This paper introduces a new methodology of carrying out heterogeneous immunoassays automatically, using a flow injection technique on a renewable surface. Flow injection renewable surface immunoassay (FIRSI) relies on the use of a minute amount of beads to form a reactive surface, which is interrogated by fluorescence spectrometry. Following the assay, on-line regeneration normally used in flow based immunoassays is avoided by fluidically removing the spent reactive surface and replacing it with a new layer of beads. This allows the monitoring of antibody-antigen binding at its early stages, dramatically increases the sampling frequency of a serial assay, and eliminates the problems associated with a decrease in surface reactivity caused by repetitive use. A model system utilizing anti-mouse IgG1-coated beads and mouse IgG1 protein is used to characterize the method with respect to reproducibility, flow rate, contact time, and amount of beads.
A new flow cell design for spectroscopic measurements of suspensions, the jet ring cell, is introduced. This cell exploits radial flow through a narrow ring-shaped gap to retain suspended particles within the detection region. This ring constitutes a detection volume of well-defined area from which the trapped particles can be instantaneously removed at will. The bed of particles thus forms a renewable surface, which can be probed by reflectance, fluorescence, or chemiluminescence using a microscope or optical fiber. This device should prove useful for microscopic study of cells, for automated immunoassays, and for preconcentration of analytes on sorbents with in situ spectroscopic detection. In conjunction with a fiber optic detection system, the jet ring cell becomes a component of a renewable chemical sensor system.
A novel sequential injection immunoassay (SIIA) method is described which utilizes immunomagnetic beads to investigate short-time antibody binding. The method is versatile and flexible and may therefore be adapted to many different applications. Initial results for a competitive assay are also presented. The immunomagnetic bead reactor is created within the flowing stream by retaining immunomagnetic beads with an electromagnet to form an open tube reactor. Thus, the spent beads may be discharged after each analysis. This eliminates the problems of instability of reaction surfaces and eliminates the need for additional time traditionally required for regeneration of the solid-reacting phase in order to not only save time and increase sampling frequency but also to provide each individual sampling cycle with a fresh, uniform portion of beads. The spent beads are collected off line and may be regenerated later. Short-time binding kinetic studies demonstrate linear initial binding under 1 min, which then begins to reach saturation in approximately 10 min. Competitive binding assays of monoclonal mouse IgG (MRC OX-19) to polyclonal sheep anti-mouse IgG immobilized to the immunomagnetic beads show reproducible linear displacement in 30-120-s reactions. Fluorescence detection is utilized with a detection limit of 155 ng/mL, and since the reaction time is typically 2 min or shorter, the sampling frequency is 30 samples/h.
A chemiluminescence (CL) system that combines the simplicity and reproducibility of sequential injection analysis (SIA) with the radial flow properties of the fountain cell was developed. Optimum conditions for SIA involving three overlapping zones were deduced and the analytical utility of the system was demonstrated by the determination of hydrogen peroxide and glucose, both analyses based on the luminol reaction. The results obtained show that the combination of SIA and the fountain cell can be used for quantitative analysis and a study of reaction kinetics. The system has minimum reagent consumption and can be evaluated without any reconfiguration of the equipment or reagents involved in a given analysis.
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