JP2000227414A - Chip unit for microchip electrophoresis - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent dust and stain from being deposited on a surface of a chip at the time of storage or handling, and prevent a glass surface of the chip from being flawed when mounted inside an analyzer. SOLUTION: This chip unit is provided with a case 2 for storing a chip 1 for microchip electrophoresis, and an openable and closable cover 3 for protecting a surface of the chip 1 in the case 2. Deposition of dust, fouling and flawing on the surface of the chip 1 are prevented thereby. Since the surface of the chip 1 is protected thereby from the deposition of dust and stain, the flawing and the like, measurement reliability and reproducibility are enhanced, and handling for the chip 1 gets easy.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an improvement in a chip handling structure for microchip electrophoresis.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Microchip electrophoresis is used for analysis of biological components such as peptides, proteins, nucleic acids, and sugars.
This method is suitable for separating very close components at high speed, such as optical resolution and isotope separation. The material separation method by electrophoresis using a microchip electrophoresis chip in which both transparent plates are bonded together with the groove inside is a method in which a solvent is applied by applying an electric field to the electric terminals connected to both ends of the groove. It has the ability to separate trace substances with high resolution by utilizing electrophoresis of a sample or sample in a groove at a speed according to the molecular weight.

FIG. 3 schematically shows a chip 1 for microchip electrophoresis. Conventionally, the microchip electrophoresis chip 1 is used in a bare state as shown in the measurement example of FIG. For this reason, when dust or dirt adheres to or scratches the glass surface of the electrophoresis flow channel 12 of the microchip electrophoresis chip 1, this is detected as a noise signal, thus deteriorating the separation / analysis performance. .

[0004]

At present, a chip for microchip electrophoresis has a chance to scratch the glass surface when the chip is mounted in a separation / analysis apparatus, or to attach dust or dirt during storage. In many cases, these flaws and dusts have an adverse effect on the separation / analysis performance, and therefore, it is necessary to take measures against them. Even home and consumer devices used in a dusty or dusty environment are required to have a structure that does not require special attention in handling chips. An object of the present invention is to provide a chip unit for microchip electrophoresis that solves such a problem.

[0005]

According to the present invention, there is provided a chip unit for microchip electrophoresis, in which a chip is housed in a case with a cover which can be opened and closed as required. The cover is a mechanism that can be easily opened and closed manually or by the engaging member of the analyzer, and the cover is closed when attaching to or detaching from the analyzer or during storage to prevent dust and dirt from adhering to or damage to the chip surface. It becomes possible.

[0006]

FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a chip unit TU for microchip electrophoresis according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, the microchip electrophoresis chip 1 is provided with electrophoresis channels 11 and 12 which are orthogonal to each other, and between the electrodes 17 and 18 at both ends thereof and between the electrodes 19 and 20 by an electric circuit. An electric field is applied. FIG. 4 shows the configuration of the electric circuit. The electric field is applied between the reservoirs 13 and 14 and 15 and 16 into which the solution to be separated is electrically connected to the electrodes, at a rate corresponding to the magnitude of the molecular weight. Electrophoreses in the groove. In FIG. 4, HV1 is a flow path 11 for electrophoresis.
HV2 is a power supply for electrophoresis applied to both ends of the flow path 12 for electrophoresis, and S1 and S2 are power on / off switches of the power supply for electrophoresis. The power source of the HV2 is the electric circuits 5a and 5b.
Is applied to the chip 1.

The state of separation of a substance to be measured by electrophoresis is as follows:
The measurement is performed by the measuring mechanism shown in FIG. 5, and the chip 1 is set on the mounting table T. Then, the power supply on / off switch S for the power supplies HV1 and HV2 for electrophoresis in FIG.
1 and S2 are turned on, and the electrophoresis channels 11 and 12 are turned on.
An electric field is applied to both ends of. After a certain period of time, the state of the electrophoresis is measured. That is, in the optical system shown in FIG. 5, the light beam 9 emitted from the light source 6 is condensed by the lens system assembly 7, and the electrophoresis flow path 1 of the microchip electrophoresis chip 1
2 is transmitted. This transmitted light is detected by the photocell array 8. FIG. 6 shows the measurement results. The electrophoretic state of the substance to be measured in the flow channel 12 after a certain period of time from the application of the electric field is represented by stripes a to d classified by molecule size. They are separated and classified like patterns. Then, the substances to be measured a to d in the migration channel 12 are detected as electric signals a to d shown in FIG. 6B, respectively.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 2 denotes a case for accommodating the chip 1, and the accommodation case 2 is further provided with an openable / closable cover 3 for protecting the surface of the chip 1 from dust, dirt or damage. Although various shapes of the cover 3 are conceivable, in the case of electrophoresis, the condition is that the cover sufficiently covers a portion of the migration channel 12 which is the most important portion of the chip.

In the case of the absorbance detection as described above, since light transmission to the back surface of the chip becomes a problem, the back surface also needs to cover the front surface of the chip. Accordingly, the case 2 that houses the microchip electrophoresis chip 1 is provided with the cover 3 that can be slidably opened and closed via the cover guide 4 and that protects the front and back surfaces. That is, FIG. 1A shows a state in which the cover 3 is closed to protect the surface of the chip 1, and FIG. 1B shows a state in which the chip 1 is opened at the time of analysis. Opening and closing of the cover 3 is also possible by manual operation,
Further, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a lever-shaped piece 3L is protruded from one end of the cover 3 so as to be engaged with the engaging member when mounted on the analyzer and automatically opened. The opening / closing of the chip 1 is automatically operated by the apparatus side, so that the operator simply attaches the chip and the cover 3 is automatically opened to enable analysis.

Although the present invention has been described above, it is not limited to the above and illustrated examples but includes various modifications. For example, if there is no functional problem even if the back surface of the chip 1 is dirty, such as in electrical conductivity measurement, the chip 1
It is sufficient to protect only the surface opening such as the sample injection part on the surface. In such a case, a single-sided cover that protects only the surface as shown in FIG. 2 may be considered. FIG. 2A shows chip 1
It is in a closed state to protect the surface, and FIG. 2B shows a state in which the chip 1 is opened.

[0011]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, the surface of the chip for microchip electrophoresis is protected by a cover that can be opened and closed, so that the chip surface can be protected from dust, dirt, adhesion and damage. Because it can be protected, the reliability and reproducibility of the measurement are improved and the handling of the chip is facilitated.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a chip unit for microchip electrophoresis of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view showing a modified example of the chip unit for microchip electrophoresis of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a chip for microchip electrophoresis.

FIG. 4 is an electric circuit diagram for driving a chip for microchip electrophoresis.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view schematically showing a measurement example using a chip for microchip electrophoresis.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a separation detection signal of a measurement result by microchip electrophoresis.

[Explanation of symbols]

 TU --- Chip unit for microchip electrophoresis 1 --- Chip for microchip electrophoresis 2 --- Case 3 --- Cover 3L --- Lever piece 4 --- Cover guide 5a, 5b-- -Electric circuit 6 --- Light source 7 --- Lens assembly 8 --- Photo cell array 9 --- Light beam 11, 12 --- Electrophoresis channel 13-16 --- Reservoir 17-20 --- Electrodes HV1, HV2 --- Power supply for electrophoresis S1, S2 --- Power on / off switch T --- Mounting base

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A case for storing a chip for microchip electrophoresis, and a cover attached to the case so as to be openable and closable to protect the surface of the chip, wherein the cover closes the electrophoresis section during storage, A chip unit for microchip electrophoresis, wherein a cover is opened at the time of analysis and analysis is performed.