Manufacture and use of non-standard size microarray slides

Abstract

Methods and devices are disclosed for microarray analysis. In one embodiment a method is disclosed for processing a non-standard size slide having an array of chemical compounds attached to a surface of the slide. A sample is exposed to the surface of the non-standard size slide wherein components in the sample bind to the chemical compounds on the surface of the slide. The sample and the slide are incubated under conditions for carrying out the binding reactions, and the surface of the non-standard size slide is examined for the results of the binding reactions. Prior to the exposing step or the incubating step or the examining step, the non-standard size slide is placed into a slide holder comprising a slide-holding section a slide-holding section adapted to dispose the non-standard size slide to a processing instrument in a manner similar to that for a standard size slide. The non-standard size slide may also include an identifier such as a bar code.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 030,391 filed Jan. 5, 2005, which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 671,966 filed Sep. 27, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,864,097, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates to the manufacture of supports or substrates having bound to the surfaces thereof a plurality of chemical compounds, such as biopolymers. In particular, the invention relates to the manufacture of microarray slides of non-standard size and, more particularly, to the manufacture of microarray slides having a size that is smaller in at least one dimension than a standard microscopic slide. [0003] In the field of diagnostics and therapeutics, it is often useful to attach species to a surface. One important application is in solid phase chemical synthesis wherein initial derivatiz...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a method for processing non-standard size slides with chemical compounds attached to a surface. The method involves exposing a sample to the surface of the non-standard size slide and incubating it under conditions for carrying out the binding reactions. The surface of the non-standard size slide is then examined for the results of the binding reactions. A holder is used for the non-standard size slide to facilitate processing it in a similar manner to a standard size slide. The invention also provides a device comprising a non-standard size slide with a single array of chemical compounds on its surface and an identifier on it. The technical effects of the invention include improved processing of non-standard size slides with chemical compounds attached to a surface and increased efficiency in the binding reaction analysis.

Problems solved by technology

However, since many of the known apparatus are designed assuming one array per slide, standard microscope slides that have more than one array for conservation of samples and reagents, minimization of sample handling steps, and the like, usually include barriers for separating the arrays from one another during the processing and examining stages.

All of the above contribute to higher costs of manufacture and use.

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