WO1999008096A1 - Detecteur - Google Patents

Detecteur Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1999008096A1
WO1999008096A1 PCT/GB1998/002394 GB9802394W WO9908096A1 WO 1999008096 A1 WO1999008096 A1 WO 1999008096A1 GB 9802394 W GB9802394 W GB 9802394W WO 9908096 A1 WO9908096 A1 WO 9908096A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
detector
fluorophore
wavelength
light
data signal
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB1998/002394
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Derek Adeyemi Palmer
Martin Thomas French
Si Jung Hu
Original Assignee
Kalibrant Limited
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Kalibrant Limited filed Critical Kalibrant Limited
Priority to JP2000506516A priority Critical patent/JP2001512827A/ja
Priority to EP98938772A priority patent/EP1004018A1/fr
Priority to AU87378/98A priority patent/AU8737898A/en
Priority to CA002300060A priority patent/CA2300060A1/fr
Publication of WO1999008096A1 publication Critical patent/WO1999008096A1/fr

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Classifications

    • 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"
    • 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
    • G01N2021/6419—Excitation at two or more wavelengths
    • 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
    • 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
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N35/00—Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor
    • G01N35/08—Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor using a stream of discrete samples flowing along a tube system, e.g. flow injection analysis
    • G01N35/085—Flow Injection Analysis

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a detector for determining whether or not a particular substance is present in a sample.
  • the invention further relates to a method of operating a detector-
  • the present invention relates to a fluorimeter for detecting a fluorophore in the sample.
  • Fluorescence detection is particularly useful in biological tests where sample size is often very small, e.g. in assaying for nucleic acids or proteins. In these circumstances it is very important to minimise interference from background radiation and techniques have been devised as described, for example, in US Patent Nos. 4,006,360, 4,341,957 and 4,791,310.
  • the majority of the devices presently on the market comprise a loading tray for loading multiple samples, for example between 20 and 100 samples, which are not necessarily of the same nature or having the same assay performed on them.
  • a reagent input tray which holds a number of reagent cartridges for the various different tests to be performed.
  • the samples are transferred, normally by pipetting into an assay cell where the sample is combined with the necessary reagent or reagents.
  • the assay cell is then transferred to a part of a machine where it can be held for sufficient time for the reagent and the sample to combine.
  • the sample cell is transferred to the detector which detects the presence of a known indicator to determine whether or not the sample contained a particular component and/or how much of that component was present in the assay.
  • a robotic arm is used for transferring the assay cell around the machine, for example from the loading area to the wash station, to the waiting area and onward to the detector.
  • problems do occur due to the mechanical movement of the samples.
  • it is necessary to have pipettes with replaceable pipette tips or other means to ensure that one sample does not contaminate another sample. As each sample cell must be incubated with the appropriate reagents, a relatively large number of sample cells may have to be incubated at any one time and thus the size of the machine remains relatively large due to the space required for the waiting area.
  • a detector comprising: emitter means arranged to selectively emit light having a first wavelength predetermined to correspond to the excitation wavelength of a first fluorophore and to selectively em t light having a second wavelength predetermined to correspond to the excitation wavelength of a second fluorophore; sensor means arranged to receive fluorescent emissions from the first fluorophore and output a first data signal characteristic thereof and fluorescent emissions from the second fluorophore and output a second data signal characteristic thereof; and analyser means adapted to analyse the first and second data signals.
  • the present invention thus provides a detector which minimises the variables contained in the emission spectrum of the fluorophores .
  • the emitter means provides a signal where the majority (e.g. substantially all) the energy is contained in small (e.g. lOnm) ranges around the two wavelengths. This simplifies data analysis and allows for multiple analyte detection from a single sample .
  • control means has a system clock which is arranged to control the emitter means to emit light of the two wavelengths separately and in a predetermined order.
  • the control means is advantageously arranged so that analyser means analyses data from the first data signal during a first period and from the second data signal during a second period, the first period corresponding to when the light of the first wavelength is being emitted and the second period corresponding to when the light of the second wavelength is being emitted.
  • This control means is normally arranged to control the analyser means to only analyse data from at most one data signal at any given time.
  • the first and second periods terminate prior to the termination of emissions from the respective first and second fluorophores . In this way, the lack of accuracy associated with decay of the fluorescence signal is substantially minimal.
  • the first data signal is preferably characteristic only of a first wavelength range and the second data signal is characteristic of only a second wavelength range.
  • the quantity of the separate fluorophores can be determined even if the emission spectrum of the two fluorophores substantially, but not completely, overlaps as the first and second ranges can be chosen to minimise such overlap. So long as one of the wavelength ranges can be analysed for the quantity of the one of analytes, it will be possible to resolve the signal to quantify the amount of the second fluorophore from the signal. In this way, a continuous monitor of the changing concentration of fluorophores can be made if this is desired.
  • the emitter means is arranged to emit light on more than one cell where the first or second fluorophore may be present.
  • the first and second fluorophores may be present in at least one test cell which comprises a flow cell.
  • the emitter means comprises a first emitter and a second emitter.
  • These are preferably a laser or lasers which provide a very clean light emission.
  • each laser is a light emitting diode laser which has the advantage of small size. It is particularly advantageous as it provides a narrow band width of emitted light which can be closely paired to the fluorophore.
  • Such a light source also provides a very intense light beam but at relatively low power consumption.
  • the laser will be operating in the range of 400-1200nm.
  • the laser operates in the range of substantially 600nm to 900nm as this part of the spectrum has low background radiation and less endogenous compounds emitting fluorescence that may cause interference.
  • the senor comprises an array which is arranged to receive different wavelengths at different parts of the array.
  • the sensor may further include a polychromator arranged to disperse the fluorescent emissions of the first and second fluorophores over the respective first and second regions of the sensor which regions may overlap to a large extent. This is a particularly simple way to implement the separation in signals.
  • these sensor means may further include a monochromator arranged to disperse the fluorescent emissions of the first and second fluorophores on respective first and second regions.
  • the senor comprises a charged coupled device.
  • the detector may be used where the first fluorophore is tested for in one sample and the second fluorophore is tested for in another sample. Alternatively or additionally the first and second fluorophores may be tested for in the same sample.
  • the emitter means may include several emitters each arranged to emit light corresponding to a particular fluorophore.
  • the detector preferably has: a) three emitters; b) four emitters; c) five emitters; or d) six emitters; wherein each emitter is paired to a respective fluorophore. In this way, multianalyte determination from a single sample can be accomplished due to the advantageously clean signal produced by the sensor.
  • the detector according to the invention is preferably included in an assay apparatus. It is particularly advantageous when used in flow injection assay apparatus.
  • a method of operating a detector comprising the steps of : operating emitter means arranged either to selectively emit light having a first wavelength predetermined to correspond to the excitation wavelength of a first fluorophore and/or to selectively emit light having a second wavelength predetermined to correspond to the excitation wavelength of a second fluorophore; sensor means arranged to receive fluorescent emissions from the first fluorophore and output a first data signal characteristic thereof and fluorescent emissions from the second fluorophore and output a second data signal characteristic thereof; and analyser means arranged to analyse the first and second data signals to quantify the amount of the first or second fluorophore.
  • the method of operating a detector comprises a method adapted to operate the detector of the first aspect of the invention.
  • the first fluorophore may be tested for in one set of samples, and the second fluorophore may be tested in a second set of samples.
  • the first and second fluorophores are tested for in the same sample contained in a third set of sample.
  • a detection pathway forms the fluid pathway downstream of the barrier, the detection pathway including waste-valve means arranged to direct fluid in the detection pathway to either an outlet or past the detector means which prevents the uncomplexed mixture from contaminating the flow cell.
  • the fluid pathway is divided into a plurality of the said detection pathways with splitter-valve means arranged to direct each respective aliquot into a respective selected one of the detection pathways.
  • the multiple pathways may extend from any point after the incubation loops. This improves the capacity of the apparatus as one pathway can be washed whilst another is analysing a sample.
  • one detector comprises the detection means for all the detection pathways where the same detection principle is being utilised.
  • the detector may include additional detection flow-paths after the sample and reagent (s) have mixed e.g. in the incubation loops.
  • the other flow-paths are arranged to divert the samples from the fluorescence detector so that they travel to alternative detectors which may be placed in the additional flow-paths.
  • the alternative detectors would be selected from one or more of the detectors utilising spectrophotometric and/or electrochemical principles. In these circumstances it is possible that the analysis will be more simple than immunoassays relying on fluorescence detection and so the use of immobilised reagents and the barrier separation device may be avoided.
  • the analysis could be carried out by holding the reagent/sample mixture in the incubation loops to allow for the generation of the coloured product. After this time the mixture would be released into the flow stream and directed to the flow-path that leads to the spectrophotometer where the absorbance measurement is made.
  • Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of the detector of the present invention
  • Fig. 2 illustrates a sequential time control of the lasers of a preferred embodiment of the present invention
  • Fig. 3 illustrates data acquisition of fluorescence emissions of the embodiment of Fig.2
  • Fig. 4 shows a sample spectrogram illustrating use of a continuous wave laser source
  • Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing control of a preferred embodiment of the present invention
  • Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing temperature control of a preferred embodiment of the present invention
  • Fig. 7 is a schematic representation of an assay apparatus according to the present invention
  • Fig. 8 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the detector of the present invention for use in the apparatus of Fig. 7;
  • Fig. 9 depicts the overall construction of a flow injection apparatus incorporating the detector of the present invention.
  • Fig. 10 is a schematic representation of another assay apparatus according to the present invention.
  • Fig. 1 illustrates the main units of a preferred embodiment of the multiple analyte detector 30 of the present invention.
  • a control unit 34 is linked to a user interface via a personal computer or other device.
  • the linkage will normally take the form of a software interface.
  • the software interface will receive from the user or from upstream of the detector 30 the information on the interval between samples and/or the tests being performed on each of the samples.
  • the control un t 34 operates the components of the detector 30 in accordance with the received information as described in more detail hereinafter.
  • the qualitative measurement may be simply whether or not the target suostance was detected i.e. was any or more than a certain amount of fluorescence attributable to the fluorophore present. Often however a more precise measurement of the amount of target substance will be required.
  • This invention relates to a detection system designed to capture fluorescence from a fluorophore containing solution or solid which may be contained in a cuvette or held on a solid surface, but preferentially is a solution passed through a flow cell 27 connected to a flow injection system.
  • the system provides two or more wavelength options, preferably provided by laser diodes 31.
  • a laser diode has several benefits when compared with a conventional excitation source including: a. No requirement for a high power supply and small power consumption b. Fixed wavelength and constant light output c. Compact unit w th digital control d. Easy replacement for wavelength options.
  • two or more laser diodes 31, 32, 33 are employed as the excitation source each of which is controlled by a laser driver to produce sequential interval pulses of light as shown in Fig. 2.
  • the lasers are arranged to shine on a test cell 27 where fluorescent molecules (fluorophores) may be present in the test cell 27 and the resulting fluorescence emission is guided to the sensor array 35.
  • fluorescent molecules fluorophores
  • These fluorophores are chosen because they have spectral properties, which match those for a specific laser and each laser 31, 32, 33 has at least one specific and separate fluorophore partner.
  • the pulse rate can be calculated and controlled through a programmable microprocessor or the control software so that the laser driver speed and the interval time of the pulses match the requirements of the sensor array so as to capture the fluorescence from each fluorophore into the appropriate data channel.
  • the lasers may be operated sequentially or one laser may be operated (pulsed) repeatedly before another laser is operated.
  • a pulsed laser source means that the sensor array 35 receives a pulsed light signal from the flow cell 27 that consists of the fluorescence from the fluorophores in the flow cell 27, non specific fluorescence from any other molecules present and any scattered light from the laser source.
  • a pulsed light signal from the flow cell 27 that consists of the fluorescence from the fluorophores in the flow cell 27, non specific fluorescence from any other molecules present and any scattered light from the laser source.
  • the non-specific or background fluorescence, along with the scattered light is removed or greatly reduced by the use of filters or monochromators .
  • the fluorimeter described here can make specific fluorescence measurements without the need of filters or monochromators.
  • NIR near infra red
  • each laser diode 31, 32, 33 pulses in turn to sequentially excite the fluorophore with matched spectral properties.
  • Each laser pulse has its own specific interval time and this is shared by the associated emission pulse. It is therefore possible to time gate the emission pulse generated by a specific laser into a selected channel for data acquisition and feedback the data to regulate the sensor array. In this way fluorescence measurements can be made as follows. The overall timing of all events is controlled by the system clock (Fig. 3a), at a given time frequency laser 1 fires a light pulse of defined time and intensity (Fig. 3b).
  • Fluorophore 1 responds with fluorescence over a similar time period and at an intensity dependent on its concentration (Fig. 3c).
  • the other laser/fluorophore pairs operate in sequence in a similar fashion (Figs. 3d-3h) and the emission pulses are collected from the sensor into their respective data channels (Fig. 3i).
  • the data collection ceases fractionally before the laser pulse finishes .
  • the lasers in sequential pulsed mode it is possible to drive them in constant wave mode, where each laser operates continuously and illuminates the sample for the whole time it is being measured.
  • Figure 4 shows a stylised representation of the excitation of three fluorophores where peak 1, peak 2 and peak 3 are the fluorophores emission after excitation by the fixed wavelength lasers 1, 2 and 3 respectively.
  • the scattered laser light has been omitted for clarity.
  • the mixed emission signal can now be dealt with in two ways, firstly as described below in the evaluation of pulsed emission signals, where multivariate analysis software can be used to generate the pure emission spectra.
  • the sensor can be programmed to collect data over a narrow wavelength range specific for each label i.e. ⁇ ⁇ r ⁇ 2 , and ⁇ 3 , thereby avoiding the scattered light and the intensity of each peak indicates the strength of fluorescence in the solution which can then be used as a quantitive measure.
  • the fluorescence emission from the flow cell is over a wide spectral range and so a device is required to disperse this spectrum over the sensor array.
  • a preferred option is where the emitted pulse of fluorescence is focused onto a polychromator and then dispersed across the sensor array 35 to reveal the emission spectrum.
  • a monochromator is used to rapidly scan the emission beam in order to generate the emission spectrum at the sensor. Because the spectral properties of each fluorophore is known a pure reference sample is first used to wavelength calibrate the sensor array for each laser/fluorophore pair and the spectral data stored in the relevant data channel in the computer.
  • the emission profile gathered in the data channel can be examined against the expected profile and multivariate analysis software used to remove the non-specific components, including that of spectral overlap from co- excited fluorophores.
  • the sensor array 35 can be programmed to collect data over a narrow wavelength range specific for each label and the intensity of each signal indicates the strength of fluorescence in the solution, which can then be used as a quantitative measure.
  • a highly sensitive and fast speed sensor to capture the fluorescence from the solution in the flow cell.
  • a suitable sensor would be a CCD photo-electric device which operates in a rapid self scan mode so that there is quantitative capture of the emission photons with excellent signal to noise characteristics, due mainly to very low dark current in the device.
  • the CCD has its own driver assembly through which the scan time can be set to match the speed of the emission pulse.
  • a programmable microprocessor and an interface digitally control the data acquisition from the sensor array.
  • a tunable filter such as an acousto-optic tunable filter, as the wavelength selection element in place of a spectrograph.
  • a single detector element such as a photomultiplier tube or photo detector could replace the CCD array.
  • the light source to pulse and fluorescence spectra to be accumulated in sequence by means of switching the detector output between the different data channels of a data storage device with the system clock synchronised to the voltage ramp (e.g. an oscilloscope, transient digitiser, multichannel sealer, etc.) driving the tunable filter.
  • the voltage ramp e.g. an oscilloscope, transient digitiser, multichannel sealer, etc.
  • Suitable tunable filters are available from Brimrose Corp. Such an apparatus would cost somewhat less to produce than a CCD-based system. Alternatively, the filter could be switched.
  • the wavelength of the light emitted from a laser diode varies with temperature, so to ensure a consistent excitation wavelength the operation temperature of the laser diode is controlled by a fan or a thermoelectric cooling unit.
  • the sensitivity of the sensor array varies with temperature due to changes in dark current and so much lower detection limits are possible if a consistent low operating temperature is maintained.
  • fluorescence emission is temperature dependent and so a temperature controlled flow cell is important.
  • thermoelectric cooling unit is used to control the temperature in the laser, sensor array and flow cell.
  • This unit is a reversible solid-state heat pump and a precision controller for thermoelectric temperature stabilisation.
  • the cooling unit is constructed from a doped semiconductor, bismuth telluride.
  • the unit is controlled via the software package and can be set at a range of temperatures at each control point for example as follows: Laser diode -25°C - + 15°C ⁇ 0 . 5°C Sensor array -50 ⁇ C - + 50°C ⁇ 0 . 1°C Flow cell + 10°C - + 40°C ⁇ 0 . 1°C
  • the detection system including the laser driver, flow cell holder and sensor array is connected to a microprocessor (interface) and then linked to a PC based operational software package.
  • the package operates the laser diode driver, the monochromator driver (if specified), the thermoelectric cooling unit and the sensor array, feeds back the signals to each control point, and also automatically acquires the data.
  • the detector of the present invention may be used to analyse test samples on a solid support, in a cuvette or otherwise.
  • the present detector is particularly advantageous when used as the detector in a flow analysis system as described in PCT application No. PCT/GB97/00334 filed on 6th February, 1997 and claiming a priority date of 9th February, 1996, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference, in particular in relation to the types of flow analysis system which may be adopted.
  • the present invention provides a detector which allows a much greater number of alternative tests due to the multiple light sources compared to single source devices.
  • the present invention provides a detector that allows multiple tests on each sample via different fluorophores.
  • the greater number of fluorophores also allows the analyser to form a device which can perform nearly all the tests necessary for e.g. a surgery and thus speed up the time for testing and make it economical for a far larger number of tests to be conducted as it will not be necessary to send most tests to specialist laboratories having many different analysers for the various different tests that are required. This is particularly apparent when used in a flow analysis system.
  • Figure 7 shows a flow injection immunoassay analyser as an integrated system which is a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention.
  • the system operates using the principles of flow injection analysis, that is a continuous stream of liquid is used to transport discrete volumes of sample or reagents that are injected into the stream. These materials can then be brought into contact with one another or with other materials that may be in solution or fixed to a surface so that they interact in a way that can be measured and thus the flow injection process is directly analogous to the manipulations that take place in traditional immunoassays using microtiter plates or tubes except that injection loops or syringes and precise control of flow rate replace the use of pipettes, washers and shakers .
  • a carrier buffer stream is generated from run buffer 12.
  • a plurality of samples are held in a sample processing unit 14 which also prepares each sample for analysis. Analysis for a particular target molecule (a product) takes place by injecting a known volume of a sample that possibly contains the product, into the carrier buffer stream and mixing it with reagents from a reagent cartridge 15.
  • the sample processor unit 14 has the capacity to hold approximately 100 samples and a normal variety of tube sizes.
  • the unit 14 is capable of carrying out accurate and precise pipetting to generate a sample dilution as required. This may be in a traditional manner with appropriate volumes transferred to a separate tube on the processor bed or by using the flow system where a fixed volume of sample and a variable volume of diluent (or vice versa) are merged in a mixing coil before a fixed volume is taken for analysis.
  • the unit 14 may employ robot arm (not shown) carrying a sample probe (not shown) .
  • the robot arm would normally be capable of movement in three planes and the probe can be washed between sample manipulations at an on board wash station.
  • Samples can be loaded onto the processor unit 14, preferably in their original tubes, of varying dimensions, in pre-prepared racks of tubes or in pre-prepared microtiter plates. Sample identification and tracking is made possible through bar codes which may be placed on the individual tubes, or the tube racks or the microtiter plates and the bar codes are read by the on board bar code reader, though other tracking systems can be used.
  • the flow system of the instrument consists of transmission tubing 10 made from chemically and biologically inert material such as commercially available nylon or PEEK with an inner diameter of typically 0.8mm, although this may change to suit the circumstances.
  • the pumping system (not shown) consists of several low pressure pumps, most likely peristaltic pumps which may be of differing size, sophistication and performance and will be capable of delivering a highly reliable flow rate.
  • a central pump will be used to move the carrier buffer, samples and reagents through the system whilst other pumps which are likely to be less sophisticated, will be used to carry out other manipulations, such as reagent transport, barrier washing and conjugate elution.
  • the operation of each pump will be controlled by the central computer (not shown) to ensure optimum performance and effective synchronisation.
  • the computer will also have control over the many automated switching valves (described in more detail hereinafter) , which at the appropriate times direct samples or reagents into or out of the main carrier stream.
  • These valves may be electronically or pneumatically operated and must be extremely reliable and robust as they will be used many times in any working day. They will be very simple in design needing only to switch the liquid flow between one of two channels or limited number of channels.
  • the valves must have chemically and biologically inert surfaces where they come into contact with the liquid stream.
  • the reagents required for each assay are specific for the analyte of interest, however the same principles are applied in each case and only two components are normally required. It is preferred for all assays to utilise micro-beads of a defined diameter and with the property of neutral density so that they remain in suspension and it is likely that the beads will be made of a cellulose material with low non-specific binding properties although other suitable materials may be preferred. The surface of these beads is coated, probably through covalent conjugation, although other procedures such as adsorption may be possible with a ligand binder material such as an antibody or other compound that specifically binds only the analyte of interest in the assay.
  • a ligand binder material such as an antibody or other compound that specifically binds only the analyte of interest in the assay.
  • the second reagent is a labelled material which may be an analogue of the analyte of interest or binder with specificity for the analyte depending on the assay format required.
  • the label is often a fluorophore with spectral characteristics that allow it to be detected in the near infra red region of the electro-magnetic spectrum, however other labels such as liposomes, enzymes and chemiluminescent materials are also possible.
  • the fixed volumes of the reagents and the sample are mixed together in a mixing coil 17 and allowed to incubate together for a fixed time.
  • the incubation is preferably accomplished by removing the aliquot out of the main flow strea and into one of the incubation loops 19 but may take place in the main flow in some cases, e.g. when the incubation time is short.
  • the access to the incubation loops 19 is controlled by valve means 20.
  • the loop 19 is made from a fixed length of transmission tubing of an appropriate internal diameter, however the overall volume should be carefully chosen to ensure precise replication of incubation conditions. During incubation any of the product which is contained in the sample should interact with the reagent to form a complex which is bound to a microbead.
  • the complex bound to the microbead must include a detectable moiety.
  • the computer switches the aliquot of mixture back into the main stream if it has been diverted therefrom and it is carried down to the membrane barrier 22 where the micro beads are retained whilst all other materials flow through and are passed to waste.
  • the barrier 22 consists of a porous membrane made from a chemically and biologically inert material such as nylon and the barrier 22 is sized and arranged to prevent all beads from passing through to the flow cell.
  • the pore structure of the membrane is governed by the size of the micro beads, however it is important that the membrane has a low non-specific binding of excess reagents and that substantially all (eg>95%) of the beads are retained.
  • the flow-path is then washed by a period of flow with carrier buffer to wash off any unboun ⁇ reagents and possibly the flow rate is raised during this period, so the barrier 22 should have good flow properties.
  • the various valves are switched in synchronisation to divert the main buffer flow from the barrier 22 whilst introducing an elution buffer from vessel 24 to flow through the barrier 22.
  • the turning of the switch can be gauged from monitoring the unbound reagent flowing through the flow cell 27 to waste. This releases the label (detectable moiety) from the microbead to flow through the barrier 22.
  • the flow is now directed to a flow cell 27 for measurement downstream.
  • the flow cell 27 is likely to be a quartz silica cylinder, although other materials and shapes may be preferred, with a total volume unlikely to exceed 200 ⁇ l and which is normally illuminated by a light source and monitored by a detector 30 as explained in more detail below. Following elution further valve switching allows the membrane to be back flushed with an appropriate buffer from vessel 28 which removes the beads to waste through valve 25 and cleans the membrane ready for the next sample aliquot .
  • the detector 30 is shown in greater detail in Figure 2 and consists of a laser diode module 31, 32, 33, a light path of mirrors and beam splitters 38 to 42, identical duplicate flow cells 27 and a single detector 35 as described hereinbefore.
  • an instrument employing the detector of the present invention may include one, two, three or more flow cells depending upon the capacity required for the machine. If there is only one flow cell then the valving upstream of the detector can be simplified as can the controlling software which can reduce the cost of the apparatus for situations where only a low capacity apparatus is required. On the other hand a greater number of flow cells may increase the capacity of the apparatus, but additional flow-paths through the apparatus may be required to fully exploit the greater detector capacity.
  • the illustrated embodiment there are two detector flow- pathways. This is particularly advantageous as one of the two pathways can be analysing a sample whilst the other pathway is being washed from wash buffer 28 via one of the wash valves 29. This greatly increases the number of samples which can be analysed in a given time period.
  • This design is particularly advantageous when used in conjunction with the detector of the present invention which allows for the two (or more) flow cells 27 to be analysed from a single radiation generator/emitter and so the increased capacity is provided at little extra cost.
  • the choice of lasers will be very much dependent on the available fluorophores since the lasing wavelength and optimum fluorophore excitation wavelength need to be well matched.
  • the rate of development in the field of solid state lasers and appropriate fluorophores is rapid and the final choice for these components cannot be made now.
  • the lasers should have at least a 1 milliwatt output (preferable 10 milliwatt) and operate above 400nm, whilst the fluorophores should be water soluble if an aqueous solution is used, stable in solution, unaffected by pH changes, emit their fluorescence above 600nm and have the general properties required of a good fluorophore.
  • Various fluorophores are known in the art and more are being developed.
  • the laser module 31, 32, 33 can contain more than one laser, each of which can in turn be switched into the light path whilst at the same time collecting data from the detector into a separate channel.
  • Computer control of this switching allows the potential for multi-label detection by operating 2 or more carefully chosen lasers of different excitation wavelength in a rapid pulse mode, one after the other, and monitoring the associated emission from its paired fluorophore. In this way specific measurements can be made in mixtures of fluorophores and this leads to the possibility of multi analyte determinations from the same elution peak. If pairs or more of analytes are measured in this way the throughput of the instrument is greatly increased and the usage of sample greatly reduced since mixed specificity beads can be used for the sample capture. The resulting signal is plotted as a peak and the calculated area used to determine the concentration of the sample from a curve generated from standard solutions.
  • the system operates in random access mode but has the inbuilt capacity for immediate analysis of emergency samples, which are placed in separate rack on the autosampler.
  • the timing and scheduling of operations are precisely controlled by the software which is icon driven, intuitive to use and which operates in a WindowsTM environment.
  • the software is designed to run on a notebook type computer which can be closed and stored in the base of the instrument when not required. Communication with the instrument is bi-directional, allowing feedback from off- scale results to initiate appropriate dilution and sample re-analysis.
  • the instrument and software are fully configured for operation within a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) environment, including quality control monitoring of assay controls and reagent cartridge performance.
  • LIMS Laboratory Information Management System
  • the analyser is designed to be capable of measuring greater than 20 clinically important substances, each of which will have a dedicated cartridge of reagents, capable of approximately 200 analyses held in the reagent carousel on board the instrument.
  • the cartridge design will ensure that reagents can be stirred if required and kept at constant temperature through control of either the carousel compartment or the cartridge itself.
  • Each cartridge holds information about itself, possibly on a bar code.
  • the detector 30 can be used in or with other assay/analysis systems where its advantages can also be utilised.
  • other types of detectors could be used other than lasers that still operate with the advantageous single detector and/or source but have one or several flow cells for detection of the detectable moiety.

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  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Immunology (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Nuclear Medicine, Radiotherapy & Molecular Imaging (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
  • Biochemistry (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Pathology (AREA)
  • Investigating, Analyzing Materials By Fluorescence Or Luminescence (AREA)
  • Automatic Analysis And Handling Materials Therefor (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un fluorimètre. Le fluorimètre comprend un dispositif émetteur disposé de manière à émettre sélectivement une lumière possédant une première longueur d'onde prédéterminée pour correspondre à la longueur d'onde d'excitation d'un premier fluorophore et à émettre une lumière possédant une deuxième longueur d'onde prédéterminée pour correspondre à la longueur d'onde d'excitation d'un deuxième fluorophore, ce qui signifie que les lumières sont couplées à des fluorophores respectifs. Cela simplifie l'analyse des signaux fluorescents émis.
PCT/GB1998/002394 1997-08-12 1998-08-10 Detecteur WO1999008096A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP2000506516A JP2001512827A (ja) 1997-08-12 1998-08-10 検出器
EP98938772A EP1004018A1 (fr) 1997-08-12 1998-08-10 Detecteur
AU87378/98A AU8737898A (en) 1997-08-12 1998-08-10 A detector
CA002300060A CA2300060A1 (fr) 1997-08-12 1998-08-10 Detecteur

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GBGB9717021.1A GB9717021D0 (en) 1997-08-12 1997-08-12 A detector
GB9717021.1 1997-08-12

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WO1999008096A1 true WO1999008096A1 (fr) 1999-02-18

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EP (1) EP1004018A1 (fr)
JP (1) JP2001512827A (fr)
AU (1) AU8737898A (fr)
CA (1) CA2300060A1 (fr)
GB (1) GB9717021D0 (fr)
WO (1) WO1999008096A1 (fr)

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1432966A1 (fr) * 2001-08-28 2004-06-30 The Baylor College Of Medicine Excitation a lignes multiples par impulsions pour detection par fluorescence non chromatisee
EP1506390A2 (fr) * 2002-05-17 2005-02-16 Applera Corporation Appareil et procede pour differencier par longueur d'onde d'excitation des signaux de fluorescence multiples
WO2005052560A1 (fr) * 2003-11-19 2005-06-09 Johnson Matthey Plc Appareil et procede pour identifier un produit liquide
EP1850117A1 (fr) * 2006-04-24 2007-10-31 FOSS Analytical A/S Analyseur optique
WO2008081203A2 (fr) * 2007-01-05 2008-07-10 University Of Leicester Marquage par fluorescence
EP2306233A3 (fr) * 2004-11-04 2011-07-20 Life Technologies Corporation Systèmes et procédés de balayage optique a compensation thermique
US8492138B2 (en) 1999-05-17 2013-07-23 Applied Biosystems, Llc Optical instrument including excitation source
US10101274B2 (en) 2012-12-05 2018-10-16 Genepoc Inc. Optical interrogation device

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2085760B1 (fr) * 2008-01-30 2018-07-04 Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated Génération de variation temporelle dans l'émission de lumière

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US4755684A (en) * 1985-09-16 1988-07-05 Avl Ag Method for tumor diagnosis and arrangement for implementing this method
EP0375153A1 (fr) * 1988-12-22 1990-06-27 Ford Motor Company Limited Système de détermination pour l'analyse chimique de solutions de revêtement à base de phosphate de zinc
US5149972A (en) * 1990-01-18 1992-09-22 University Of Massachusetts Medical Center Two excitation wavelength video imaging microscope
US5162654A (en) * 1991-02-01 1992-11-10 Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation Detection apparatus for electrophoretic gels
US5418371A (en) * 1993-02-01 1995-05-23 Aslund; Nils R. D. Apparatus for quantitative imaging of multiple fluorophores using dual detectors
US5491343A (en) * 1994-03-25 1996-02-13 Brooker; Gary High-speed multiple wavelength illumination source, apparatus containing the same, and applications thereof to methods of irradiating luminescent samples and of quantitative luminescence ratio microscopy
US5528045A (en) * 1995-04-06 1996-06-18 Becton Dickinson And Company Particle analyzer with spatially split wavelength filter
WO1997029376A1 (fr) * 1996-02-09 1997-08-14 Kalibrant Limited Appareil de depistage

Cited By (17)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US9285318B2 (en) 1999-05-17 2016-03-15 Applied Biosystems, Llc Optical instrument including excitation source
US8492138B2 (en) 1999-05-17 2013-07-23 Applied Biosystems, Llc Optical instrument including excitation source
US8557569B2 (en) 1999-05-17 2013-10-15 Applied Biosystems, Llc Optical instrument including excitation source
EP1432966A4 (fr) * 2001-08-28 2011-05-04 Baylor College Medicine Excitation a lignes multiples par impulsions pour detection par fluorescence non chromatisee
EP1432966A1 (fr) * 2001-08-28 2004-06-30 The Baylor College Of Medicine Excitation a lignes multiples par impulsions pour detection par fluorescence non chromatisee
US8089628B2 (en) 2001-08-28 2012-01-03 Baylor College Of Medicine Pulsed-multiline excitation for color-blind fluorescence detection
US8809040B2 (en) 2002-05-17 2014-08-19 Applied Biosystems, Llc Apparatus and method for differentiating multiple fluorescence signals by excitation wavelength
EP1506390A2 (fr) * 2002-05-17 2005-02-16 Applera Corporation Appareil et procede pour differencier par longueur d'onde d'excitation des signaux de fluorescence multiples
US10768110B2 (en) 2002-05-17 2020-09-08 Applied Biosystems, Llc Apparatus and method for differentiating multiple fluorescence signals by excitation wavelength
US9719925B2 (en) 2002-05-17 2017-08-01 Applied Biosystems, Llc Apparatus and method for differentiating multiple fluorescence signals by excitation wavelength
EP1506390A4 (fr) * 2002-05-17 2009-12-02 Applera Corp Appareil et procede pour differencier par longueur d'onde d'excitation des signaux de fluorescence multiples
WO2005052560A1 (fr) * 2003-11-19 2005-06-09 Johnson Matthey Plc Appareil et procede pour identifier un produit liquide
EP2306233A3 (fr) * 2004-11-04 2011-07-20 Life Technologies Corporation Systèmes et procédés de balayage optique a compensation thermique
EP1850117A1 (fr) * 2006-04-24 2007-10-31 FOSS Analytical A/S Analyseur optique
WO2008081203A3 (fr) * 2007-01-05 2008-10-02 Univ Leicester Marquage par fluorescence
WO2008081203A2 (fr) * 2007-01-05 2008-07-10 University Of Leicester Marquage par fluorescence
US10101274B2 (en) 2012-12-05 2018-10-16 Genepoc Inc. Optical interrogation device

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP1004018A1 (fr) 2000-05-31
JP2001512827A (ja) 2001-08-28
AU8737898A (en) 1999-03-01
CA2300060A1 (fr) 1999-02-18
GB9717021D0 (en) 1997-10-15

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