Measuring System, Such as an Interaction Measuring System and a Measuring Method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for the measurement of at least one sample by the interaction with the surface in the field of at least one sensor surface, such as surface plasmon resonance measurement, comprising the steps of: i) sampling the sample and a buffer; ii) transporting the sample and the buffer to at least one flow cell which is in liquid contact with the sensor surface of at least one sensor for measuring a parameter of a sample by interaction of the sample at the sensor surface in the field of the sensor surface; iii) transporting the sample into the flow cell into contact with the sensor surface; iv) handling a separation fluidim by inserting and/or removing the separation fluidim between the sample and the buffer upstream and/or downstream of the sensor surface; v) measuring the interaction of the sample at the sensor surface; and vi) dispensing the sample from the flow cell, and to a measuring system for such method.

1 . Measuring system for measurement of at least one sample, comprising:
 at least one sensor having at least one sensor surface;   at least one flow cell which is in liquid contact with at least the sensor surface, and having an inlet connected to an inlet port of the flow cell, and an outlet connected to an outlet port of the flow cell;   a detection unit for measuring at least one parameter of the sample caused by interaction of the sample at the sensor surface in the field of the sensor surface;   sampling means for supplying at least one sample and a buffer to the sensor surface;   liquid transport means for liquid transport, and connected to the inlet and the outlet of the flow cell; and   means for handling separation fluidum upstream and/or downstream of the sensor surface, and connected to the inlet and/or the outlet of the flow cell.   
     
     
         2 . System according to  claim 1 , wherein the handling means comprise downstream handling means for handling the separation fluidum downstream of the sensor surface, and comprising an outlet parking line connected at a connection (Y 2 ) to the outlet and via valve means to liquid transport means. 
     
     
         3 . System according to  claim 2 , wherein the handling means comprise upstream handling means for handling separation medium upstream of the sensor surface, and comprising an inlet parking line connected at a connection (Y 1 ) to the inlet, and via valve means to the liquid transport means. 
     
     
         4 . System according to  claim 3 , wherein the system comprises means for the back and forth movement of the liquid, and a distance (b) of the connection Y 2  to the outlet port of the flow cell is such that during the back and forth movement the separation fluidum will not contact the sensor surface. 
     
     
         5 . System according to  claim 4 , wherein the distance (b) is such that the volume between the connection Y 2  and the outlet port is greater than the volume of the separation fluidum between sample and buffer, and of the stroke volume of the back and forth stroke. 
     
     
         6 . System according to  claim 5 , wherein the sample volume is larger than the liquid volume between the connections Y 1  and Y 2 . 
     
     
         7 . System according to  claim 6 , wherein the liquid transportation means comprise a combined line connected to the outlet of the flow cell. 
     
     
         8 . System according to  claim 7 , comprising at least one sample parking line connected to the outlet air park line and/or the inlet parking line, and via valve means to liquid transportation means. 
     
     
         9 . System according to  claim 8 , wherein the valve means comprise at least one switch unit comprising at least two outlets connected to parking lines and/or the combined line, and at least one inlet connected to the liquid transportation means. 
     
     
         10 . System according to  claim 9 , wherein the system is a surface plasmon resonance measuring system, and wherein the detection unit is an optical unit for measuring the surface plasmon resonance angle of light incidence at the sensor surface. 
     
     
         11 . Method for the measurement of at least one sample by the interaction with the surface in the field of at least one sensor surface, comprising:
 sampling the sample and a buffer;   transporting the sample and the buffer to at least one flow cell which is in liquid contact with the sensor surface of at least one sensor for measuring a parameter of a sample by interaction of the sample at the sensor surface in the field of the sensor surface;   transporting the sample into the flow cell into contact with the sensor surface;   handling a separation fluidum by inserting and/or removing the separation fluidum between the sample and the buffer upstream and/or downstream of the sensor surface;   measuring the interaction of the sample at the sensor surface; and   dispensing the sample from the flow cell.   
     
     
         12 . Method according to  claim 11 , comprising the step of handling separation fluidum by inserting and/or removing separation fluidum between the sample and the buffer upstream of the sensor surface. 
     
     
         13 . Method according to  claim 12 , comprising the step of removing and/or inserting the separation fluidum from between the sample and the buffer downstream of the sensor surface. 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . Method according to  claim 12 , comprising the step of removing the separation fluidum from between the sample and the buffer downstream of the sensor surface before the step of dispensing the sample through the flow cell]. 
     
     
         18 . Method according to  claim 13 , wherein the measurement is carried out under back and forth movement of the sample, such that buffer or separation fluidum does not contact the sensor surface. 
     
     
         19 . Method according to  claim 18 , wherein at least one additional sample is inserted directly after the first sample. 
     
     
         20 . Method according to  claim 19  wherein the additional sample placed in between separation fluidum is parked for later insertion directly after the first sample. 
     
     
         21 . Method according to  claim 19 , wherein the step of measuring the interaction of the sample at the sensor surface comprises measuring the surface plasmon
 resonance angle of light incidence of the sample at the sensor surface.