, it is more preferable that the opening is sealed with a sealing material (claim 7).

0012

[Operation] First, regarding the cuvette according to claim 1,
This cuvette is set in a reaction rotor or the like for rotating the cuvette. Specifically, the cuvette is set in such a way that its pocket is located on the outside in the radial direction of rotation of the rotor or the like. On the other hand, the reagent storage section of the cuvette is filled with reaction reagents and liquid specimens, but these fillings may be completed in advance before being set in the rotor, etc., or may be done after being set. You can do it like this. Further, the reaction reagent and the liquid sample may be filled at the same time, or one of them may be filled first and the other afterwards.

[0013] When the rotor or the like is rotated in this state, the mixture of the liquid sample and reagent in the reagent container is pressed against the outer side wall of the cuvette in the rotational radius direction by centrifugal force. As a result, the liquid level on the side wall side rises along this side wall, and further rises within the pocket along the inclined bottom wall of the pocket, and is held at a predetermined position. Next, when the rotation of the rotor is stopped from this state, the mixed liquid falls naturally, and the rising liquid level returns to its original static level. Therefore, by alternately repeating the rotation and stopping of the rotor, the liquid reagent in the reagent container is raised and lowered repeatedly, and by such raising and lowering, the reagent can be dissolved, mixed, and stirred.

Moreover, since the side wall of the cuvette is provided with a pocket having an inclined bottom wall that becomes higher toward the outside of the cuvette, that is, toward the outside in the radial direction of rotation of the rotor, etc., this pocket is closed during rotation of the rotor, etc. The liquid level of the liquid reagent that has risen to the inside will be higher than the liquid level when using a cuvette without a pocket. Therefore, the difference in liquid level increases the drop when the rotation and stopping are repeated, and therefore the effects of the above-mentioned stirring etc. are further enhanced.

[0015] Note that if the above reaction reagent is a preparation that has been freeze-dried in advance and needs to be dissolved before the reaction, it may be dissolved in a dissolving solution beforehand and then poured into the cuvette. Only the above-mentioned reaction reagent is stored in the reagent storage part in the cuvette, and it is fixed in the storage part by freeze-drying, and then the solution is injected from above and the rotation and stopping by the rotor etc. is repeated. By doing so, it is possible to effectively dissolve, mix, and stir the reaction reagent in the solution by the liquid level raising and lowering action caused by the centrifugal force as described above.

Furthermore, according to the cuvette of the second aspect, since the pocket is located at a higher position than the bottom surface of the reagent storage section, the head of the liquid mixture increases when the rotor repeatedly rotates and stops.

Further, according to the cuvette of claim 3, when the rotor etc. are stopped, that is, when the reaction liquid is stationary in the reagent storage section, the optical absorption, opacity, etc. are measured through the optical window. Optical measurements such as chromaticity, fluorescence, and reflective refractive index can be performed.

Further, according to the cuvette of claim 4, when two types of reagents, the first reaction reagent and the second reaction reagent, are used, for example, the first reaction reagent is placed in the reagent storage section. and a second reaction reagent is stored in the sub-reagent storage section, and by dissolving each and rotating a rotor or the like, the second reaction reagent in the sub-reagent storage section is pocketed by centrifugal force. and mixed with the first reaction reagent. Thereafter, by alternately repeating the rotation and stopping of the rotor, etc., both reagents can be stirred by the same effect as described above.

Further, according to the cuvette according to claim 7, it is possible to store or transport the cuvette in a state filled with reaction reagents in advance, and furthermore, a sealing material is provided to prevent the liquid from scattering during rotation of the rotor. It is also possible to break the seal.

[0020]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

The cuvette 10 shown here is entirely shaped like a container that opens upward. The material of the cuvette 10 is not particularly limited as long as it has a certain degree of hardness, does not react with reagents used for sample analysis, and is relatively suitable for mass production.
are made of relatively inexpensive plastic materials, such as polystyrene, for disposable use. Further, it is desirable that the above-mentioned material is highly hydrophilic, but if this is not the case, surface treatment may be performed by known means to impart hydrophilicity only to the surface that comes into contact with the liquid or reagent.

At the bottom of the cuvette 10, a reagent storage section 11 is formed in which a reaction reagent R is stored. Among the walls forming this reagent storage portion 11, the inner side wall in the rotational radial direction of the rotor 30 (FIG. 2), which will be described later (FIG. 1(b)
), the bottom wall, and the outer side wall in the radial direction of rotation (
In the right side wall of FIG. 1(b), there are optical windows 12a,
12b and 12c are provided. These optical windows 12
a to 12c are made into optically superior states such as light transmittance than other parts by known appropriate processing, and substances in the reagent storage section 11 are allowed to pass through the optical windows 12a to 12c. can be measured optically from the outside.

In this cuvette 10, a pocket 13 that bulges out to the outside of the cuvette is provided on the outer side wall in the rotational radial direction. This pocket 13 is located at a higher position than the optical window 12c, and its bottom wall 14 is
The cuvette has a sloped wall that gets higher toward the outside.

Further, a flange portion 15 is formed at the upper end of the cuvette 10 and projects outward from the cuvette over its entire circumference, and a vertical rib 16 is provided on the inner side wall in the rotational radial direction. There is. These flange portions 15 and ribs 16 are formed to be set on a rotor 30, which will be described later.

Next, a centrifugal stirring operation using this cuvette 10 will be explained.

First, the entire cuvette 10 is shown in FIG.
) and set in the reaction rotor 30 as shown in FIG. The direction of this cuvette 10 is
3 is set to face outward in the rotational radial direction of the reaction rotor 30. Further, as the reaction rotor 30, one having a function of adjusting the environmental temperature to the optimum temperature for reaction incubation is suitable.

On the other hand, the reagent storage section 1 of this cuvette 10
1 is filled with a reaction reagent R in advance, and the inside of the cuvette 10 is sealed by heat sealing or the like with a sealing material 20 made of aluminum foil or the like as a base material. Reagent R for this reaction
The filling may be done by any specific means; for example, the reaction reagent R may be coated on the inner wall of the reagent storage chamber 11. Furthermore, instead of the sealing material, a lid may be provided at the opening having a gap sufficient for inserting a pipette for dispensing a reaction reagent or a liquid sample, or for performing photometry.

Next, by rotating the rotor 30 in steps by a predetermined angle, the cuvette 10 is positioned at a seal break position in an automatic sample analyzer (not shown), and the seal material 20 is broken at this position to break the seal. Make a break. The seal break size at this time may be large enough to insert a pipette for dispensing a solution or a liquid sample. Moreover, if a reaction reagent is not sealed in advance, there is no need for sealing and seal breaking.

After the seal break, step rotation of a predetermined angle is given to the rotor 30 again, and this time, the cuvette 10 is set at a solution dispensing position (not shown), and at this position, the cuvette 10 is placed in the reagent storage section 11. Inject a predetermined amount of lysis solution. As a result, a solution of the reagent R as shown in FIG. 3(a) is generated in the reagent container 11.

In this state, the reaction rotor 30 is rotated at a predetermined number of rotations. Due to the centrifugal force generated by this rotation, the radially outer surface of the liquid reagent R in the reagent storage portion 11 rises along the side wall of the cuvette 10 and reaches the pocket 13 . Furthermore, it ascends the inclined bottom wall 14 of this pocket 13, and is finally held in the state shown in FIG. 3(b) during rotation. At this time, if the seal material 20 is left in the portion located above the pocket 13 without breaking the seal, there is no fear that the liquid will jump out of the pocket 13 due to centrifugal force. However, rotor 30
There is no need to leave such a seal if the rotation speed is adjusted appropriately.

When the rotation of the rotor 30 is stopped from this state, the liquid reagent R naturally falls due to gravity, and is again shown in FIG.
Return to the resting state as shown in a). Therefore, by repeating the rotation and stopping of the rotor 30, the liquid reagent R reciprocates between the states shown in FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b), that is, moves up and down inside the cuvette 10, so this up and down movement can be repeated an appropriate number of times. As a result, the reagent R and the solution are completely mixed and stirred.

After dissolving the reaction reagent R in this manner, the rotor 30 is stopped at a predetermined angular position, and the cuvette 10 is positioned at a liquid sample injection position (not shown). Then, at this position, an arbitrary amount of liquid specimen necessary for the reaction is injected into the reagent container 11 using a sampling pipette (not shown). The measurement reaction starts from this point, but the sample and reagent are not completely stirred.

Therefore, from this state, by repeating the rotation and stopping of the rotor 30 a predetermined number of times in the same manner as above,
The liquid mixture in the cuvette 10 is alternately switched between the states shown in FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b), that is, raised and lowered repeatedly. Thereby, the sample and reagent can be stirred reliably.

[0034] If such a cuvette 10 is used, the rotor 3 can be moved without using a stirring rod or a stirring bar as in the conventional case, and without making complicated adjustments of stirring jets.
The above-mentioned stirring can be performed effectively by a simple operation of repeating zero rotation and stopping. That is, since the side wall of the cuvette 10 is provided with a pocket 13 having an inclined bottom wall 14 that becomes higher toward the outside in the rotational radial direction, the liquid level of the liquid reagent R that has entered the pocket 13 during rotor rotation is The level will be higher than the liquid level when using a cuvette without pocket 13 (see the two-dot chain line in Figure 1(b)), and therefore, the effect of the above-mentioned stirring etc. will be reduced by this difference in liquid level. It will be further enhanced.

Furthermore, in this cuvette 10, optical windows 12a, 12b,
12c is provided, so that after the above-mentioned stirring is completed, the optical window 12a, 12c is inserted (that is, in the horizontal direction).
By applying light or applying light through the optical window 12b (i.e. in the vertical direction), or by applying light through the optical window 12b,
By measuring the fluorescence and scattered light generated by the incident light from 2a or 12c through the optical window 12b, it is possible to optically measure the reaction liquid while it is housed in the reagent storage section 11. Specifically, the photometric device of an automatic sample analyzer (not shown) and the optical window 1
By making full use of 2a to 12c, the optical properties of the sample reagent mixture or its changes, regardless of the photometric direction,
For example, changes in light absorption, opacity, chromaticity, fluorescence, reflection refractive index, etc. can be measured.

That is, the reagent storage section 11 shown in this embodiment functions as: (1) a dissolving section for dissolving the reaction reagent R; and (2) a stirring function for mixing and stirring the reaction reagent R and the liquid specimen. and (2) a measurement section for accommodating the reaction solution and performing optical measurements.

[0037] In this example, a method was shown in which the lyophilized reaction reagent R was filled into the reagent container 11 and then the dissolving solution was injected to dissolve it in the reagent container 11. The liquid reagent R dissolved in advance may be injected into the reagent storage section 11. Further, the liquid sample may be injected into the reagent storage section 11 first, or the reagent R and the liquid sample may be injected substantially simultaneously and then stirred. However, if the procedure of the above example is followed, not only the reaction reagent R and the liquid sample can be mixed and stirred, but also the cuvette 1 can be mixed and stirred.
There is an advantage that dissolution of the reaction reagent R can be effectively carried out using 0.

Further, the rotation and stop times, rotation speed, etc. in the above embodiments may be appropriately set according to the measurement parameters for each measurement reaction reagent item. Furthermore, when an automatic sample analyzer is used, the measurement parameters can be automatically or manually selected in the same apparatus.

Next, a second embodiment will be explained based on FIGS. 4 to 6.

In this embodiment, in the cuvette 10 shown in the first embodiment, an auxiliary reagent accommodating portion 17 is provided on the side wall facing the pocket 13, that is, on the inner side wall in the rotational radius direction (the left side wall in FIG. 1). It is provided. More specifically, this sub-reagent storage section 17 is provided at a higher position than the optical window 12a, and its bottom wall is a guide wall 18 that slopes higher toward the side wall of the cuvette body. .

According to such a cuvette 10, a measurement test of a liquid sample can be performed by a reaction using two reagents, the first reagent R1 and the second reagent R2, by going through the following procedure, for example. It can be carried out.

First, as shown in FIG. 5, the first reagent R1 is placed in the reagent container 11, and the second
The upper opening of the cuvette 10 is sealed or unsealed and the cuvette 10 is moved to the rotor 30 shown in FIG.
Set to . In this example as well, the cuvette 10
The direction of the pocket 13 is set so that the pocket 13 faces outward in the rotational radial direction of the rotor 30. Therefore, the sub-reagent storage section 1
7 faces inward in the rotational radial direction of the rotor 30. Then, the dissolving solution is injected only into the reagent storage section 11, and the first
After dissolving only the first reagent R1, the rotor 30 is rotated and stopped repeatedly as in the first embodiment to dissolve the first reagent R1.
The first reagent R1 and the solution are mixed and stirred by raising and lowering the solution. Note that at this stage, the second reagent R2 is still solid, so even if the centrifugal force acts, the second reagent R2 is not mixed with the first reagent R1.

Next, after injecting the liquid sample only into the reagent container 11, the rotor 30 is rotated and stopped repeatedly in the same manner as in the first embodiment, and the first reagent R1 and the liquid sample are mixed. Stir. In this case as well, since the mixture of the first reagent R1 and the liquid specimen and the second reagent R2 are not mixed, at the stage where the above mixing and stirring is completed, without involving the second reagent R2, It is possible to cause the reaction between the first reagent R1 and the liquid sample to occur in a pure manner.

Next, a dissolving solution is also injected into the sub-reagent accommodating section 17 to dissolve the second reagent R2, and then the rotor 30 is rotated. Due to the centrifugal force caused by this, the mixed solution of the first reagent R1 and the liquid specimen rises to the pocket 13 as described above, and the solution of the second reagent R2 in the sub-reagent storage section 17 moves against the guide wall 18. The liquid then rises and further moves into the pocket 13 where it is mixed with the liquid mixture.

Next, when the rotor 30 is stopped, the liquid returns to the reagent container 11 containing the second reagent R2. Therefore, by repeating the rotation and stopping of the rotor 30, the second reagent R2 can be mixed with the mixture of the first reagent and the liquid sample and stirred. After that,
As in the first embodiment, the reaction liquid can be optically measured through the optical windows 12a, 12b or 12c.

[0046] In this example, the first reagent R1
However, the cuvette of the present invention can be used regardless of how it is used. The reagent may be injected into both the reagent storage section 11 and the sub-reagent storage section 17. In addition, when only one of the first reagent R1 and the second reagent R2 is used for the reaction, the cuvette 10 also has a reagent storage section 11.
Alternatively, only one of the sub-reagent storage sections 17 may be used.

Next, a third embodiment will be explained based on FIG. 7. Here, an auxiliary reagent accommodating part 17' corresponding to the auxiliary reagent accommodating part 17 is provided on the side wall of the cuvette 10 in the rotation circumferential direction, and this auxiliary reagent accommodating part 17' also has an upper opening. This sub-reagent storage section 17' and the cuvette main body space are separated by a partition wall 20, and this sub-reagent storage section 17' is separated by a guide wall 18' extending along the rotation radius direction.
The pocket 13 is communicated with through a guide passage provided above the pocket 13 and an opening 19 provided in the side wall of the pocket 13 . Further, the guide wall 18' is an inclined wall that becomes higher toward the opening 19.

In the cuvette 10 as well, the solution of the second reagent R2 accommodated in the sub-reagent accommodating portion 17' flows through the guide passage and into the pocket 13 from the opening 19 due to the centrifugal force generated when the rotor rotates. The first reagent R
It will be mixed with the solution of No. 1, etc. As shown in this embodiment and the second embodiment, a cuvette having an auxiliary reagent accommodating section may be appropriately set according to the purpose, regardless of the specific location of the auxiliary reagent accommodating section. however,
No matter where the sub-reagent storage section is provided, it is necessary to set the direction of the guide passage so that the second reagent in the sub-reagent storage section is guided into the pocket 13 by centrifugal force.

[0049] In each of the above embodiments, each cuvette 1
0 is shown individually formed, but a plurality of cuvettes 10 may be arranged in an annular shape and molded integrally, or after such molding, the cuvettes 10
They may be separated to obtain a cuvette 10 as shown in this embodiment.

Further, the cross-sectional shape of the main body of the cuvette 10 does not have to be substantially rectangular as shown in each of the above embodiments, but may be appropriately set to a circle, an ellipse, a polygon, or the like. In this case as well, the same effect as described above can be obtained by providing a pocket 13 as described above in a part of the side wall and setting it on a rotor or the like with this pocket facing outward in the rotational radial direction.

Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, three optical windows 1
Although the cuvette 10 having the cuvettes 2a to 12c is shown, if at least one optical window is provided, such as a pair of optical windows 12a and 12c on the side walls or an optical window 12b on the bottom wall, depending on the measurement method, the interior of the reagent storage section 11 can be optical measurements can be realized. However, these optical windows 12a to 12
By providing all of c, it becomes possible to freely perform optical measurement of the reaction liquid without being restricted in the photometric direction. In the case of the so-called top-top method, in which fluorescence and scattered light generated by incident light from the upper part of the upper opening of the cuvette 10 are measured at the upper part of the opening,
Alternatively, if measurement while housed in the cuvette 10 is not necessary, the optical windows 12a to 12c are not necessarily required.

Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, the pocket 13 is provided at a position above the bottom surface of the reagent accommodating portion 11, but when the optical window 12c is omitted, the reagent accommodating portion A pocket 13 having an inclined bottom wall 14 may be formed from the same height as the bottom surface of the portion 11. In this case as well, the liquid level during rotation can be made higher than in a cuvette without a pocket 13, but by providing this pocket 13 at a position higher than the bottom surface of the reagent storage section 11, The advantage is that the head of the mixed liquid increases when the rotor 30 is stopped, and the stirring effect increases. Next, examples of how the cuvette 10 is used will be listed. In addition, in the following usage examples, the first reagent R1
, the second reagent R2, any of the cuvettes 10 in the first to third embodiments can be used, and both the first reagent R1 and the second reagent R2 can be used. When used, the cuvettes 10 of the second and third embodiments can be used.

*Use example 1 Measurement item: Lactate dehydrogenase Sample: Plasma or serum First reagent R1: Sodium pyruvate and reduced β-nicotinate adenosine dinucleotide second reagent R2
:None Measurement operation and reaction: The first reagent R1 previously stored in the reagent container 11 is dissolved, the absorbance is measured after centrifugal stirring, and the sample is added and incubated. During this process, the decrease in the absorbance of the reduced form of β-nicotinate adenosine dinucleotide is measured, and the activity value of lactate dehydrogenase is measured.

*Use example 2 Measurement items: Cholesterol sample: Plasma or serum First reagent R1: Ascorbate oxidase, cholesterol esterase, and 4-aminoantipyrine Second reagent R2: Cholesterol oxidase, and N-ethyl −
N-(2-hydroxy-3-sulfopropyl)-3,5
- Dimethoxyaniline sodium measurement operation and reaction: The first reagent R1 in the reagent container 11 is dissolved and centrifugally stirred. Next, add the specimen and incubate for 3 minutes. During this process, ascorbic acid contained in the sample is eliminated. Furthermore, the second reagent R2 contained in the sub-reagent storage section 17 (or 17') is dissolved and centrifuged to mix and stir with the sample reagent mixture in the reagent storage section 11, and incubated for 5 minutes. do. As a result, the specimen exhibits a blue color reaction. Unique effect: ascorbic acid can be eliminated by the first reaction that does not involve the second reagent R2,
It is possible to prevent the color measurement reaction measurement value of the second reaction from being influenced by the ascorbic acid.

*Usage example 3 Measurement item: Cholinesterase sample: Plasma or serum First reagent R1: Butylthiocholine iodide Second reagent R
2: 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) Measurement operation and reaction: Reagent storage section 11 and sub-reagent storage section 1
The first reagent R1 and the second reagent R2 in Step 7 are simultaneously dissolved and centrifugally stirred. Thereafter, the absorbance is measured, and by adding and incubating the specimen, the specimen exhibits a yellow color reaction. This is measured over time to calculate cholinesterase activity. Unique effect: Butylthiocholine iodide and 5,5'-diotivis (2-nitrobenzoic acid) may turn yellow over time when they coexist in an aqueous solution. However, according to the present cuvette 10, butylthiocholine iodide and 5,5
'-Diotibis (2-nitrobenzoic acid) can be manufactured as a freeze-dried product filled individually, thereby improving stability as a measurement reagent.

*Usage example 4 Measurement item: Multivalent antigen (α-fetoprotein) Specimen: Plasma or serum First reagent R1: Anti-α-fetoprotein antibody immobilized solid phase (Antibody is immobilized on a solid phase in the reagent container 11) ), and β
-D-galactosidase-labeled anti-α-fetoprotein antibody (filled in the reagent container 11) Second reagent R2: None Substrate added after: 4-methylumbelliferyl β-D-galactoside measurement operation and reaction (EIA: Sandwich method/one-step method): β-D-galactosidase-labeled anti-α-fetoprotein antibody is added to the reagent storage portion 11 of the cuvette 10 on which the anti-α-fetoprotein antibody has been immobilized, and lyophilized. After adding the specimen and lysate to and centrifuging to cause an immunoreaction, wash the solid phase with a washing solution.
Thereafter, the washing solution is removed by suction to remove unbound labeled antibodies. Next, a substrate is added and incubated, and after the reaction, the fluorescence intensity is measured. Since the amount of enzyme bound to the solid phase is proportional to the amount of antigen in the sample, the amount of antigen can be determined by measuring the enzyme activity.

*Use example 5 Measurement item: Thyroxine (T4) Specimen: Plasma or serum First reagent R1: Anti-thyroxine antibody immobilized solid phase (the antibody is immobilized in the reagent container 11) Second Reagent R2: β-D-galactosidase labeled antigen (
Add to the sub-reagent storage section 17. ) Post-added substrate: 4-methylumbelliferyl β-D-galactoside measurement procedure and reaction (EIA: competitive method/1-step method):
The first reagent R1 and the second reagent R2 are simultaneously dissolved, a sample is added, and the mixture is centrifugally stirred. After the immune reaction, the solid phase is washed with a washing solution, and then the washing solution is removed by suction to remove unbound labeled antigen. Next, the substrate is added into the reagent container 11, and after the reaction, the fluorescence intensity is measured. Since the amount of enzyme bound to the solid phase decreases with the amount of antigen in the sample, the amount of antigen can be determined by measuring the enzyme activity. Unique effect: The first reagent R1 and the second reagent R2 cannot be placed in the same container because they react with each other, but in the cuvette 10 of the second or third embodiment, the reagent container is Since two reagents are provided, a preparation can be manufactured without mixing both reagents R1 and R2.

[0058]

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

First, the cuvette according to claim 1 is shaped like a container that opens upward, has a reagent accommodating portion at the bottom, and has a sloped bottom wall that becomes higher toward the outside of the cuvette on a part of the side wall. Since the cuvette is provided with a pocket, the cuvette is set with respect to the rotor, etc., with the pocket facing outward in the direction of the rotation radius, and the reaction reagent and liquid sample are filled into the reagent storage section. The reagent and sample can be effectively mixed and stirred by a simple operation of rotating the rotor and the like and alternately repeating rotation and stopping of the rotor. Therefore, there is no need for conventional complicated operations such as cleaning stirring rods and stirrers, or complicated adjustments of stirring air jets, and mixing and mixing can be done simply by rotating a cuvette with a simple structure using a rotor, etc. Since stirring can be performed, the cost required for mixing and stirring can be significantly reduced.

Furthermore, according to the cuvette according to claim 2, since the pocket is located at a higher position than the bottom surface of the reagent storage section, it is possible to increase the head of the mixed liquid when the rotor repeatedly rotates and stops. This can further enhance the stirring effect.

Further, according to the cuvette according to claim 3, by using the optical window provided in at least a part of the wall forming the reagent storage section, the reaction liquid can be collected without taking it out from the cuvette. This has the advantage that it can be easily optically measured from outside the cuvette.

According to the cuvette according to claim 4, the first reagent is stored in the reagent accommodating part, and the second reagent is stored in the sub-reagent accommodating part.
By filling these reagents, it is possible to start a reaction test with both reagents completely separated. Therefore, even if the two reagents mentioned above react with each other, the test can be carried out without any inconvenience.
After starting the test, both reagents can be easily mixed and stirred by rotating and stopping using the rotor or the like.

Further, according to the cuvette according to claim 7, it is possible to store or transport it in a state where it is filled with a reaction reagent in advance, and furthermore, a sealing material is provided to prevent the liquid from scattering during rotation of the rotor. It has the effect of being able to break the seal.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 (a) is a cross-sectional side view showing a state in which a cuvette according to a first embodiment of the present invention is set on a rotor, (b)
is a cross-sectional front view of the cuvette.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the cuvette set in a rotor.

FIG. 3(a) is a cross-sectional front view showing the state of the liquid reagent in the cuvette when the rotor is stopped, and FIG. 3(b) is a cross-sectional front view showing the state of the liquid reagent in the cuvette when the rotor is rotating.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a cuvette in a second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line V-V in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the cuvette.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a cuvette in a third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Cuvette 11 Reagent storage sections 12a, 12b, 12c Optical window 13 Pocket 14 Slanted bottom wall 17, 17' Sub-reagent storage section 18, 18' Guide wall (forming a guide path) 19 Opening 30 Rotor

Claims (7)

[Claims] Claim 1: The cuvette is shaped like a container that opens upward, and is provided with a reagent accommodating portion at the bottom, and a pocket having a sloped bottom wall that becomes higher toward the outside of the cuvette is provided in a part of the side wall. A cuvette for centrifugal stirring. 2. The cuvette for centrifugal stirring according to claim 1, wherein the pocket is provided at a position higher than the bottom surface of the reagent storage section. 3. The cuvette for centrifugal stirring according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least a part of the side wall and bottom wall forming the reagent storage section is provided with an optical window for performing optical measurement from the outside. A cuvette for centrifugal stirring. 4. The centrifugal stirring cuvette according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein an auxiliary reagent storage is provided on the side wall of the cuvette and communicates with the reagent storage and the pocket at a position higher than the bottom surface of the reagent storage. A cuvette for centrifugal stirring characterized by having a section. 5. Claim 4, wherein the sub-reagent storage section is provided at a position facing the pocket.
Cuvette for centrifugal stirring as described. 6. Claim 4, wherein the sub-reagent accommodating section is provided at a position closer to the pocket than at a position facing the pocket, and communicates with the inside of the pocket via a guide passage. Cuvette for centrifugal stirring as described. 7. The cuvette for centrifugal stirring according to claim 1, wherein the opening is sealed with a sealing material.