Microarray processing apparatus, well plate for microarray processing apparatus, microarray holder, and microarray washing method

Abstract

Provided is a microarray processing apparatus which is capable of sufficiently washing a microarray. The microarray processing apparatus ( 30 ) includes a well plate ( 38 ) in which one or two or more wells ( 40 ) are formed, each well ( 40 ) accommodating a microarray ( 1 ), and a suction nozzle ( 46 ) that suctions a liquid from the well. The well has a concave portion whose upper end is opened, which has a depth equal to or greater than a height of the microarray, and into which a front end of the suction nozzle can be inserted up to a height position of a lower end of the microarray accommodated in the well. The suction nozzle can relatively descend in the well until the front end of the suction nozzle is located at the height position of the lower end of the microarray accommodated in the well.

1 . A well plate comprising:
 a plate; and   one or more wells formed in the plate, each being capable of accommodating a microarray and having a concave portion formed at an inner wall of each well,   wherein the concave portion comprises an opened upper end and extends along a depth direction of each well from a bottom surface of each well to the opened upper end, a length of the concave portion along the depth direction of each well is equal to or greater than a height of the microarray, and front end of a suction nozzle that suctions a liquid from each well can be inserted into the concave portion up to a height position of a lower end of the microarray accommodated in each well.   
     
     
         2 . The well plate according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the concave portion of each well has a shape into which the front end of the suction nozzle can be inserted up to a position lower than the height position of the lower end of the microarray accommodated in each well.   
     
     
         3 . The well plate according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the concave portion of each well has a shape into which a front end of an injection nozzle through which a liquid is injected into each well can be inserted up to a position lower than a height position of an upper end of the microarray accommodated in each well.   
     
     
         4 . The well plate according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the concave portion of each well has a shape into which the front end of the injection nozzle can be inserted up to a position lower than the height position of the lower end of the microarray accommodated in each well.   
     
     
         5 . A microarray holder that holds a flat plate-shaped microarray, the microarray holder comprising:
 a holding frame which pinches an outer edge portion of the microarray from both sides of one main surface and the other main surface of the microarray in a state in which at least a central portion of the microarray is exposed, and which faces a side surface of the microarray,   wherein a portion of the holding frame, which faces the one main surface of the microarray, is separated from a portion of the holding frame which faces the side surface of the microarray, and is located on an inner side of the microarray in relation to the side surface of the microarray.   
     
     
         6 . The microarray holder according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the holding frame comprises:   a frame main body that continuously comes into contact with an outer edge portion of the one main surface of the microarray and a side surface that is adjacent to the outer edge portion; and   a cover member that comes into contact with an outer edge portion of the other main surface of the microarray and pinches the outer edge of the microarray together in combination with the frame main body, and   the cover member comes into contact with the other main surface of the microarray at a position spaced away from the side surface of the microarray toward an inner side of the microarray.   
     
     
         7 . The microarray holder according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein the frame main body and the cover member pinch the outer edge of the microarray at positions that are at least partially offset in a thickness direction of the microarray.   
     
     
         8 . The microarray holder according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein the frame main body and the cover member pinch the outer edge of the microarray at positions that are completely offset in the thickness direction of the microarray.   
     
     
         9 . A microarray holder comprising:
 a frame main body having an aperture therethrough, the frame main body comprising:
 a recess formed on a main surface of the frame main body and comprising a portion which is adjacent to and extend along at least part of a circumference of the aperture; and 
 a guide formed on the recess and projecting from a main surface of the recess; and 
   a cover plate having a concave portion formed on a side surface of the cover plate, the cover plate being mounted on the main surface of the frame main body at a portion other than the recess such that the guide is exposed through the concave portion and that a space between the cover plate and the recess is formed, the space being capable of accommodating a flat plate-shaped microarray therein such that at least part of a main surface of the microarray is exposed through the aperture of the frame main body.   
     
     
         10 . The microarray holder according to  claim 9 , wherein the aperture has a substantially rectangular shape, and the recess comprises at least two portions which are adjacent to and extend along at least part of two sides of the substantially rectangular shape of the aperture. 
     
     
         11 . The microarray holder according to  claim 9 , wherein in a direction perpendicular to the main surface of the frame main body, the recess partially overlaps the cover plate. 
     
     
         12 . The microarray holder according to  claim 9 , wherein in a direction perpendicular to the main surface of the frame main body, the recess does not overlap the cover plate.