EP3055675A1 - Dispositif et procede de mesure de fluorescence resolue en temps pour le criblage a haut debit d'echantillons - Google Patents
Dispositif et procede de mesure de fluorescence resolue en temps pour le criblage a haut debit d'echantillonsInfo
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- EP3055675A1 EP3055675A1 EP14783629.0A EP14783629A EP3055675A1 EP 3055675 A1 EP3055675 A1 EP 3055675A1 EP 14783629 A EP14783629 A EP 14783629A EP 3055675 A1 EP3055675 A1 EP 3055675A1
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- fluorescence
- sample
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- measurement
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- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- G01N21/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means, i.e. using sub-millimetre waves, infrared, visible or ultraviolet light
- G01N21/62—Systems in which the material investigated is excited whereby it emits light or causes a change in wavelength of the incident light
- G01N21/63—Systems in which the material investigated is excited whereby it emits light or causes a change in wavelength of the incident light optically excited
- G01N21/64—Fluorescence; Phosphorescence
- G01N21/6408—Fluorescence; Phosphorescence with measurement of decay time, time resolved fluorescence
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- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- G01N21/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means, i.e. using sub-millimetre waves, infrared, visible or ultraviolet light
- G01N21/62—Systems in which the material investigated is excited whereby it emits light or causes a change in wavelength of the incident light
- G01N21/63—Systems in which the material investigated is excited whereby it emits light or causes a change in wavelength of the incident light optically excited
- G01N21/64—Fluorescence; Phosphorescence
- G01N21/6428—Measuring fluorescence of fluorescent products of reactions or of fluorochrome labelled reactive substances, e.g. measuring quenching effects, using measuring "optrodes"
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- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- G01N21/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means, i.e. using sub-millimetre waves, infrared, visible or ultraviolet light
- G01N21/62—Systems in which the material investigated is excited whereby it emits light or causes a change in wavelength of the incident light
- G01N21/63—Systems in which the material investigated is excited whereby it emits light or causes a change in wavelength of the incident light optically excited
- G01N21/64—Fluorescence; Phosphorescence
- G01N21/6445—Measuring fluorescence polarisation
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- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- G01N21/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means, i.e. using sub-millimetre waves, infrared, visible or ultraviolet light
- G01N21/01—Arrangements or apparatus for facilitating the optical investigation
- G01N21/03—Cuvette constructions
- G01N2021/0346—Capillary cells; Microcells
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- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- G01N21/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means, i.e. using sub-millimetre waves, infrared, visible or ultraviolet light
- G01N21/01—Arrangements or apparatus for facilitating the optical investigation
- G01N21/03—Cuvette constructions
- G01N2021/0346—Capillary cells; Microcells
- G01N2021/035—Supports for sample drops
- G01N2021/0353—Conveyor of successive sample drops
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- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- G01N21/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means, i.e. using sub-millimetre waves, infrared, visible or ultraviolet light
- G01N21/62—Systems in which the material investigated is excited whereby it emits light or causes a change in wavelength of the incident light
- G01N21/63—Systems in which the material investigated is excited whereby it emits light or causes a change in wavelength of the incident light optically excited
- G01N21/64—Fluorescence; Phosphorescence
- G01N2021/6417—Spectrofluorimetric devices
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- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- G01N21/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means, i.e. using sub-millimetre waves, infrared, visible or ultraviolet light
- G01N21/62—Systems in which the material investigated is excited whereby it emits light or causes a change in wavelength of the incident light
- G01N21/63—Systems in which the material investigated is excited whereby it emits light or causes a change in wavelength of the incident light optically excited
- G01N21/64—Fluorescence; Phosphorescence
- G01N2021/6417—Spectrofluorimetric devices
- G01N2021/6421—Measuring at two or more wavelengths
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- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- G01N21/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means, i.e. using sub-millimetre waves, infrared, visible or ultraviolet light
- G01N21/62—Systems in which the material investigated is excited whereby it emits light or causes a change in wavelength of the incident light
- G01N21/63—Systems in which the material investigated is excited whereby it emits light or causes a change in wavelength of the incident light optically excited
- G01N21/64—Fluorescence; Phosphorescence
- G01N21/6428—Measuring fluorescence of fluorescent products of reactions or of fluorochrome labelled reactive substances, e.g. measuring quenching effects, using measuring "optrodes"
- G01N2021/6439—Measuring fluorescence of fluorescent products of reactions or of fluorochrome labelled reactive substances, e.g. measuring quenching effects, using measuring "optrodes" with indicators, stains, dyes, tags, labels, marks
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- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- G01N21/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means, i.e. using sub-millimetre waves, infrared, visible or ultraviolet light
- G01N21/62—Systems in which the material investigated is excited whereby it emits light or causes a change in wavelength of the incident light
- G01N21/63—Systems in which the material investigated is excited whereby it emits light or causes a change in wavelength of the incident light optically excited
- G01N21/64—Fluorescence; Phosphorescence
- G01N21/6428—Measuring fluorescence of fluorescent products of reactions or of fluorochrome labelled reactive substances, e.g. measuring quenching effects, using measuring "optrodes"
- G01N2021/6439—Measuring fluorescence of fluorescent products of reactions or of fluorochrome labelled reactive substances, e.g. measuring quenching effects, using measuring "optrodes" with indicators, stains, dyes, tags, labels, marks
- G01N2021/6441—Measuring fluorescence of fluorescent products of reactions or of fluorochrome labelled reactive substances, e.g. measuring quenching effects, using measuring "optrodes" with indicators, stains, dyes, tags, labels, marks with two or more labels
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- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- G01N21/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means, i.e. using sub-millimetre waves, infrared, visible or ultraviolet light
- G01N21/62—Systems in which the material investigated is excited whereby it emits light or causes a change in wavelength of the incident light
- G01N21/63—Systems in which the material investigated is excited whereby it emits light or causes a change in wavelength of the incident light optically excited
- G01N21/64—Fluorescence; Phosphorescence
- G01N21/645—Specially adapted constructive features of fluorimeters
- G01N2021/6482—Sample cells, cuvettes
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- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- G01N21/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means, i.e. using sub-millimetre waves, infrared, visible or ultraviolet light
- G01N21/01—Arrangements or apparatus for facilitating the optical investigation
- G01N21/03—Cuvette constructions
- G01N21/05—Flow-through cuvettes
Definitions
- the technical field of the invention is that of high throughput screening of samples, in particular for the research and development of new drugs by the pharmaceutical industry.
- the present invention relates to a high throughput time resolved fluorescence measurement device and method for high throughput screening of samples. Also provided is a high throughput sample screening device and method based on a time resolved fluorescence measurement, and a high throughput sample sorting device and method based on a fluorescence measurement resolved in time.
- HTS High Throughput Screening
- time-resolved fluorescence (TRF) time-resolved fluorescence detection is of particular interest because it makes it possible to reveal information intrinsically linked to the marking.
- Time-integrated fluorescence detection i.e., fluorescence intensity detection
- background signals such as autofluorescence or diffusion.
- TRF detection is a more complex technique than fluorescence intensity detection and whose implementation remains difficult in high throughput HTS screening applications.
- the TRF-resolved fluorescence detection is a measure of the decay kinetics of a fluorescence signal of a chromophore in solution, after said chromophore has been excited by an ultrashort light pulse.
- this decay kinetics represents the probability of emitting a single photon by spontaneous emission, that is to say by fluorescence, as a function of time after the excitation. Because of the interaction of the chromophore with its environment, the kinetics of fluorescence decay is likely to be greatly accelerated.
- FIG. 1a shows schematically:
- each kinetic curve is proportional to the total number of photons emitted. It is this total number of emitted photons that is measured during a time-integrated fluorescence measurement, that is to say during a measurement of fluorescence intensity, for example in conventional HTS screening devices. using fluorescence detection.
- FIG. 1a shows the area 11 under the kinetic curve 1 and the area 12 under the kinetic curve 2. The area 11 is greater than the area 12.
- a fluorescence intensity measurement gives however no information on the temporal distribution of the emitted photons and therefore does not allow access to the gait of kinetic curves 1 and 2 themselves.
- the molecular interactions and in particular the molecular bonds are tested by detecting a change in the fluorescence quantum yield of a chromophore linked to a first molecule, when this first molecule interacts with another molecule, by example by forming a complex.
- this change in the fluorescence quantum yield results in faster fluorescence decay kinetics and consequently a decrease in fluorescence intensity.
- a change in fluorescence intensity is not necessarily caused by a change in quantum fluorescence efficiency.
- a change in fluorescence intensity may also be caused by fluctuations in other external parameters, such as the concentration of the chromophore in solution or the intensity of the excitation light source.
- the amplitude of the signal can certainly be affected by a change in the chromophore concentration or the intensity of the excitation laser, but not the constant. decay time, called "fluorescence lifetime".
- fluorescence lifetime does not depend on external parameters: the fluorescence lifetime depends solely on the molecular interactions. It is notably the reason why the Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy (FLIM) technique has been massively developed, for example in cell biology, in addition to conventional fluorescence microscopy.
- FLIM Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy
- Time-Correlated Single Photon Counting is a digital acquisition technique in which the acquisition of the fluorescence signal is performed by counting the photons one by one and by simultaneously recording the arrival time of each of these photons after the excitation pulse.
- the TRF signal is constructed as a histogram of the number of photons detected in successive time intervals.
- Figure 1b shows time-resolved fluorescence decay kinetics data typically obtained by a TCSPC counting technique, forming a histogram 3. The signal is progressively constructed, counting the photons one by one. The statistical noise inherent in the light-emitting process is less and less pronounced as the number of photons detected increases.
- the histogram 3 thus converges asymptotically, for a large number of detected photons, towards the theoretical curve 4 of fluorescence decay kinetics.
- the histogram 3 and the theoretical curve 4 are simulated for the case where approximately 1000 photons have been detected in all.
- up to one photon per sensing channel must be detected to prevent a stack-up phenomenon from occurring. Indeed, if two photons are detected at the same time on the same detection channel, one will be hidden by the other.
- a laser with a repetition rate high, typically greater than 10 MHz, is required to allow the acquisition of a fluorescence decay curve with a good signal-to-noise ratio in a short acquisition time.
- TRF detection should significantly reduce "false positive” or "false negative” cases by reducing the influence of background signals or concentration fluctuations. .
- the TRF detection was initially implemented with analog detection, in frequency domain, and for long-lived chromophores, that is to say having fluorescence lifetimes of the order of a few hundred ns, such as ruthenium complexes - as explained in the document "Fluorescence-lifetime technologies for high-throughput screening", French, TE et al., p. 209-218 (1998), or of the order of the microsecond, as the lanthanides.
- Such an analog implementation is not compatible with a TRF-resolved fluorescence detection for most chromophores of interest - for example for FRET-based assays.
- These chromophores of interest such as fluorescent proteins and in particular the GFP (Green Fluorescent Protein) protein, have in fact fluorescence lifetimes of the order of a few nanoseconds.
- TRF time resolved fluorescence measuring devices
- a device with an analog implementation of fluorescence measurement TRF suitable only for the screening of samples containing chromophores of great longevity, that is to say having fluorescence lifetimes of the order of a few hundreds of ns or the order of the microsecond.
- fluorescence lifetimes of the order of a few hundreds of ns or the order of the microsecond.
- the majority of chromophores of interest have much shorter fluorescence lifetimes, of the order of a few nanoseconds;
- a device with an analog implementation of fluorescence measurement TRF adapted for the screening of samples containing chromophores with fluorescence lifetimes of the order of a few ns, and offering a screening rate of the order a few hundred samples per minute.
- This device does not implement a TCSPC counting method and therefore does not allow detection sensitivity to single photon;
- a TRF fluorescence measuring device by a counting method TCSPC providing a single photon detection sensitivity, but with a screening rate of the order of a few tens of samples per minute only.
- Microfluidic systems make it possible to improve this last point, by authorizing the production and the manipulation of samples in the form of drops at a very high speed, at a frequency of the order of KHz, three orders of magnitude faster than micro-well type samples on micro-plates.
- Such microfluidic systems also make it possible to form samples whose volume is less than the nanoliter, which represents a reduction of more than four orders of magnitude compared with micro-well type samples on microplates.
- the present invention aims to provide a solution to the problems mentioned above, by proposing a device that is both accurate, reliable and high throughput time resolved fluorescence measurement (TRF), for high-throughput screening. sample flow.
- TRF time resolved fluorescence measurement
- the term "broadband" a rate of up to a frequency of the order of 1 KHz, therefore much higher than the rates found in the prior art.
- the invention therefore relates firstly to a time-resolved fluorescence measuring device for high-throughput screening of at least one sample, the device operating with a light source capable of producing a succession of pulses of light. excitation for exciting the sample so that the sample emits a plurality of fluorescence photons forming a fluorescence emission, the device comprising:
- a single photon detection unit capable of detecting at least a portion of said fluorescence photons, the single photon detection unit generating a detection signal for each single photon detected, the detected portion of the fluorescence photons forming a fluorescence signal; fluorescence;
- a measurement unit for measuring, for each detection signal, the time elapsed between the excitation pulse and the detection signal, called "arrival time", and generating a digital data characteristic of this time of arrival;
- a unit for real-time analysis of the digital data originating from said measurement unit comprising means for detecting the passage of the sample ( ⁇ , ⁇ 1, ⁇ 2) and for calculating at least one numerical quantity characteristic of the temporal distribution the fluorescence emission of the sample.
- a fluorescence measuring device resolved in TRF time with a digital implementation is proposed.
- the unique photon detection unit implemented by the device of the invention provides ultimate detection sensitivity, each photon being individually sensed. This sensitivity to the single photon contributes in the first place to the accuracy and reliability of the device of the invention.
- the measurement unit generates, for each photon detected by the detection unit, a digital datum characteristic of the arrival time of said photon.
- narrowband means a bit rate that can reach a frequency of the order of 1 KHz.
- the term "real-time analysis of the digital data” means that the digital fluorescence photon detection data from the first sample are processed in a time interval that is less than or equal to the time interval between the first and second samples. In other words, the digital fluorescence photon detection data from the first sample are processed by the analysis unit before it reaches them. digital fluorescence photon detection data from the second sample.
- the terms “in real time” and “on the fly” will be used interchangeably in the present description.
- fluorescence emission refers to all the fluorescence photons emitted, before the collection and detection phases.
- fluorescence signal refers to the fluorescence photons which, after their emission, have actually been collected and then detected.
- the fluorescence measuring device may have one or more additional characteristics among the following, considered individually or in any technically possible combination:
- At least one characteristic quantity of the fluorescence intensity of the sample can also be calculated.
- a first trigger signal to the light source for order the emission of a light pulse
- the repetition rate of the light source is fixed by the tripping unit.
- the repetition rate of the pulses emitted by the light source is determined by the light source itself, as a function of its intrinsic characteristics, and a part of the light beam is directed towards the unit of light. tripping which generates, for each transmitted light pulse, the second trigger signal to the measurement unit.
- the trip unit may be a constant fraction discriminator having a photodiode.
- Such means for measuring the unit of measurement advantageously allow, in particular with respect to an analog measurement unit, a very large reduction and optimization of the amount of data generated for each detection event, which must then be stored and / or sent to the analysis unit and processed by said analysis unit.
- Such measuring means indeed make it possible to measure the time interval between each detection signal and its excitation pulse: it is therefore a measure of relative time between two events, rather than a measurement of an absolute time. .
- a silicon photomultiplier a photomultiplier tube or a matrix of photomultiplier tubes;
- an avalanche diode and a single-photon avalanche diode are distinguished in particular by their mode of operation, which is given by the polarization of the diode: slightly above the avalanche voltage for an avalanche diode and far beyond for a single-photon avalanche diode.
- the single photon detection unit may comprise one or more single photon detectors, according to different embodiments of the invention.
- the single photon detection unit advantageously comprises a plurality of single photon detectors and the unit of measure advantageously comprises several measuring means, each single photon detector of the single photon detection unit operating with a measurement means of the photon. unit of measurement.
- a measurement of the TRF fluorescence can advantageously be carried out:
- the fluorescence photons from a sample can be diffracted, for example by means of a spectrometer, to a plurality of detectors, each detector of the plurality of detectors then being associated with a certain range of wave length ;
- the measurement unit may comprise a single measuring means, or preferably several measuring means and for example as many measuring means as detectors of unique photons.
- the analysis unit is then able to process the digital data in parallel generated simultaneously by the different measuring means of the unit of measure. It is interesting to have several means of measurement to implement a multiparameter measurement of fluorescence, or simply to be able to count faster while avoiding the phenomenon of "pile-up".
- a single trigger unit is a priori sufficient to trigger all the measurement means of the unit of measurement. However, it is conceivable to use several independent laser sources, and advantageously use in this case an independent laser source trigger unit. In the case of several laser sources synchronized with each other, that is to say for example laser diodes, a single trigger unit may be sufficient to trigger the synchronized laser sources and the measuring means.
- the analysis unit advantageously comprises means for calculating at least one digital quantity characteristic of the temporal evolution of signals resulting from a multiparameter fluorescence measurement of the sample, such that:
- Another aspect of the invention relates to a high-throughput screening device using a time-resolved fluorescence measurement, the device comprising:
- a time-resolved fluorescence measuring device comprising means for calculating at least one numerical quantity characteristic of the temporal distribution of the fluorescence emission of each sample of a plurality of samples;
- a unit for producing and manipulating the plurality of samples capable of successively supplying each sample in one or more fluorescence excitation zones
- screening is understood to mean the fact of determining, for each sample, a class of result from a predetermined plurality of classes of result, as a function of the numerical quantity calculated for said sample by the unit of analysis of the fluorescence measuring device.
- the high throughput screening device advantageously employs a microfluidic sample handling unit, the samples being droplets or biological cells.
- a microfluidic unit indeed allows the formation of samples in the form of microdroplets of very small volume, and the precise handling of these samples at a very high rate.
- a microfluidic unit for the formation and manipulation of samples within a screening device according to the invention advantageously makes it possible to exploit the high-throughput capacities of the screening device according to the invention in a satisfactory manner.
- the real-time analysis unit advantageously has the means of:
- the fluorescence signal detected between sample passes is typically due to the fluorescence background of the sample handling unit and / or the excitation light scatter.
- the optical coupling and focusing unit advantageously comprises one or more diffractive or refractive optics, conventional or integrated.
- the optical coupling and focusing unit of the screening device of the invention notably ensures the shaping of the excitation light pulses from the light source, for the efficient excitation of the samples in at least one spatially defined zone of the microfluidic handling unit.
- the excitation light pulses may be focused using conventional optical elements, such as microscope objectives, or coupled to the microfluidic unit by chip-guided propagation or integrated optics. Spatial shaping of the excitation light pulses in one or more spots can be achieved by diffractive or refractive optics.
- the collection, filtering and optical coupling unit of the screening device of the invention allows the efficient collection of the fluorescence photons emitted by the samples in one or more excitation zones and the coupling to the fluorescence measuring device. .
- the collection, filtering and optical coupling unit of the screening device of the invention also allows filtering of the fluorescence photons with respect to other photons originating from the luminous background, in order to discriminate the fluorescence photons of the molecule.
- of interest of the other photons coming from the luminous background and thus of limiting the number of these photons coming from the luminous background: photons of excitation, luminescence of the microfluidic device itself, or of any other compound other than the molecule of interest in the sample.
- the collection, filtering and optical coupling unit can advantageously have one or more elements selected from the following list:
- the collection, filtering and optical coupling unit advantageously makes it possible to solve in polarization and / or spectrally the fluorescence signal collected, and comprises one or more elements chosen from the following list:
- the screening device will advantageously comprise a fluorescence measuring device in which the single photon detection unit comprises several single photon detectors and the measurement unit comprises several measuring means.
- the single photon detection unit comprises a plurality of single photon detectors and the measurement unit comprises a plurality of measuring means, each single photon detector of the single photon detection unit. operating with a measuring means of the unit of measurement;
- the microfluidic unit comprises a plurality of microfluidic channels for the parallel manipulation of samples
- the optical coupling and focusing unit focuses the excitation pulses on at least one spatially defined zone of each microfluidic channel; the collection, filtering and optical coupling unit makes it possible to collect, filter and optically couple with the fluorescence measuring device the fluorescence photons originating from the samples flowing in each microfluidic channel.
- the screening device of the invention makes it possible to simultaneously process several samples in parallel in order to increase the screening rate.
- several time-resolved fluorescence data may also be simultaneously processed, for example to provide a spectral resolution and / or polarization of the fluorescence signal of each sample.
- simultaneous processing of several samples in parallel can also be implemented by performing measurements in several spatially defined areas of a single channel.
- the three preceding solutions may be combined, in an implementation with several microfluidic channels in parallel, measurements being made in several spatially defined zones of each microfluidic channel.
- Another aspect of the invention relates to a device for high-throughput sorting of a plurality of samples, using a time-resolved fluorescence measurement, and comprising:
- a screening device using a time-resolved fluorescence measurement comprising means for assigning in real time to each sample of the plurality of samples a result class from among a plurality of result classes;
- a sample may be specifically oriented within the microfluidic manipulation device. For example, in the case of a binary screening, samples circulating initially in a main channel, will be oriented in a first subchannel of the main channel if their screening result is "positive", and in a second subchannel of the main channel if their screening result is "negative".
- conditional fusion according to their screening results, two samples can be fused in order to mix their contents. From two initial samples, a single merged sample is obtained.
- Another aspect of the invention relates to a time resolved single photon count fluorescence measuring method for high throughput screening of at least one sample, the method comprising:
- a light source emits a succession of excitation pulses for excitation of the sample so that the sample emits a plurality of fluorescence photons forming a fluorescence emission;
- a single photon detection unit detects at least a portion of said fluorescence photons and generates a detection signal for each detected single fluorescence photon, the detected portion of the fluorescence photons forming a fluorescence signal;
- a measurement unit determines, for each detection signal, the time elapsed between the excitation pulse and the detection signal, called "arrival time", and generates a digital data characteristic of this arrival time;
- the fourth step of the fluorescence measurement method of the invention may comprise the following substeps:
- the analysis unit counts the number of fluorescence photons detected as a function of the arrival time of said detected fluorescence photons and thus builds a histogram of the number of fluorescence photons detected as a function of their arrival time;
- the analysis unit calculates, from the histogram constructed during the first substep, at least one numerical quantity characteristic of the temporal distribution of the fluorescence emission of the sample and / or at least one digital quantity characteristic of a temporal evolution of signals resulting from a multiparameter fluorescence measurement of the sample.
- Another aspect of the invention relates to a multi-parameter resolved fluorescence metering method by single photon counting for high throughput screening of at least one sample, the method comprising:
- a light source emits a succession of excitation pulses for excitation of the sample so that the sample emits a plurality of fluorescence photons forming a fluorescence emission;
- a second step according to which the fluorescence emission is resolved into a plurality of beams according to a first parameter such as the wavelength, the polarization or the direction of propagation of each fluorescence photon;
- a single photon detector of the single photon detection unit detects at least a part of the fluorescence photons and generates a detection signal for each single fluorescence photon detected, the detected portion of the fluorescence photons forming a fluorescence signal;
- a means of measuring the unit of measurement determines, for each beam, the time elapsed between the excitation pulse and each detection signal from a florescence photon said beam, called "arrival time", and generates a digital data characteristic of this time of arrival;
- Another aspect of the invention relates to a method for high-throughput screening of a plurality of samples with photon-counted time-resolved fluorescence measurement, the method comprising:
- a step of high-throughput screening of the plurality of samples according to which the passage of each sample in the fluorescence excitation zone is detected and, from the numerical quantity characteristic of the temporal distribution of the fluorescence emission for each sample, a result class from among a plurality of result classes is determined and archived for each sample.
- the implemented fluorescence measurement method will advantageously implement a fluorescence measuring device comprising a real-time analysis unit allowing: the detection of the passage of each sample,
- Another aspect of the invention relates to a method of high throughput sorting of a plurality of samples comprising:
- FIG. 1a shows schematically a first time-resolved fluorescence decay kinetics of a chromophore in solution, the chromophore having no interaction with another molecule, and a second kinetics of fluorescence decay resolved in time of same chromophore in solution, the chromophore interacting with another molecule.
- FIG. 1b shows time-resolved fluorescence decay kinetics data typically obtained by a TCSPC counting technique and forming a histogram.
- FIG. 2a schematically shows a time-resolved fluorescence measuring device according to one embodiment of the invention.
- FIG. 2b shows schematically a time-resolved fluorescence measuring device according to a second embodiment of the invention.
- FIG. 3a schematically shows a high-throughput screening device according to a mode of operation.
- FIG. 3b schematically shows a high-speed screening device according to a second mode of operation.
- FIG. 3c schematically shows a high-throughput screening device according to a third mode of operation.
- FIG. 4 schematically shows a high sample rate sorting device.
- FIG. 5a schematically shows the organization of the steps of a time-resolved fluorescence measurement method according to the invention.
- FIG. 5b schematically shows the organization of the steps of a multi-parameter time-resolved fluorescence measurement method according to the invention.
- FIG. 6 schematically shows the organization of the steps of a high throughput screening method according to the invention.
- FIG. 7 schematically shows the organization of the steps of a high throughput sorting method according to the invention.
- the invention relates to a time-resolved fluorescence measuring device for single-photon counting for high-throughput screening or sorting of samples.
- screening means determining and then archiving, for each sample among a plurality of samples, a result class from a predetermined plurality of result classes.
- a screening can in particular be carried out by a flow cytometry technique, which makes it possible to scroll a plurality of samples in the beam of a laser, counting and characterizing each sample.
- sorting it is meant to use the result of a screening operation, i.e. the result class determined for each of a plurality of samples, to perform a conditional manipulation operation of each sample.
- each sample typically comprises at least one fluorophore in solution or a biological cell labeled with at least one chromophore.
- FACS cell sorting technique Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorting
- Each sample typically comprises at least one fluorophore in solution or a biological cell labeled with at least one chromophore.
- the term "broadband" a rate up to a frequency of the order of 1 KHz.
- the device of the invention thus typically makes it possible to screen up to 1000 samples per second.
- the first sample is successively excited by a plurality of excitation pulses and the first sample thus emits several fluorescence photons by de-energizing. At least a part of these fluorescence photons is detected, each fluorescence photon detected having a detection signal and a digital data characteristic of this detection signal.
- the term "real-time analysis of the digital data” means that the digital fluorescence photon detection data from the first sample are processed in a time interval that is less than or equal to the time interval between the first and second samples. In other words, the digital fluorescence photon detection data from the first sample are processed by the analysis unit before receiving the digital fluorescence photon detection data from the second sample.
- the counting rate associated with the Darkness Rate DCR (Dark Count Rate) is generally of the order of kHz but can be reduced to a few Hz per ⁇ 2 by cooling the system.
- Darkness noise DCR is the number of unique events "detected" by a photodetector, although the photodetector is in total darkness. Thanks to these performances, Time-resolved fluorescence microscopy devices with 2D arrays of SPAD diodes have already been successfully implemented.
- 2D systems are limited by their architecture and their mode of action, because of spatial constraints.
- the use of a shutter technique reduces the sensitivity.
- the invention therefore proposes to advantageously use a system with a single spot, or a "multi-spot" system with a reduced number of spots such as an ITCSPC system with a one-dimensional matrix, which makes it possible to reach the limits. of technology by overcoming the constraints of a two-dimensional matrix.
- a 1D matrix is thus the most suitable design for this application to obtain the best possible sensitivity.
- FIG. 2a shows a time-resolved fluorescence measuring device 100 according to one embodiment of the invention.
- the device 100 implements:
- a SPDet unit for detecting single photons
- a measuring unit M comprising a TDC measuring means and a trigger Trig unit
- the device 100 advantageously operates with the following elements, which will be detailed later:
- an excitation light source LS which emits excitation pulses LP;
- a Foc unit for spatially shaping, optically coupling and focusing the excitation pulses LP towards a sample ⁇ , for the excitation of said sample ⁇ so that said sample ⁇ emits a plurality of fluorescence photons F;
- the single photon detection SPDet unit is a system for detect a single photon, as a single event. Each detected photon is thus detected individually.
- the single photon detection unit SPDet generates a detection signal as soon as it detects a photon. There are thus as many distinct detection signals as single photons detected.
- the unit SPDet unique photon detection includes a photosensitive part, which is the actual detector. This detector can for example be chosen from the following list:
- a photomultiplier tube with a microchannel wafer or a matrix of photomultiplier tubes with a microchannel wafer is a photomultiplier tube with a microchannel wafer or a matrix of photomultiplier tubes with a microchannel wafer.
- the single photon detection SPDet unit also includes an electronic module for biasing the photosensitive detector, shaping the analog signal output from the photosensitive detector, and outputting the detection signal.
- the SPDet unit comprises a single single photon detector. Nevertheless, according to another embodiment which will be described later, the SPDet unit may comprise several single photon detectors, possibly integrated on the same electronic chip.
- the measurement unit M is a system that measures the elapsed time between the excitation pulse LP and the detection signal.
- the measurement unit M typically comprises a measuring means TDC and a tripping unit Trig.
- the measuring means TDC is advantageously a time-to-digital converter. After measuring the elapsed time between the excitation LP pulse and the detection signal, the time-to-digital converter generates as output a numerical value characteristic of this elapsed time. The order of magnitude of this numerical value is typically between a few picoseconds and a few nanoseconds. Compared to an analog measurement unit, or to a digital measurement unit with a very high sampling rate, the measurement unit M with the measuring means TDC allows a very large reduction and optimization of the amount of data generated. for each detection event, and which must then be stored and / or sent to the analysis RTA unit and processed by said analysis RTA unit.
- the measurement unit M implemented in a screening device according to the invention makes it possible to measure the time interval between each detection signal and its excitation pulse LP: it is therefore a relative time measurement. between two events, rather than a measure of "absolute" time. In doing so, the measurement unit M implemented in a screening device according to the invention makes it possible to avoid a huge generation, storage and processing of unnecessary data.
- the dynamics of the time-to-digital converter can be reduced to a few bits, up to less than 4 or 5 bits for example. Nevertheless a time-to-digital converter with significant dynamics, up to more than 32 bits, can also be used.
- the conversion time of the time-to-digital converter must be kept as low as possible, of the order of a few nanoseconds, in order to reduce the dead time for the entire detection system.
- the TDC measuring means implemented by the measurement unit M may for example be:
- the unit of measurement M can be integrated with the SPDet unit on the same electronic chip.
- Trig Trigger unit ensures a mode of operation synchronously between the measuring means TDC of the measuring unit M and the excitation light source LS. Two modes of operation are possible for the trigger Trig unit. According to a first mode of operation, the trigger Trig unit generates simultaneously:
- the repetition rate of the light source LS is set by the triggering unit Trig.
- the repetition rate of the pulses LP emitted by the light source LS is determined by the light source LS itself, according to its intrinsic characteristics, and a part of the light beam is directed towards the unit Trig trigger.
- the trigger Trig unit therefore detects a portion of said light pulse LP and generates the second trigger signal to the measuring means TDC.
- the Trig Trigger Unit may be a constant fraction discriminator having a photodiode.
- the RTA analysis unit allows the on-the-fly processing of the data from the TDC measuring means to calculate at least one numerical quantity characteristic of the temporal distribution of the fluorescence emission of the sample ⁇ considered.
- This numerical quantity can for example be:
- At least one constant of fluorescence decay time of the sample In the case of an analysis assuming an exponential decay of fluorescence, a single fluorescence decay time constant will be calculated. In the case of an analysis assuming a multi-exponential or non-exponential fluorescence kinetics, several characteristic time constants can be calculated;
- the moment of order 1, that is to say the mean value of the arrival times of the fluorescence photons of the sample, and / or the moment of order 2, that is to say the mean square deviation of the arrival times of the fluorescence photons of the sample, may in particular be calculated.
- At least one characteristic quantity of the fluorescence intensity of the sample may also be calculated by the RTA analysis unit.
- the RTA analysis unit may, for example, perform a preliminary step of counting the number of fluorescence photons F detected as a function of the arrival time of said detected fluorescence photons F, and thus construct a histogram of the number of photons detected according to the arrival time of the photons detected.
- the RTA analysis unit calculates, from the histogram previously constructed, a numerical quantity characteristic of the temporal distribution of the fluorescence signal of the ⁇ sample considered.
- This preliminary counting step is optional: it can be performed or not, depending on the analysis algorithm chosen for the calculation of said digital quantity.
- the analysis algorithm can notably be implemented:
- the analysis RTA unit which includes logic and processing intelligence, is integrated on the same electronic circuit as the SPDet detection unit and / or the unit of measurement M;
- programmable digital components such as a processor or a reconfigurable device, for example an FPGA.
- the RTA analysis unit can therefore have one or the following two types of results:
- the excitation light source LS is a laser source emitting ultra-short LP light pulses at a high repetition rate.
- the term "ultra-short pulses” pulses whose duration belongs to the interval between a few femtoseconds and several hundred picoseconds, and "high repetition rate” means a repetition rate greater than a few hundred kHz.
- the emission wavelength of the light source LS is chosen or tuned according to the type of fluorophore contained in each ⁇ sample.
- the emission wavelength of the light source LS is typically between 200 nm and 1500 nm.
- the source can be used to excite the fluorescence of the samples by a linear or multiphoton absorption process.
- the light source LS may in particular be chosen from the following list:
- a femtosecond laser or a picosecond laser for example a titanium-sapphire laser, a dye laser or a fiber laser, generating light pulses with a half-height width FWHM typically less than or equal to 2 ps at a rate of typically adjustable repetition, up to a few hundred MHz, and with an average power typically greater than a few hundred mW;
- a non-linear optical source such as a parametric oscillator optical (OPO) or any other source using for example the generation of second, third or fourth harmonic to provide, for example from the laser sources mentioned in the previous point, a wavelength tunability ranging from ultraviolet to infrared;
- OPO parametric oscillator optical
- a laser diode operating in triggered pulse mode also called a "Q-switch"
- Q-switch generating light pulses with a half-height width FWHM typically between 10 ps and 200 ps, at an adjustable repetition rate ranging from a few Hz to more than 100 MHz, and with an average power typically of the order of 1 mW.
- FWHM half-height width
- the average power of such a system is typically of the order of a few mW;
- an extended light source also called a supercontinuum light source
- a supercontinuum light source can be used to help obtain a wavelength tunable laser source in a wide range of wavelengths.
- the LP light pulses are directed to the Foc unit for spatial shaping, optical coupling and focusing.
- the Foc unit for spatial shaping, optical coupling and focusing contributes to ensuring efficient excitation of each ⁇ sample by a light pulse LP, emitted by the light source LS.
- the light pulses LP can propagate freely in space or be coupled in one or more fibers, as in the case of multiple laser diodes, or multiple excitation spots.
- the excitation pulses LP can be implemented in multiple lines or excitation spots. It is thus possible to advantageously use diffractive optics, as detailed later.
- the excitation light pulses LP can be focused using conventional optical elements, such as microscope objectives, or cylindrical symmetry optical elements for the generation of excitation lines, or coupled by guided propagation. or through integrated optics.
- Each light pulse LP is thus focused, at the output of the Foc unit for spatial shaping, optical coupling and focusing, on a ⁇ sample for the excitation of said ⁇ sample.
- the sample ⁇ de-excited by emitting one or more fluorescence photons F by exciter LP light pulse.
- Each ⁇ sample is excited N times, N being typically between several thousand and several hundreds of thousands.
- Each sample ⁇ will then de-energize N times and emit, during these N de-excitation, one or more fluorescence photons of which at most N will be detected by the detection unit.
- the collection, filtering and optical coupling unit contributes to ensuring an efficient collection of fluorescence photons F emitted during successive de-excitation of the ⁇ sample.
- efficient collection it is meant that at best a few percent of the emitted photons are collected and coupled to the SPDet detection unit.
- This collection can be performed using integrated optical elements, or by guided propagation, or using conventional optical elements, such as microscope objectives.
- the microscope objective may be identical to that potentially used in the Foc unit for spatial shaping, optical coupling and focusing, since a dichroic mirror is used to reflect the light of the light. excitation, ie the light pulses LP, and to transmit the fluorescence light, that is to say the fluorescence photons F.
- the fluorescence light can then be filtered through pass filters. bands or a polarizer.
- a filtering advantageously makes it possible to collect only fluorescence photons F by rejecting other photons originating from the luminous background: excitation photons, luminescence photons of a ⁇ de sample handling unit, or any other compound other than a fluorophore of interest of a ⁇ sample.
- the collected and filtered fluorescence signal propagates freely in space, or in a fiber. It is then coupled to a single photon detector of the SPDet detection unit.
- FIG. 2b shows a time-resolved fluorescence measuring device 101 according to a second embodiment of the invention.
- the single photon detection unit SPDet comprises several single photon detectors, for example arranged in a one-dimensional array.
- the device 101 according to the second embodiment of the invention therefore comprises several single photon detection channels.
- multiparameter resolution allows, for a fluorescence signal coming from a single sample, a so-called “multiparameter” resolution, that is to say a resolution that is both temporal and following at least one other parameter.
- the fluorescence signal can in particular be solved:
- spectrally by means of a spectrometer employing, for example, a diffraction grating or a prism, or alternatively by means of pass-band filters or dichroic mirrors;
- the fluorescence signal resolved according to several parameters is then divided into a plurality of beams:
- Each beam propagates freely in space, or is coupled in a fiber. Each beam is ultimately coupled to one or more single photon detectors of the detection SPDet unit.
- the RTA analysis unit can produce a so-called “multiparameter” analysis based on a measurement of at least two fluorescence signals, such that:
- the RTA analysis unit will be able to provide in real time one or more numerical constants characterizing the kinetics of temporal evolution of any signal resulting from a multiparameter analysis of the fluorescence.
- the measurement unit M may comprise a single measuring means TDC, or alternatively several measuring means TDC and for example as many means measuring TDC than single photon detectors.
- the RTA analysis unit can analyze in parallel multiple fluorescence signals.
- the single photon detectors, the one or more TDC measuring means and the analysis unit may be integrated on one or more electronic chips.
- Figure 3a shows a high-throughput screening device 200 in one mode of operation.
- the screening device 200 comprises:
- the excitation light source LS emitting the excitation pulses LP;
- microfluidic unit comprising a microfluidic channel Ch for the high-speed circulation of a plurality of ⁇ samples
- the unit Foc described above, of spatial shaping, of optical coupling and of focusing of the LP excitation pulses towards a spatially defined zone, called the "excitation zone", of the microfluidic channel Ch, for the excitation of each ⁇ sample during its passage in said excitation zone, so that said sample ⁇ emits a plurality of fluorescence photons F;
- the unit Fil described above, for collecting, filtering and optically coupling fluorescence photons F to the time-resolved fluorescence measuring device 100.
- Said allocation means are for example implemented in the analysis RTA unit.
- the result of the entire screening operation is to construct a database archiving the result of analysis obtained for each sample.
- the RTA analysis unit of the fluorescence measuring device 100 allows the calculation, for each ⁇ treated sample, of one or more digital quantities characteristic of the temporal distribution of the fluorescence emission of said ⁇ sample.
- the RTA analysis unit shall include real-time detection of the passage of each ⁇ sample in the excitation zone of the microfluidic Ch channel.
- sample detection ⁇ is set in advance or may change depending on the accumulated data. This criterion may for example relate to the number of single photons detected over a short time window, for example 10 microseconds, in front of the total transit time of the ⁇ sample in the excitation zone, which is typically of the order of 1 ms or more.
- the analysis algorithm of the RTA analysis unit can:
- screening means determining, for each sample or group of identical samples ⁇ , a class of result from a predetermined plurality of classes of result, as a function of the numerical quantity calculated for said sample. or group of identical samples ⁇ by the RTA analysis unit of the fluorescence measuring device 100.
- the screening may notably be binary: in this case, two classes of results will be possible:
- the high-throughput screening device 200 advantageously employs one unit microfluidic ⁇ ⁇ manipulation sample manipulation.
- a microfluidic unit ⁇ makes it possible to form ⁇ samples in the form of microdroplets of very small volume, and the precise handling of these samples at a very high rate.
- microfluidic units ⁇ can be used to form samples whose volume is less than the nanolitre, which represents a reduction of more than four orders of magnitude compared to micro-well type samples on microplates.
- Such ⁇ lu microfluidic samples can also be produced and manipulated at a frequency of the order of KHz or more, three orders of magnitude faster than micro-well type samples on microplates.
- ⁇ samples may be droplets or biological cells possibly contained in droplets at the rate of one or more biological cells per droplet.
- biological cells and “living cells” are used interchangeably.
- the advantages of the ⁇ microf microfluidic unit for handling ⁇ samples have been previously described. However, in general, any microfluidic or non-microfluidic sample handling unit can be used. In other words, any sample handling unit that effectively scrolls a plurality of samples in a measurement area can be used. As examples, “treadmill” type or “micro-well on micro-plate” type solutions can therefore be used.
- FIG. 3b shows a high-throughput screening device 201 according to a second mode of operation, called "multichannel", in which simultaneous parallel screening of samples circulating in a plurality of microfluidic channels is carried out.
- the device 201 comprises in the example shown in FIG. 3b:
- a ⁇ microf microfluidic system comprising a first microfluidic channel Ch1 for the high-throughput flow of first ⁇ 1 samples and a second microfluidic channel Ch2 for high flow rate second samples ⁇ 2;
- the Foc unit for spatial shaping, optical coupling and focusing of LP excitation pulses to:
- the two spatially defined zones of the first and second microfluidic channels Ch1 and Ch2, also called “excitation zones” or “excitation spots”, are for example obtained, from the optical coupling and focusing Foc unit, thanks to optical means described above of conventional optics, refractive, reflective, integrated or not.
- the exciting light may be shaped spatially along a continuous line of excitatory light, or a collection of focusing points, the intersection of which with the various microfluidic channels constitutes the excitation zones.
- each fluorescence emission is then detected by one or more single photon detectors, each single photon detector being equipped with its own means. in the measurement unit M, and its own means of analysis within the the RTA analysis unit.
- the device 201 may more generally, and on the same principle, include a plurality of microfluidic channels for the circulation, detection and parallel analysis of a plurality of samples.
- the device 201 therefore advantageously makes it possible to increase the flow rate for handling and screening the samples.
- the second mode of operation of the screening device 201 has already been described, having several points of focus in parallel.
- Another possible configuration is that of a screening device, not shown, having several excitation zones in series along the same microfluidic channel.
- This configuration involves several serial wire units, collecting, filtering and coupling the various fluorescence signals to a fluorescence measuring device 101 capable of detecting and analyzing in parallel these different fluorescence signals.
- This configuration advantageously allows a follow-up of the evolution of each ⁇ sample during its movement in the microfluidic system ⁇ , and therefore over time. It will thus be possible to study the biochemical reaction kinetics within the samples, or to carry out, according to a variant described later, several successive sorting steps on the samples.
- FIG. 3c shows a device 202 for high-throughput screening according to a third mode of operation allowing the screening of a ⁇ sample from a measurement of fluorescence resolved at a time, and according to another parameter, as for example the wavelength (spectral resolution), the polarization or the direction of propagation.
- the device 202 comprises:
- the ⁇ microf microfluidic system comprising a microfluidic channel Ch for the high-throughput flow of the plurality of ⁇ samples;
- the Foc unit for spatial shaping, optical coupling and focusing of the excitation pulses LP towards a spatially defined zone of the microfluidic channel Ch;
- the second and third modes of operation may be combined in order to implement a screening device allowing parallel screening of several samples and, for each screened sample, obtaining a temporal resolution and a resolution according to another parameter such as the wavelength, the polarization or the direction of propagation of the fluorescence photons of said sample.
- the transit time of each sample ⁇ in the spatially defined excitation and detection zone of the microfluidic channel Ch will be approximately 1 ms.
- each sample ⁇ will be excited 50000 times during its passage of 1 ms in the laser focusing spot. With such a repetition rate, there are 20 ns between two consecutive LP light pulses.
- the fluorescence measuring device therefore has, in the particular case where the repetition frequency is 50 MHz, a maximum of 20 ns for:
- the detection unit SPDet detects a fluorescence photon F
- the measurement unit M measures the arrival time of the fluorescence photon F and generates a digital datum characteristic of this arrival time
- the RTA analysis unit receives the numerical data and, if necessary, updates the histogram of the number of photons detected as a function of the arrival time of the detected photons.
- the fluorescence measuring device then has approximately 1 ms so that the RTA analysis unit calculates at least one numerical quantity characteristic of the temporal distribution of the fluorescence signal of the ⁇ sample considered.
- the screening device has about 1 ms to effectively perform the screening, that is to say:
- FIG. 4 shows a 300 high sample rate sorting device.
- the sorting device 300 comprises:
- the device 100 for measuring fluorescence illustrated in FIG. 2a the device 100 for measuring fluorescence illustrated in FIG. 2a.
- the sorting device 300 may also include the fluorescence measurement device 1 01 illustrated in FIG. 2b;
- a ⁇ microf microfluidic system comprising a microfluidic channel Ch for the high-throughput flow of the plurality of ⁇ samples, the microfluidic channel Ch dividing into a first subchannel sCh1 and into a second subchannel sCh2;
- the Foc unit for spatial shaping, optical coupling and focusing the LP excitation pulses to a spatially defined area of the microfluidic channel Ch;
- the high throughput manipulation performed by Manip means can be:
- Each sample ⁇ is then oriented either in the first subchannel sCh1, or in the second subchannel sCh2, according to its screening result;
- a first sample ⁇ may be fused with a second sample ⁇ , in order to generate the mixture of the two samples and the start of a new biomolecular reaction, conditioned by the result of the measurement of fluorescence TRF.
- the first subchannel sCh1 may comprise a subdivision and / or the second subchannel sCh2 may comprise a subdivision, in order to allow a second level of sorting.
- FIG. 5 shows the organization of the steps of a method 500 according to the invention for photon counting time-resolved fluorescence measurement for the high-throughput screening of at least one ⁇ sample.
- the method 500 comprises:
- a first step 501 according to which the light source LS emits a succession of excitation pulses LP for the excitation of the sample ⁇ so that the sample ⁇ emits a plurality of fluorescence photons F; a second step 502 in which the single photon detection unit SPDet detects at least a portion of said fluorescence photons F and generates a detection signal for each single fluorescence photon F detected;
- a third step 503 according to which the measurement unit M determines, for each detection signal, the time elapsed between the excitation pulse LP and the detection signal, called "arrival time", and generates a numerical data item characteristic of this arrival time;
- a fourth step 504 in which the RTA analysis unit processes in real time the digital data from the measurement unit M and calculates a numerical quantity characteristic of the temporal distribution of the fluorescence signal of the sample ⁇ , the fourth step 504 advantageously comprising the following substeps:
- a first substep 504-1 according to which the RTA analysis unit counts the number of fluorescence photons F detected as a function of the arrival time of said detected fluorescence photons and thus builds the histogram of the number of photons of fluorescence F detected according to their arrival time;
- a second substep 504-2 according to which the analysis unit RTA calculates, from the histogram constructed during the first substep 504-1, the numerical quantity characteristic of the temporal distribution of the fluorescence signal of the ⁇ sample.
- FIG. 5b shows the organization of the steps of a method 51 0 according to the invention for resolving fluorescence measurement in multiparameter time by single photon counting for the high-throughput screening of at least one ⁇ sample.
- the method 51 0 comprises:
- a first step 51 1 according to which the light source LS emits a succession of excitation pulses LP for the excitation of the sample ⁇ so that the sample ⁇ emits a plurality of fluorescence photons F forming an emission of fluorescence;
- a second step 51 2 according to which the emission of fluorescence is resolved into a plurality of beams according to a first parameter such as wavelength, polarization or propagation direction of each fluorescence photon F;
- a single photon detector of the single photon detection unit SPDet detects at least a part of the fluorescence photons F and generates a detection signal for each single photon of fluorescence F detected;
- a measurement means TDC of the measurement unit M determines, for each beam, the time elapsed between the excitation pulse LP and each detection signal coming from a florescence photon F of said beam , called "arrival time", and generates a numerical data characteristic of this arrival time;
- a fifth step 51 5 according to which the RTA analysis unit processes in real time the digital data coming from each measurement means TDC of the measurement unit M and calculates at least one digital quantity characteristic of the temporal distribution of the signal of fluorescence of the ⁇ sample, and / or at least one digital quantity characteristic of a temporal evolution of the calculated signals, resulting from the combination of various fluorescence signals from the multiparameter measurement.
- FIG. 6 shows the organization of the steps of a method 600 of high-throughput screening of a plurality of ⁇ samples with a photon-counted time-resolved fluorescence measurement.
- the method 600 comprises:
- a step 400 for producing and manipulating a plurality of samples which successively supplies each sample in one or more zones of fluorescence excitation
- a fifth step 505 of high throughput screening of the ⁇ samples according to which, the passage of each sample in the fluorescence excitation zone is detected and at least one numerical variable characteristic of the temporal distribution of the fluorescence signal of each ⁇ sample, is determined and stored for each ⁇ sample a class of result from a plurality of result classes.
- FIG. 7 shows the organization of the steps of a method 700 of high throughput sorting of a plurality of ⁇ samples.
- the method 700 comprises:
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US11726081B2 (en) | 2019-02-15 | 2023-08-15 | Regents Of The University Of Minnesota | Methods to identify modulators of tau protein structure |
US12029558B2 (en) | 2020-02-21 | 2024-07-09 | Hi Llc | Time domain-based optical measurement systems and methods configured to measure absolute properties of tissue |
US11969259B2 (en) | 2020-02-21 | 2024-04-30 | Hi Llc | Detector assemblies for a wearable module of an optical measurement system and including spring-loaded light-receiving members |
US11950879B2 (en) * | 2020-02-21 | 2024-04-09 | Hi Llc | Estimation of source-detector separation in an optical measurement system |
WO2021188488A1 (fr) | 2020-03-20 | 2021-09-23 | Hi Llc | Génération de tension de polarisation dans un système de mesure optique |
US12059262B2 (en) | 2020-03-20 | 2024-08-13 | Hi Llc | Maintaining consistent photodetector sensitivity in an optical measurement system |
WO2023275738A1 (fr) * | 2021-06-28 | 2023-01-05 | Ecole Polytechnique Federale De Lausanne (Epfl) | Méthode et dispositif pour réaliser une spectroscopie trouverte |
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EP2481815B1 (fr) * | 2006-05-11 | 2016-01-27 | Raindance Technologies, Inc. | Dispositifs microfluidiques |
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