JP2010160108A - Microfluid device system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a microfluid device system capable of immediately analyzing without a pulsating current generated and providing easy handling. <P>SOLUTION: The microfluid device system X includes: a microfluid device 10 having a sample feeding section 11 to introduce a liquid sample containing an object to be measured, an analysis section 12 to analyze the liquid sample, a waste fluid section 13 to store the liquid sample having passed through the analysis section 12, a fluid channel 14 through which the liquid sample flows down from the sample feeding section 11 to the waste fluid section 13, and an opening 16 connected to the waste fluid section 13 through a gas passage 15; and a pump unit 20 having an elastic tube 21 communicating with the opening 16, and a length adjusting mechanism 22 to block the internal space of the elastic tube 21 by a clamping section 21a to clamp the elastic tube 21, capable of varying the length from the connection ends 21b to the opening 16 and the clamping section 21a in the elastic tube 21. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a microfluidic device for analyzing a liquid sample containing a measurement substance such as a toxic substance contained in the environment as a measurement substance, and a microfluidic device system including a pump unit for feeding the liquid sample. .

  In recent years, microfluidic devices manufactured by applying microfabrication technology such as semiconductors have been used in fields such as biochemistry and medicine. The microfluidic device refers to, for example, a microanalytical device in which a structure such as a microcapillary fluid flow path in a substrate or an analysis unit as a reaction region connected to the flow path is formed.

  In such a microfluidic device, a liquid sample containing a biological substance such as nucleic acid, protein, or microbial cell as a measurement substance is introduced from the sample supply unit, and in the analysis unit, for example, an immunological technique using an antigen-antibody reaction or a nucleic acid The measurement substance contained in the liquid sample is detected using a biochemical technique such as hybridization.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a microfluid having a pump unit configured to be detachably attached to a microfluidic device and generating a negative pressure in a fluid flow path of the microfluidic device by discharging a liquid droplet to send a liquid sample. A device system is described.

  This system includes a lid that selectively opens and closes a plurality of sample supply units to select a liquid sample to be fed by a pump unit. The lid part covers a plurality of sample supply parts and includes an opening corresponding to one sample supply part. By sliding the lid and matching the opening with the sample supply unit, the desired sample supply unit can be selectively opened and closed, and the liquid sample contained in the selected sample supply unit is fed by the pump unit. Is done.

  The pump unit uses a tube pump. Since the tube pump can squeeze one point of the elastic tube with a roller and move the roller as it is along the tube, the liquid inside the tube can be pushed out, so that a discharge action occurs. After the roller moves, the crushed portion returns to its original shape by the restoring force of the tube. At this time, a suction action occurs inside the tube. The tube pump performs pumping functions such as suction and discharge by continuously performing this operation.

JP 2007-298498 A

  In the microfluidic device system described in Patent Document 1, in order to analyze the liquid sample supplied to the sample supply unit, the liquid member is fed by the pump unit after sliding the lid member. When there are a plurality of liquid samples to be analyzed, it is necessary to perform the sliding operation of the lid member by the number of liquid samples, which is troublesome, and the time required for the analysis is increased by the number of liquid samples.

  In addition, when a tube pump is used, a pulsating flow whose flow rate fluctuates when switching between the discharge action and the suction action occurs. If such a pulsating flow occurs, the speed at which the liquid sample flows down will not be uniform, and accuracy such as the reaction time in the analysis section will be lacking.

  In addition, since the roller moves in the direction of pulling the tube, the tube, which is an elastic material, easily deteriorates.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a microfluidic device system that can be analyzed quickly without generating pulsating flow and has a long life.

In order to achieve the above object, a first characteristic configuration of a microfluidic device system according to the present invention includes a sample supply unit for introducing a liquid sample containing a measurement substance, an analysis unit for analyzing the liquid sample, and the analysis unit A microfluid having a waste liquid part for storing a liquid sample that has passed through, a fluid channel through which the liquid sample flows from the sample supply part to the waste liquid part, and an opening connected to the waste liquid part via a gas passage. Fluidic devices, and
The elastic tube that communicates with the opening and the holding portion that holds the elastic tube closes the internal space of the elastic tube, and the length from the connection end of the elastic tube to the opening to the holding portion And a pump unit provided with a length adjusting mechanism configured to be changeable.

According to this configuration, when the length adjusting mechanism sandwiches the elastic tube, a compressive force can be applied to the elastic tube so as to close the internal space of the elastic tube.
When the length from the connection end to the clamping part is continuously changed by the length adjusting mechanism in this compressed state, the position of the clamping part in the elastic tube changes with time. When the elastic tube is released from the clamped state by the length adjusting mechanism, the shape of the elastic tube swells from the compressed state and returns to the normal state by the restoring force. When returning to this normal shape, the elastic tube has a suction action. Since the side of the sandwiching portion is in a closed state, the suction action extends to the side of the opening that communicates with the elastic tube at the connection end. Therefore, the internal space of the microfluidic device can be decompressed. As a result, the liquid sample existing inside the microfluidic device is sucked to the opening side, and the sucked liquid sample flows from the sample supply section to the waste liquid section via the analysis section. Since the liquid sample can be guided to the analysis unit in this way, the measurement substance contained in the liquid sample can be reacted in the analysis unit.

  As described above, in this configuration, it is not necessary to perform an operation of sliding the lid member in advance as in the system described in Patent Document 1, so that the liquid sample can be easily and quickly aspirated. In addition, since a pulsating flow does not occur when the liquid sample is sucked, the liquid sample can flow down toward the analysis unit in a uniform flow. Therefore, it is possible to accurately control the flow rate of the liquid sample and accurately set the reaction time in the analysis unit.

  A second characteristic configuration of the microfluidic device system according to the present invention is that the length adjusting mechanism has at least one roller member sandwiching the elastic tube.

  In this configuration, when the roller member rotates, the elastic tube can be sent from the connection end portion to the clamping portion, and the length from the connection end portion to the clamping portion can be continuously changed. At this time, since the elastic tube is only sandwiched between the roller members, an excessive tensile force does not act on the elastic tube, and the elastic tube is unlikely to deteriorate.

  A third characteristic configuration of the microfluidic device system according to the present invention is that a groove for guiding the elastic tube is formed in the roller member.

  When the elastic tube is guided by the groove portion as in this configuration, it is possible to prevent displacement of the elastic tube in the lateral direction (direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction).

  A fourth characteristic configuration of the microfluidic device system according to the present invention is that a plurality of the sample supply units and the elastic tubes are provided, and adjacent elastic tubes are connected by a connecting member.

By providing a plurality of elastic tubes as in this configuration, it is possible to simultaneously send liquids to a plurality of sample supply units, so that a large number of liquid samples can be analyzed in a short time.
Further, when adjacent elastic tubes are connected by a connecting member, they can be detached at the same time when the elastic tubes are replaced, and the handling becomes easy. Furthermore, when the connecting member is provided, each of the plurality of elastic tubes can be prevented from being displaced in the longitudinal direction of the elastic tube.

FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing a side cross section of the microfluidic device system of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a schematic top view of the microfluidic device system. These are the figures which show the schematic of the side view from the pump unit side of a microfluidic device system. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of an exploded perspective view of a microfluidic device.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
1-4, the microfluidic device system X of the present invention includes a microfluidic device 10 for analyzing a liquid sample containing a measurement substance such as a toxic substance contained in the environment as a measurement substance, and And a pump unit 20 for feeding the liquid sample.
The microfluidic device 10 includes a sample supply unit 11 that introduces a liquid sample containing a measurement substance, an analysis unit 12 that analyzes the liquid sample, a waste liquid unit 13 that stores the liquid sample that has passed through the analysis unit 12, and a sample supply. A fluid flow path 14 through which the liquid sample flows from the part 11 to the waste liquid part 13 and an opening 16 connected to the waste liquid part 13 via the gas passage 15 are provided.
In addition, the pump unit 20 closes the internal space of the elastic tube 21 with an elastic tube 21 communicating with the opening 16 and a holding portion 21 a holding the elastic tube 21, and is connected to the opening 16 in the elastic tube 21. A length adjusting mechanism 22 configured to change the length from the end portion 21b to the clamping portion 21a is provided.

<Microfluidic device>
The microfluidic device 10 is a kind of so-called biochip, in which a microcapillary fluid flow path or a structure such as an analysis section as a reaction region connected to the flow path is formed in a substrate, and a DNA analysis device -Used in applications that detect measurement substances contained in liquid samples, such as micro-electrophoresis devices, micro-chromatography devices, and micro-sensors.

  The microfluidic device 10 forms structures such as a fluid flow path 14 and an analysis unit 12 by sticking resin films 17 and 18 to both surfaces of a substrate 10A in which concave portions and grooves are finely processed. The sample supply unit 11, the analysis unit 12, the waste liquid unit 13, and the fluid flow path 14 are formed by pasting the first resin film 17 on the lower surface of the substrate 10A, and the second resin film 18 is pasted on the upper surface of the substrate 10A. By doing so, the upper space of the waste liquid part 13 is sealed. The first resin film 17 may have a size having the same vertical and horizontal width as the substrate 10 </ b> A, and the second resin film 18 may have a size that can seal the upper space of the waste liquid portion 13.

  For the substrate 10A, for example, a solid support such as a glass plate having excellent chemical resistance is used. As the constituent material, quartz plate, silicon resin such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), acrylic resin, and the like can be used in addition to glass. In the present embodiment, a substrate 10A using an acrylic resin as a constituent material is shown. Since the acrylic resin substrate can be easily finely processed, the microfluidic device 10 can be efficiently manufactured.

  Either a direct processing method or an indirect processing method may be applied as a method for finely processing the substrate 10A. Examples of the direct machining method include a mechanical cutting method using a fine machining drill or the like. On the other hand, examples of the indirect processing method include an injection molding method in which a fine structure is transferred using a mold corresponding to a desired structure.

The microfluidic device 10 is placed on the holding table 30. A concave portion 33 corresponding to the outer shape of the microfluidic device 10 is formed on the upper surface of the holding base 30 to accommodate the microfluidic device 10, and the elastic material 31 is laid at a position corresponding to the opening 16 of the microfluidic device 10. It is. On the lower surface of the holding table 30, a tube connecting portion 32 that allows the opening 16 and the elastic tube 21 to communicate with each other is provided.
When the microfluidic device 10 is housed in the recess 33 so that a part of the microfluidic device 10 in the thickness direction is embedded in the recess 33, the microfluidic device 10 is pressed by pressing means (not shown) from above, thereby opening 16, tube connecting portion 32 and the elastic tube 21 are hermetically connected.
The opening 16, the tube connecting portion 32, and the elastic tube 21 are hermetically connected by sucking the bottom surface of the microfluidic device 10 by a suction means (not shown), in addition to using the pressing means. Also good.
Below the holding table 30, an analysis means 40 (described later) for analyzing the measurement substance is provided.

(Sample supply unit)
The sample supply unit 11 is a chamber having an opening for injecting a liquid sample containing a measurement substance with a pipette or the like. The sample supply unit 11 may have a volume that can store a desired amount of the liquid sample to be analyzed. The sample supply unit 11 of the present embodiment sets the size so as to extend over the thickness of the base 10 </ b> A and wider than the channel width of the fluid channel 14.
In the present embodiment, an example in which eight sample supply units 11 are provided is illustrated, but the number of sample supply units 11 is not limited. The number of analyzers 12, waste liquid units 13, fluid channels 14, gas passages 15, and openings 16 described below is the same as the number of sample supply units 11.
For example, a pipe member (not shown) may be inserted into the opening of the sample supply unit 11. In this case, the liquid sample can be supplied to the substrate 10A via the silicon tube by connecting the pipe member to the silicon tube.

(Analysis Department)
The analysis unit 12 is a chamber that performs a reaction for analyzing a measurement substance contained in a liquid sample.
The analysis unit 12 in this embodiment shows the configuration of the analysis unit 12 using an immunological technique based on an antigen-antibody reaction as a binding pair assay. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a biochemical technique based on hybridization of a known nucleic acid or the like can also be used.
When using an immunological technique, the analysis unit 12 is configured to enclose a binding substance that binds to a measurement substance contained in a liquid sample to form a specific complex. The binding substance may be any reactive substance that reacts with the measurement substance and can detect and quantitate the measurement substance. The binding substance is fixed to the surface of the member forming the analysis unit 12, or a bead or the like. A binding substance is supported on the immobilized particles.
In the present embodiment, an example in which movement preventing members 12 a and 12 b are provided at both ends of the analysis unit 12 in order to prevent the plurality of immobilized particles carrying the binding substance from moving from the analysis unit 12 is shown. Thus, the binding substance can be arranged in the analysis unit 20 by enclosing the immobilized particle in the analysis unit 20 in a state where the binding material is supported on the surface of the fixation particle.

(Waste liquid part)
The waste liquid part 13 is a chamber for storing the reacted liquid sample that has passed through the analysis part 12. The waste liquid portion 13 is a space whose upper and lower surfaces are surrounded by resin films 17 and 18, and extends over the thickness of the base 10 </ b> A and from the flow passage widths of the fluid passage 14 and the gas passage 15. Set the size to be wide. The waste liquid portion 13 has an upstream side connected to the fluid flow path 14 above the space, and a downstream side connected to the gas passage 15 above the space. By comprising in this way, the liquid sample which can be stored in the waste liquid part 13 can be increased.

(Fluid flow path)
The fluid channel 14 is a channel through which the liquid sample flows from the sample supply unit 11 to the waste liquid unit 13 by connecting the sample supply unit 11 to the waste liquid unit 13.

(Gas passage)
The gas passage 15 is a passage through which air flows from the waste liquid portion 13 to the opening portion 16 by connecting the waste liquid portion 13 to the opening portion 16.

(Aperture)
The opening 16 is a hole formed downstream of the waste liquid part 13. The opening portion 16 communicates with the elastic tube 21 via a tube connection portion 32 provided on the holding table 30. Air inside the microfluidic device 10 is exhausted from the opening 16 communicating with the pump unit 20 by the elastic tube 21 via the gas passage 15 by the pump unit 20.

<Pump unit>
The pump unit 20 decompresses the internal space of the microfluidic device 10 so that the liquid sample existing inside the microfluidic device 10 flows down from the sample supply unit 11 to the waste liquid unit 13.

(Elastic tube)
The elastic tube 21 has a hollow cylindrical shape in a normal state where no compressive force is applied from the outside, but when the compressive force is applied from the outside (compressed state), the point of action of the compressive force and the vicinity thereof are elastically deformed. Then, the inner space is closed, and the material is made of a material that restores the shape of the normal state when released from the compressed state. Examples of such a material include elastic materials such as rubber. However, it is not limited to this. In the present embodiment, an example including the same number (eight) of elastic tubes 21 as the number of installed sample supply units 11 is shown.

(Length adjustment mechanism)
The length adjusting mechanism 22 closes the internal space of the elastic tube 21 with the holding portion 21a holding the elastic tube 21, and the length from the connection end portion 21b of the elastic tube 21 to the opening 16 to the holding portion 21a. Is configured to be changeable.

  The elastic tube 21 released from the holding state when the position of the holding portion 21a of the elastic tube 21 is changed by the length adjusting mechanism 22 swells from the compressed state and returns to the normal state by its restoring force. When returning to the normal shape, the elastic tube 21 has a suction action. Since the clamping part 21a side is in a closed state, the suction action extends to the opening 16 side communicating with the elastic tube 21 at the connection end part 21b. Thereby, the internal space of the microfluidic device 10 is decompressed. The liquid sample existing inside the microfluidic device 10 is sucked toward the opening 16, and the sucked liquid sample flows from the sample supply unit 11 through the analysis unit 12 into the waste liquid unit 13. Since the liquid sample can be guided to the analysis unit 12 in this way, the measurement substance contained in the liquid sample can be reacted in the analysis unit 12.

  In the present embodiment, the case where the length adjusting mechanism 22 sandwiches the elastic tube 21 and has at least one roller member will be described.

  In the present embodiment, of the pair of members 22a and 22b arranged above and below, the upper member 22a is a roller member 22a that can be rotationally driven, and the lower member 22b is a guide member 22b that supports the elastic tube 21 from below. To do. A driving motor 24 is connected to the roller member 22a via a driving motor shaft 25 and a coupling 26. The guide member 22b is not connected to the drive motor, but is configured to be rotatable with the movement of the elastic tube 21 in order to suppress the frictional force between the elastic tube 21, the roller member 22a, and the guide member 22b as much as possible.

  In this configuration, when the roller member 22a rotates, the elastic tube 21 is sent out between the connection end 21b and the clamping part 21a, and the length from the connection end 21b to the clamping part 21a is continuously changed. it can. At this time, since the elastic tube 21 is only sandwiched between the pair of roller members 22a and the guide member 22b, an excessive tensile force does not act on the elastic tube 21, and the elastic tube 21 is unlikely to deteriorate.

  A groove 22c for guiding the elastic tube 21 is formed in the roller member 22a. When the elastic tube 21 is guided by the groove 22c as in this configuration, it is possible to prevent the displacement of the elastic tube 21 in the lateral direction (direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction). The groove 22c can also be provided on the guide member 22b side.

As described above, each of the sample supply unit 11 and the elastic tube 21 includes a plurality (eight). Adjacent elastic tubes 21 are connected by a connecting member 23.
By providing a plurality of elastic tubes 21 as in this configuration, it is possible to simultaneously send liquids to a plurality of sample supply units 11. Further, if the adjacent elastic tubes 21 are connected by the connecting member 23, when the elastic tubes 21 are replaced, they can be detached at a time, and each of the plurality of elastic tubes 21 is prevented from being displaced in the longitudinal direction of the elastic tubes 21. it can.

(Details of liquid sample and analysis method)
The above-mentioned “liquid sample” refers to a liquid sample containing or possibly containing a measurement substance to be analyzed. The liquid sample may be from any source. For example, it can be obtained from environmental samples, cells, cultures, tissues, body fluids, urine, serum and biopsy samples.
Examples of environmental samples include soil collected from factory sites, water collected from rivers, and the like. Then, the sample collected from the environment is adjusted so as to be a liquid sample having a viscosity that can flow down the flow path formed in the microfluidic device.

  The “measurement substance” contained in the liquid sample is captured by the binding of this measurement substance and a binding substance (described later) that can form a specific conjugate. The specific complex is the result of the binding pair assay. As described later, the immunochemical complex resulting from the antigen-antibody reaction, the complex resulting from the hybridization of complementary nucleic acids, etc. Is preferably exemplified.

  The measurement substance can be any substance such as chemical substances, polymers such as proteins, DNA fragments, microorganisms or viruses, fragments thereof, hormones, and the like. Specifically, substances that can cause environmental pollution such as toxic substances (PCB, dioxins) and oily substances (heavy oil) contained in soil, or pathogenic E. coli cells contained in river water, etc. Preferably exemplified.

  “Binding substance” means a substance capable of recognizing a measurement substance, that is, a substance having molecular recognition ability capable of selectively detecting a measurement substance having an affinity for a binding substance. Specifically, antigens, antibodies, DNA fragments, proteins, peptides and the like are preferably exemplified, but are not limited thereto. For example, the binding substances for PCB and dioxin as measurement substances are an anti-PCB antibody and an anti-dioxin antibody, respectively.

  As the “immunochemical technique”, for example, the presence of a measurement substance in a liquid sample can be detected or quantitatively measured by applying an immunoassay technique based on a solid phase method. In the so-called “sandwich method” known as an immunoassay, for example, a target measurement substance such as an antigen is sandwiched between a labeled antibody and an antibody (binding substance) immobilized on the surface of the immobilized substance, The analysis unit 12 can form a specific complex and capture the measurement substance.

By labeling an antibody or the like that forms a specific complex, the presence of the measurement substance can be detected or quantitatively measured.
The specific complex formed by the antigen-antibody reaction is detected as follows.
For example, by labeling an antibody with a fluorescent (luminescent) substance and detecting its fluorescence (luminescent) intensity directly, or by binding an enzyme to the antibody and performing an enzymatic reaction using a chemiluminescent substrate, optical changes can be detected. To do.

  As a result of the reaction when a fluorescently labeled antibody is used, a labeling substance is present in the specific complex produced depending on the amount of “measurement substance”. A washing buffer or the like is introduced from the sample supply unit 11, and the internal space of the microfluidic device 10 is decompressed by the pump unit 20 to flow down the fluid flow path 14, and unreacted substances are removed. By measuring, “measurement substance” can be quantified. The quantification of the labeling substance can take various methods along with the type of the labeling substance. For example, the fluorescence intensity of the fluorescent substance is measured by a fluorescence measuring device. By comparing the measured label intensity with the label intensity when a known amount of “measurement substance” is measured, the amount of the measurement substance in the liquid sample can be determined.

  An apparatus for measuring fluorescence intensity is shown as the analysis means 40 of the present embodiment. The label of the specific complex is excited by irradiating a semiconductor laser from the excitation light irradiation means 41, and the emitted fluorescence is collected by a microlens, and only the fluorescence component is transmitted by an optical interference filter. To detect. The detection is performed individually for each of the eight sample supply units 11. In order to quickly detect each sample supply unit 11, the microfluidic device 10 may be configured to be slidable.

Examples of the microfluidic device system of the present invention will be described below.
Acrylite (product number 000, UV transmissive type: manufactured by Mitsubishi Rayon Co., Ltd.), which is an acrylic resin, is cut as the substrate 10A, the first resin film 17 is attached to the lower surface of the substrate 10A, and the second resin is applied to the upper surface of the substrate 10A The sample supply unit 11, the analysis unit 12, the waste liquid unit 13, and the fluid flow path 14 were formed by attaching the film 18.
The first resin film 17 and the second resin film 18 have a low autofluorescence property, and are polyolefin-based having a thickness of 0.1 mm in which a microcapsule type adhesive is applied in advance to one side on the adhesion side to the microfluidic device 10. Resin sealing tape for microplate (product number 9795: manufactured by 3M) was used.

  The substrate 10A is a resin plate having a thickness of 1.7 mm, a length of 50 mm, and a width of 40 mm, and has a positioning hole 19 for attachment to the detection means 40.

  The elastic tube 21 is fixed by a tube pressing plate 27. At this time, the internal space of the elastic tube 21 in the fixed portion is not closed. The elastic tube 21 is clamped by the roller member 22a and the guide member 22b, and the internal space of the elastic tube 21 is closed at the clamping portion 21a. A groove 22c into which a part of the elastic tube 21 is engaged is formed on the roller member 22a side.

  When the liquid sample is injected into the sample supply unit 11 and the roller member 22a is rotated (clockwise in FIG. 1) by the driving motor 24, the elastic tube 21 is located between the connection end 21b and the clamping unit 21a (left side in FIG. 1). Direction). At this time, the length from the connection end part 21b with the opening part 16 in the elastic tube 21 to the clamping part 21a becomes long. Since the guide member 22b rotates as the elastic tube 21 is sent out, the friction between the elastic tube 21, the roller member 22a and the guide member 22b is reduced, and the elastic tube 21 is sent out smoothly.

  The elastic tube 21 released from the clamping state when the position of the clamping part 21a in the elastic tube 21 is changed by the elastic tube 21 being sent out from the connection end part 21b to the clamping part 21a is compressed by its restoring force. It swells from the state and returns to the normal state. At this time, a suction action is generated inside the elastic tube 21, and the internal space of the microfluidic device 10 can be decompressed via the opening 16 communicating with the elastic tube 21. Thereby, the liquid sample existing inside the microfluidic device 10 is sucked and flows from the sample supply unit 11 into the waste liquid unit 13 via the analysis unit 12.

  After the analysis is completed, the microfluidic device 10 is removed from the holding table 30, and then the roller member 22a is rotated in the reverse direction by the driving motor 24 to thereby extend the length between the connection end 21b of the elastic tube 21 and the clamping portion 21a. Return to the original state.

  If the roller member 22a and the guide member 22b are configured to be movable in directions away from each other, the work at the time of replacing the elastic tube 21 can be easily performed.

(Measurement of amount of PCB extracted from insulating oil)
In order to detect PCB extracted from the insulating oil used in the transformer using the microfluidic device system X of the present invention, the following experiment was performed.

  A PCB pseudoantigen simulated by PCB was fixed to a plurality of polystyrene beads having a diameter of 130 μm (manufactured by Thermo Fisher Scientific Co., Ltd.) and enclosed in the analysis unit 12. A fluorescent substance Qdot655 (registered trademark: manufactured by Invitrogen) was labeled on a PCB antibody having a binding power to PCB.

  The fluorescence intensity was measured by irradiating the analysis unit 12 of the microfluidic device 10 with excitation light from the excitation light irradiation means 41 and detecting the optical signal from the analysis unit 12 with the fluorescence measurement device 42. The amount of PCB in the liquid sample was determined by comparison with the fluorescence intensity when a known amount of PCB was measured from the measured fluorescence intensity.

  30 μL of the liquid sample and 240 μL of the PCB antibody solution labeled with the fluorescent substance Qdot were mixed. In the PCB antibody solution, the amount of PCB antibody was about 10 times that of PCB expected to be contained in the liquid sample. 10 μL of the mixed solution was injected into the sample supply unit 11 of the microfluidic device 10. The pump unit 20 sent the solution for 10 minutes at a suction speed of 1 μL / min.

  When the mixed solution was contained in the liquid sample while being fed, the PCB and the labeled PCB antibody caused an antigen-antibody reaction. After 10 minutes, all the PCB bound to the labeled PCB antibody.

Since the labeled PCB antibody is put in excess of the expected amount of PCB in the liquid sample, there is a labeled PCB antibody that has not reacted with the PCB.
The unreacted labeled PCB antibody undergoes an antigen-antibody reaction with the PCB pseudoantigen immobilized on the beads enclosed in the analysis unit 12 and is immobilized on the beads.

  Substances other than the immobilized labeled PCB antibody were sent to the waste liquid part 13, and the labeled PCB antibody immobilized on the beads remained in the analysis part 12, and the fluorescence intensity of the labeled substance was measured. Based on the measured fluorescence intensity, the amount of PCB in the liquid sample was calculated by comparison with a calibration curve similarly measured in advance using a known amount of PCB.

[Another embodiment 1]
In the above-described embodiment, of the pair of members 22a and 22b arranged above and below, the upper member (roller member) 22a is configured to be connected to the driving motor 24 so as to be rotatable around the axis, and the lower member. (Guide member) 22b demonstrated the structure comprised so that rotation with the movement of the elastic tube 21 was comprised. However, it is not limited to such an embodiment.
For example, in a state where the elastic tube 21 is sandwiched between both members 22a and 22b,
One member may be fixed, and the other member may be configured to rotate on the outer periphery of the fixed member.
In this structure, when the other member rotates the outer periphery of one member, the position of the clamping part 21a changes with time, and the length between the connection end part 21b and the clamping part 21a is adjusted. Thereby, when the length adjustment mechanism 22 adjusts the said length, since the elastic tube 21 is not sent out, it is possible to adjust the length in a stable state.

  The present invention relates to a microfluidic device system comprising a microfluidic device for analyzing a liquid sample containing a measurement substance such as a toxic substance contained in the environment as a measurement substance, and a pump unit for feeding the liquid sample. Available.

X Microfluidic device system 10 Microfluidic device 11 Sample supply unit 12 Analysis unit 13 Waste liquid unit 14 Fluid flow channel 15 Gas passage 16 Opening unit 20 Pump unit 21 Elastic tube 21a Holding unit 21b Connection end 22 Length adjusting mechanism 22a Roller member 22c Groove part 23 Connecting member

Claims (4)

A sample supply unit that introduces a liquid sample containing a measurement substance, an analysis unit that analyzes the liquid sample, a waste liquid unit that stores the liquid sample that has passed through the analysis unit, and the sample supply unit to the waste liquid unit A microfluidic device provided with a fluid flow path through which a liquid sample flows, and an opening connected to the waste liquid via a gas passage; and
The elastic tube that communicates with the opening and the holding portion that holds the elastic tube closes the internal space of the elastic tube, and the length from the connection end of the elastic tube to the opening to the holding portion A microfluidic device system comprising: a pump unit provided with a length adjusting mechanism configured to be variable in length.   The microfluidic device system according to claim 1, wherein the length adjusting mechanism includes at least one roller member that sandwiches the elastic tube.   The microfluidic device system according to claim 2, wherein a groove for guiding the elastic tube is formed in the roller member.   The microfluidic device system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a plurality of the sample supply unit and the elastic tube are provided, and adjacent elastic tubes are connected by a connecting member.

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