Microchip and Method of Using the Same

Abstract

A microchip includes fluid circuits therein, formed by uniting together at least a first substrate that is a transparent substrate and a second substrate having grooves provided at the substrate surface and/or through holes penetrating in a thickness direction. The fluid circuits include a liquid reagent receptacle unit to store a liquid reagent, a quantification unit to quantify the liquid reagent or specimen, and an overflow liquid storage unit connected to the quantification unit to store the liquid reagent or specimen overflowing from the quantification unit during quantification. There is also provided a method of using the microchip.

1 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A microchip formed by uniting together a first substrate, a second substrate having grooves provided at both surfaces of the substrate and a plurality of through holes penetrating in a thickness direction, and a third substrate in the cited order, said microchip comprising:
 a first fluid circuit constituted of grooves provided at a surface of said first substrate facing said second substrate and at a surface of said second substrate facing said first substrate, and   a second fluid circuit constituted of grooves provided at a surface of said third substrate facing said second substrate and at a surface of said second substrate facing said third substrate.   
     
     
         16 . The microchip according to  claim 15 , wherein said first fluid circuit communicates with said second fluid circuit by at least one of said plurality of through holes. 
     
     
         17 . The microchip according to  claim 15 , wherein each of said first and second fluid circuits includes at least one site selected from the group consisting of a liquid reagent receptacle unit to store a liquid reagent, a liquid reagent quantification unit to quantify said liquid reagent, a specimen quantification unit to quantify a specimen, and a mixing unit to mix said specimen and said liquid reagent. 
     
     
         18 . The microchip according to  claim 17 , wherein only said first fluid circuit includes one or a plurality of liquid reagent receptacle units. 
     
     
         19 . The microchip according to  claim 17 , wherein only said second fluid circuit includes one or a plurality of liquid reagent quantification units and one or a plurality of specimen quantification units. 
     
     
         20 . The microchip according to  claim 15 , wherein the grooves provided at the surface of said second substrate facing said first substrate is deeper than the grooves provided at the surface of said second substrate facing said third substrate. 
     
     
         21 . The microchip according to  claim 15 , further including one or more detection unit connected to said first fluid circuit or said second fluid circuit,
 formed of a cavity constituted of at least one of said plurality of through holes, the surface of said first substrate facing said second substrate, and the surface of said third substrate facing said second substrate.   
     
     
         22 . The microchip according to  claim 15 , wherein said first substrate, said second substrate, and said third substrate include styrene-butadiene copolymer. 
     
     
         23 . The microchip according to  claim 15 , wherein said first substrate and said third substrate are transparent substrates. 
     
     
         24 . The microchip according to  claim 15 , wherein said second substrate is an opaque substrate. 
     
     
         25 . The microchip according to  claim 24 , wherein said second substrate is a black substrate. 
     
     
         26 - 29 . (canceled)