JP2009092500A - Biological sample analyzer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a biological sample analyzer for optimizing an air circulation within a temperature control unit, and quickly achieving a preset temperature. <P>SOLUTION: The biological sample analyzer includes a rotating/driving section for rotatably supporting a biological sample plate for analyzing a biological sample, a housing formed so as to have one opened end and enclose the periphery of the biological sample plate, and the temperature control unit attached to the housing and transferring temperature-controlled air to the housing. A surface of the housing facing the lower surface of the biological sample plate comprises a plurality of inclined surface having different inclination angles to the lower surface of the biological sample plate. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a biological sample analyzer that analyzes DNA, protein, and other biological samples while electrophoresis is performed under a predetermined temperature control.

  As a general biological sample, DNA and protein exist. In recent years, with the rapid development of molecular biology, the involvement of genes in various diseases has been understood fairly accurately, and attention has been focused on gene-targeted medicine. Regarding DNA, SNPs (abbreviation of single nucleotide polymorphism, which is generally translated as “single nucleotide polymorphism” and is a general term for a difference of one code (one base) in a gene) has been attracting attention. The reason for this is that the classification of SNPs can predict the effects and susceptibility of each individual to the drug. Furthermore, since there are no humans who have the same SNPs in the world, even if they are parents and siblings, It is because it is thought that it can be specified.

  Currently, as a method for examining SNPs, there has been proposed an apparatus for performing analysis by electrophoresis using a resin-made biological sample plate in which a fine channel is formed. Among them, the applicant injects a sample and a buffer solution into a biological sample plate, rotates the biological sample plate, fills the microchannel with the buffer solution and the DNA using a centrifugal force, and performs electrophoresis. Proposes a device to do. The sample is electrophoresed by applying a predetermined potential gradient to the buffer solution. At the same time, by irradiating the fluorescent material attached to the DNA sample with laser, the intensity distribution of fluorescence as light emission is detected, so that the migration state of the sample can be observed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

In the biological sample discriminating apparatus having this configuration, the migration speed of the biological sample in the migration part depends on the temperature fluctuation of the electrophoresis part, so the migration part must be kept at a constant temperature.
International Publication No. 2005/064339 Pamphlet

  However, the conventional configuration is a complicated configuration in which a heater and an electrophoretic electrode are arranged on the upper surface of a biological sample plate in which a plurality of flow paths are formed, and cannot be heated while the biological sample plate is rotating. In addition, since there is no means to lower the temperature of the biological sample plate when the temperature rises too much, it takes time to reach the set temperature, other than lowering the temperature by rotating the biological sample plate, etc. . Moreover, it is difficult to forcibly lower the inside of the apparatus to a temperature sufficiently lower than the ambient temperature, and it is difficult to control the temperature of the biological sample plate. In order to control the temperature even while the biological sample plate is rotating, the temperature of the biological sample plate must be controlled by controlling the air around the biological sample plate to a predetermined temperature. In this case, if air circulation in the housing is not taken into account, there is a problem that temperature spots of the air around the biological sample plate are generated, and reaching the set temperature is delayed.

  An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and to provide a biological sample analyzer capable of optimizing air circulation in a housing and allowing a biological sample plate temperature to quickly reach a set temperature. To do.

  In order to solve the above-described conventional problems, a biological sample analyzer of the present invention surrounds the periphery of the biological sample plate and a rotational drive unit that rotatably supports the biological sample plate for analyzing the biological sample, and one end thereof A housing having an opening formed to open and a closing portion on the opposite side of the opening; and a temperature control unit for sending temperature-controlled air attached to the housing to the housing In the biological sample analyzer, the surface of the housing that faces the lower surface of the biological sample plate comprises a plurality of inclined surfaces having different inclination angles with respect to the lower surface of the biological sample plate. .

  According to the biological sample analyzer of the present invention, the air circulation in the housing is optimized, the amount of heat that moves until air at a predetermined temperature sent from the temperature control unit reaches the biological sample plate is reduced, and Since the volume can be reduced, the time required to reach the set temperature can be reduced.

Embodiments of a biological sample analyzer of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.
(Embodiment 1)
Hereinafter, the biological sample analyzer according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a main unit of the biological sample analyzer according to the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the main unit of the biological sample analyzer according to the present embodiment includes a drive mechanism 6 for rotating the biological sample plate 2 at the lower part of the housing 1. Inside the housing 1, a tray 3 that is rotationally driven by a drive mechanism 6 and on which a biological sample plate 2 can be mounted is disposed. A temperature control unit 5 that discharges air that has been heated and cooled to a predetermined temperature inside the housing 1 is attached to the side of the housing 1. In the figure, the housing 1 is shown with the upper lid removed, and when the upper lid is attached, the inside of the housing 1 forms a sealed temperature control chamber 4.

  The casing 1 has an inclination 7 and an inclination 8 that are provided at positions facing the lower surface of the receiving surface of the biological sample plate 2 of the tray 3 and guide the air from the temperature control unit 5 in a predetermined direction. The temperature control chamber 4 is provided with a tray 3, a temperature control unit 5, an inclination 7 and an inclination 8, and traps air discharged from the temperature control unit 5 to control the temperature inside the temperature control chamber 4.

  FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the temperature control unit 5 in the present embodiment. A Peltier 9 as a heat exchanger and an aluminum block 14 as an aluminum block as a good heat conductor are surrounded by a defective heat conductor 15 such as a resin, and inside the temperature control room made of aluminum as a good heat conductor. It is sandwiched between the heat sink 10 and the heat sink 11 outside the temperature control chamber, and is held by fastening screws or the like. Fan motors 12 and 13 are attached to the heat sinks 10 and 11, and heat transferred from the Peltier 9 to the heat sinks 10 and 11 is released into and out of the temperature control chamber. Here, the cooling surface and the heating surface of the Peltier 8 are determined by the direction of the current flowing through the Peltier 8.

  FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the entire apparatus including the AA cross-sectional view of the main unit of FIG. 1, and the overall configuration and analysis operation of the biological sample analyzer will be described using this. The biological sample plate 2 into which the sample and the buffer solution have been injected is installed on the tray 3 fixed to the drive unit 6. The biological sample is filled or quantified in a flow path (not shown) provided in the biological sample plate by a centrifugal force generated by rotating the tray 3. Analysis of a biological sample is performed using electrophoresis. Specifically, after the biological sample is filled in the electrophoresis channel inside the plate, a voltage is applied to both ends of the electrophoresis channel. For this reason, an electrode unit 17 having a plurality of electrode probes 16 is connected to both ends of the electrophoresis channel, and a voltage is applied to the biological sample in the electrophoresis channel.

  At this time, air of a predetermined temperature is sent from the temperature control unit 5 into the temperature control chamber 4 through the biological sample plate 2 (tray 3). Then, the electrophoresis state is measured by the laser measuring unit 18. In addition, the electrode unit 17 is integrally attached to the lower surface of the upper lid 19, and the figure shows a state in which the upper lid 19 is removed from the housing.

  FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the temperature control chamber of FIG. 1 with the side surface of the casing removed. Inclinations 7 and 8 are formed on the surface of the temperature control chamber 4 that faces the lower surface of the tray 3 on the biological sample plate 2 receiving side so that the thickness of the temperature control chamber 4 decreases from the temperature control unit 5 toward the tray rotation shaft 20. The slope 7 is arranged so as to have a gentler slope than the slope 8 with the slope 8 interposed therebetween. As a result, the air discharged from the temperature control unit 5 moves to the side of the tray through the gentle slope 7, and the air flow 21 passing through each slope 7 circulates in the temperature control chamber 4 to control the temperature. It is sucked by the fan motor 12 of the unit 5. Therefore, since air that has been subjected to repeated heat exchange passes through a heat sink (not shown), heat exchange can be performed efficiently.

  FIG. 5 is a plan view of FIG. When the air from the temperature control unit 5 circulates, the fan motor 12 rotates in the direction of sucking the air in the temperature control chamber and sucks the air immediately after being discharged from the temperature control unit 5 as indicated by the arrow 22. However, since the slope 7 has the same direction as the air flow and the slope is gentle, and the slope 8 has a steep inclination angle, the space with the fan motor 12 is narrow, and the air flow direction is used to draw air into the space. Therefore, most of the air sent from the temperature control unit 5 does not move in the direction of the arrow 22 and passes through the slope 7. Accordingly, since it is not necessary to provide a special air flow path in the temperature control chamber, the width of the temperature control chamber 4 can be reduced and the volume can be reduced. In addition, since the volume of the temperature control chamber 4 can be reduced, it is possible to reduce the amount of heat exchange until the temperature set by the temperature control unit 5 is reached.

  Here, when air is directly applied to the tray 3 from the fan motor 12, the temperature of the air is low at the time of cooling, and the surface of the plate 2 is condensed, which may adversely affect the measurement at the time of fluorescence detection. Air is preferably flowed in the direction of the example. In this case, unlike the conventional method, the air from the temperature control unit 5 flows along an inclination without detouring, so the distance to the biological sample plate 2 is shortened, and the amount of heat that moves until the air reaches the biological sample plate is reduced. Get smaller.

  FIG. 6 shows a model in which a numerical calculation is performed on the air flow in the housing with and without the inclination 7. FIG. 6A shows a housing without an inclination, and FIG. 6B shows a housing having an inclination 7. The height h between the housing and the biological sample plate 2 is 13 mm. Moreover, the distance X from the rotating shaft 20 of the housing | casing which has the inclination 7 shown in FIG.6 (b) to the inclination edge part 23 was 10 mm. Evaluation of the numerical calculation results was performed as follows. That is, the case where there was no air flow stagnation or vortex inside the casing and the air was uniformly circulated through the biological sample plate 2 was evaluated as good, and the result was rated as “Good”. On the other hand, the case where there was a stagnation or vortex of the air flow in a part of the inside of the casing, and the case where air did not circulate uniformly through the biological sample plate 2 was evaluated as inefficient, and was marked as x. The evaluation results are shown in Table 1.

  As shown in Table 1, in the case having the slope 7 according to the present invention, it is shown that the air flow rate of the upper and lower surfaces of the biological sample plate 2 is small and the air is circulated uniformly. In the case having no inclination as in the conventional example, the change in the air flow velocity on the upper and lower surfaces of the biological sample plate 2 is large. This indicates that the air flow is stagnated in a part of the surface of the biological sample plate 2 and therefore the change in the air flow rate is large, and the air is not circulated uniformly.

  Next, in the case having the slope 7 according to the present invention shown in FIG. That is, a preferable range is shown below about the height h between the housing | casing and the biological sample plate 2, and the distance X from the rotating shaft 20 to the inclination edge part 22. FIG. Here, the origin of X is the center of the rotating shaft 20, and when X is 0, it indicates that the inclined end portion 22 coincides with the rotating shaft 20. When X is 40, it indicates that the inclined end portion 22 coincides with the outer periphery of the biological sample plate 2. The height h was calculated in two cases of 8 mm and 13 mm. The results are shown in Table 2. The results were evaluated in the same manner as in Table 1.

  As shown in the results of Table 2, in order to enhance the tilting effect of the present invention, the height h is more advantageously 13 mm than 8 mm. This indicates that a certain height is required to secure the air flow path. When the height is 13 mm, X is preferably 10 to 30 mm. This is because when X is set to 0 mm, the inclined surface becomes larger, so that it is difficult for air to flow, and when X is set to 40 mm, the inclined surface is small, so that the air flow rate is slow and sufficient air does not flow on the biological sample play 2. is there. Therefore, it is preferable that h is 13 mm and X is 10 to 30 mm. If it is this range, air will flow uniformly on the biological sample plate 2 surface, and heat exchange of the biological sample plate 2 can be performed efficiently.

  As described above, according to the biological sample analyzer of the present embodiment, the amount of heat that moves until air at a predetermined temperature sent from the temperature control unit reaches the biological sample plate by optimizing the air circulation in the housing. Can be reduced and the volume of the housing can be reduced, so that the time required to reach the set temperature can be reduced.

  The biological sample analyzer of the present invention is useful as an apparatus for efficiently performing temperature control on a sealed biological sample plate.

The perspective view which shows the structure of the principal part unit of the biological sample analyzer concerning embodiment of this invention. Sectional drawing which shows the temperature control unit in the principal part unit Sectional view of the main unit The perspective view which shows the flow of the air of the biological sample analyzer concerning embodiment of this invention. The top view which shows the flow of the air of the biological sample analyzer concerning embodiment of this invention The figure which shows the numerical calculation model of the air flow of the biological sample analyzer concerning embodiment of this invention

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Case 2 Biological sample plate 3 Tray 4 Temperature control room 5 Temperature control unit 6 Drive apparatus 7 Inclination 8 Inclination 9 Peltier 10 Heat sink 11 Heat sink 12 Fan motor 13 Fan motor 14 Aluminum block 15 Bad heat conductor 16 Electrode probe 17 Electrode unit 18 Laser measurement unit 19 Upper lid 20 Tray rotation shaft 21 Air flow 23 Inclined end

Claims (7)

A rotational drive unit that rotatably supports a biological sample plate for analyzing a biological sample, an opening that surrounds the periphery of the biological sample plate and that is open at one end, and a blocking part opposite to the opening A biological sample analyzer comprising: a housing having a temperature control unit attached to the housing and temperature-controlled air sent to the housing;
A biological sample analyzer comprising a plurality of inclined surfaces, the surfaces of the housing facing the lower surface of the biological sample plate having different inclination angles with respect to the lower surface of the biological sample plate. The biological sample analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the casing has a lid for mounting the biological sample plate on the rotation drive unit. The biological sample analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the temperature control unit is provided in the opening so as to seal the casing. The biological sample device according to claim 3, wherein the temperature control unit includes a heat exchanger and a blower for controlling the temperature inside the housing with a temperature according to a command from the outside. 2. The biological sample analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of inclined surfaces are provided between the opening and a center of the biological sample plate from the closed portion. The biological sample analyzer according to claim 5, wherein a distance between the plurality of inclined surfaces and the biological sample plate is inclined so as to increase from the center of the biological sample plate toward the opening. The biological sample analyzer according to claim 6, wherein the inclination is different for each of the plurality of inclined surfaces.

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