Device and Method for Detecting Analyte by Movement of Particles

Abstract

The present invention relates to an analyte detection device comprising: a sample chamber for storing a mixture solution of a sample comprising an analyte and a reactant comprising particles; a detection chamber for storing a detection solution; and a channel placed between the sample chamber and the detection chamber to prevent the mixture solution and the detection solution from being mixed with each other, the analyte detection device characterized by detecting the analyte by moving the particles from the sample chamber to the detection chamber using moving means.

1 . An analyte detection device comprising:
 a sample chamber configured to contain a mixed solution of a reactant comprising particles and a sample containing an analyte;   a detection chamber configured to contain a detection solution; and   a channel located between the sample chamber and the detection chamber so as to prevent the mixed solution and the detection solution from mixing with each other,   wherein the analyte is detected by moving the particles from the sample chamber to the detection chamber using moving means.   
     
     
         2 . The analyte detection device of  claim 1 , wherein the detection solution contains at least one selected from the group consisting of glycerol, sugar and Ficoll, which can increase the specific gravity of the detection solution. 
     
     
         3 . The analyte detection device of  claim 1 , further comprising, between the sample chamber and the detection chamber, a labeling chamber configured to contain a labeling solution, wherein the labeling chamber is connected to the sample chamber and the detection chamber by the channel. 
     
     
         4 - 5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The analyte detection device of  claim 1 , wherein the detection chamber comprises a receptor capable of binding to the particles on at least one side. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The analyte detection device of  claim 1 , further comprising a reactant chamber connected to one side of the sample chamber through a first connection passage and configured to store the reactant, wherein the first connection passage has a diameter smaller than that of each of the reactant chamber and the sample chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The analyte detection device of  claim 8 , wherein the reactant chamber comprises a first cavity formed therein and a reactant chamber plug disposed in an upper portion of the first cavity so as to be movable up and down by external pressure,
 wherein the reactant is placed in a lower portion of the first cavity so that it will be discharged to the first connection passage by movement of the reactant chamber plug.   
     
     
         10 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The analyte detection device of  claim 1 , further comprising a buffer chamber connected to the channel through a second connection passage to store the buffer, wherein a diameter of the second connection passage is smaller than that of each of the buffer chamber and the sample chamber. 
     
     
         13 . The analyte detection device of  claim 12 , wherein the buffer chamber comprises a second cavity formed therein and a buffer chamber plug disposed in an upper portion of the second cavity so as to be movable up and down by external pressure,
 wherein the buffer is contained in a lower portion of the second cavity so that it will be discharged to the sample chamber through the second connection passage and the channel by up-and-down movement of the buffer chamber plug.   
     
     
         14 . The analyte detection device of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a fixing cover provided at a top of the analyte detection device;   a first protrusion formed on the fixing cover at a position corresponding to the reactant chamber plug; and   a second protrusion formed on the fixing cover at a position corresponding to the buffer chamber plug,   wherein the first protrusion and the second protrusion move the reactant chamber plug and the buffer chamber plug downward by external pressure.   
     
     
         15 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The analyte detection device of  claim 1 , wherein the particles are at least one kind of particles selected from the group consisting of silica particles, polystyrene particles, polycarbonate particles, glass particles, alumina particles, gold particles, silver particles, palladium particles, platinum particles, titania particles, zirconium particles, and core-shell particles. 
     
     
         18 . The analyte detection device of  claim 1  wherein the particles have a receptor immobilized thereon. 
     
     
         19 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The analyte detection device of  claim 1 , wherein the moving means is a centrifugal force, gravity or a magnetic force. 
     
     
         23 . The analyte detection device of claim wherein the particles are composed of a plurality of kinds of particles and comprise magnetic particles and nonmagnetic particles. 
     
     
         24 . The analyte detection device of claim wherein the particles are composed of a plurality of kinds of particles, and comprise particles having a specific gravity lower than that of the detection solution and particles having a specific gravity higher than that of the detection solution. 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . The analyte detection device of  claim 1 , further comprising a vibrating unit configured to apply vibration. 
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . A method for detecting an analyte using an analyte detection device, the analyte detection device comprising: a sample chamber configured to contain a mixed solution of a sample containing the analyte and a reactant comprising capture particles and labeling particles; a detection chamber configured to contain a detection solution; and a channel located between the sample chamber and the detection chamber so as to prevent the mixed solution and the detection solution from mixing with each other; the method comprising the steps of:
 mixing the reactant with the sample in the sample chamber to form a capture particle-analyte-labeling particle complex;   moving the capture particle-analyte-labeling particle complex to the detection chamber by moving means; and   detecting the analyte in the detection chamber.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the capture particles are magnetic particles having immobilized thereon a primary receptor specific for the analyte, and the labeling particles are nonmagnetic particles which have immobilized thereon the primary receptor specific for the analyte and comprise a label. 
     
     
         30 - 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . A method for detecting an analyte using an analyte detection device, the analyte detection device comprising: a sample chamber configured to contain a mixed solution of a sample containing the analyte and a reactant comprising capture particles having immobilized thereon a primary receptor specific for the analyte and a labeled standard material having a label linked to a standard material; a detection chamber configured to contain a detection solution; and a channel located between the sample chamber and the detection chamber so as to prevent the mixed solution and the detection solution from mixing with each other; the method comprising the steps of:
 mixing the reactant and the sample in the sample chamber to form a capture particle-analyte complex and a capture particle-labeled standard material complex;   moving the capture particle-analyte complex and the capture particle-labeled standard material complex to the detection chamber by moving means; and   detecting the analyte in the detection chamber by use of the label linked to the labeled standard material,   wherein the standard material is capable of binding to the primary receptor competitively with the analyte.   
     
     
         33 . A method for detecting an analyte using an analyte detection device, the analyte detection device comprising: a sample chamber configured to contain a mixed solution of a sample containing the analyte and a reactant which comprises capture particles having immobilized thereon a primary receptor specific for the analyte and a secondary receptor specific for the primary receptor and which also comprises a labeled standard material having a label linked to a standard material; a detection chamber configured to contain a detection solution; and a channel located between the sample chamber and the detection chamber so as to prevent the mixed solution and the detection solution from mixing with each other; the method comprising the steps of:
 mixing the reactant and the sample in the sample chamber to form a capture particle-primary receptor-analyte complex and a capture particle-primary receptor-labeled standard material complex;   moving the capture particle-primary receptor-analyte complex and the capture particle-primary receptor-labeled standard material complex to the detection chamber by moving means; and   detecting the analyte in the detection chamber by use of the label linked to the labeled standard material,   wherein the standard material is capable of binding to the primary receptor competitively with the analyte.   
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . A method for detecting an analyte using an analyte detection device, the analyte detection device comprising: a sample chamber configured to contain a mixed solution of a sample containing an analyte and a reactant comprising capture particles having immobilized thereon a first receptor specific for the analyte and a labeled receptor having a label attached to a second receptor specific for the analyte; a detection chamber configured to contain a detection solution; and a channel located between the sample chamber and the detection chamber so as to prevent the mixed solution and the detection solution from mixing with each other; the method comprising the steps of:
 mixing the reactant and the sample in the sample chamber to form a capture particle-analyte-labeled receptor complex;   moving the capture particle-analyte-labeled receptor complex to the detection chamber by moving means; and   detecting the analyte using the label attached to the labeled receptor,   wherein the first receptor and the second receptor are capable of binding non-competitively to different sites of the analyte.   
     
     
         36 - 59 . (canceled)