Multi-purpose optical analysis optical bio-disc for conducting assays and various reporting agents for use therewith

Abstract

The present invention relates to optical bio-disc systems and related methods and to immobilizing receptor molecules. When a sample is injected into a fluidic circuit, the target agent binds to a capture probe bound in a capture zone. A signal is generated from tags attached to a reporter probe that has specific affinity to the target agent. The assays and methods of the present invention are implemented on an optical bio-disc. The optical bio-disc includes a flow channel having capture zones and in fluid communications with a mixing chamber, and a peripheral waste reservoir. The optical bio-disc is implemented on an optical bio-disc that has information encoding format such as CD. An disc drive assembly is employed to rotate the optical bio-disc, read and process any encoded information, and analyze the samples in the flow channel of the optical bio-disc.

1 .- 53 . (canceled)  
   
   
       54 . An optical bio-disc, comprising: 
 a rotatable substrate having a center and an outer edge;    an outer reservoir formed in said substrate proximal to said outer edge;    an inner reservoir formed in said substrate proximal to and in fluid communication with said outer reservoir;    a channel layer positioned adjacent said substrate, said channel layer having at least one fluidic channel formed therein which is in fluid communication with said inner reservoir, thereby forming a fluidic circuit; and    a cap portion positioned adjacent said channel layer.    
   
   
       55 . The optical bio-disc according to  claim 54  further comprising an absorber pad located in said outer reservoir.  
   
   
       56 . The optical bio-disc according to  claim 55  further comprising an inlet port formed in said cap portion, said inlet port located in a predetermined location in said fluidic channel to thereby allow liquid to flow from the inlet port through the length of the fluidic channel and into the inner and outer reservoirs.  
   
   
       57 . The optical bio-disc according to any of the claims  54 ,  55 , or  56  further comprising a vent port formed in said cap portion, said vent port located in a predetermined location in said outer reservoir to thereby allow venting of air inside said fluidic circuit to prevent air blockage within the fluidic circuit.  
   
   
       58 . The optical bio-disc of  claim 54  further comprising a first reflective metal layer disposed over said substrate.  
   
   
       59 . The optical bio-disc of  claim 58  further comprising target zones formed on said first metal layer, said target zones formed within said fluidic channel.  
   
   
       60 . The optical bio-disc of  claim 59  further comprising a second reflective metal layer disposed over said cap portion.  
   
   
       61 . The optical bio-disc of  claim 54  further comprising a semi-reflective metal layer disposed over said substrate.  
   
   
       62 . The optical bio-disc according to  claim 54  wherein said substrate includes encoded information associated therewith, the encoded information being readable by an disc drive assembly to control rotation of the optical bio-disc, incubation time, incubation temperature, and specific steps of a binding assay.  
   
   
       63 . The optical bio-disc according to  claim 54  wherein the fluidic channel is radially directed.  
   
   
       64 . The optical bio-disc according to  claim 63  wherein the radially directed fluidic channel is in fluid communication with said inner reservoir.  
   
   
       65 . The optical bio-disc according to  claim 59  further comprising one or more capture antibodies immobilized within said target zone, the capture antibodies defining optical bio-discrete capture zones within the one or more target zones in the at least one fluidic channel.  
   
   
       66 . The optical bio-disc according to  claim 61  further comprising one or more capture antibodies immobilized in pre-determined location on said semi-reflective layer, the capture antibodies defining optical bio-discrete capture zones within the at least one fluidic channel.  
   
   
       67 . The optical bio-disc according to either  claim 65  or  66  wherein said optical bio-discrete capture zones are arranged in a micro-array format.  
   
   
       68 . The optical bio-disc according to  claim 54  wherein said outer and inner reservoirs are circumferential and arranged in an annular format proximal each other.  
   
   
       69 . The optical bio-disc according to  claim 68  wherein said outer and inner reservoirs are separated from each other by arcuate lands.  
   
   
       70 . The optical bio-disc according to  claim 69  wherein said arcuate lands include pass through ports to thereby place said outer and inner reservoirs in fluid communication.  
   
   
       71 . The optical bio-disc according to  claim 54  further comprising a mixing well formed in said substrate in fluid communication with said at least one fluidic channel.  
   
   
       72 .- 125 . (canceled)  
   
   
       126 . The optical bio-disc according to  claim 70  wherein said outer and inner reservoirs are large enough to contain waste solutions from multi-step assay procedures involving multiple spin wash steps.  
   
   
       127 .- 136 . (canceled)