Apparatus and method for spotting a substrate

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for dispensing a small volume of a selected liquid, such as a biological sample or reagent, onto a substrate. The device includes a tube adapted to contain the liquid. An elongated fiber is disposed within the tube for axial movement therein between raised and lowered positions. Upon shifting or oscillating the fiber between its raised and lowered positions, a liquid spot can be formed at a selected position on the substrate. The device is readily adaptable for the production of micro-arrays having a great number of individual spots.

1 . A method for the manipulation of liquid, comprising: 
 (a) providing a system comprising (i) a device comprising first and second opposing surfaces and at least 1024 channels extending between said surfaces, said channels including opposite upper-end and lower-end openings, with said openings defining upper and lower opening arrays; wherein at least a region of each channel is of capillary size, and wherein each of said channels includes an interior region that is hydrophilic; and (ii) a multi-well tray;    (b) introducing a selected liquid comprising a biological sample or reagent into said channels, with the liquid being retained in the channels by surface tension forces;    (c) placing said device adjacent said multi-well tray, such that each of said channels is in alignment with a respective well of said tray; and    (d) transferring the selected liquid from each channel into its respective well.