Sample introduction device and detection system

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides a sample introduction device and a detection system, the sample introduction device is applied to a liquid crystal optical sensing system, and the sample introduction device comprises: a housing, the upper surface side of which is provided with a sample introduction port and a detection port; the detection assembly is arranged on the upper surface side of the shell and communicated with the detection port, and the detection assembly comprises a liquid crystal detection chip used for making contact with detection liquid to assist in sensing optical images; the plurality of conveying channels are arranged in the shell, are respectively connected with the sample inlet and the detection port, and are used for receiving the detection liquid and conveying the detection liquid to the detection port, so that the detection liquid is in contact with the liquid crystal detection chip; and the light-transmitting component is arranged in the shell and is used for receiving and transmitting light to the detection port. The sample injection device can accurately and stably realize injection of detection liquid, and the repeatability and the stability of a detection experiment are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of the present invention relate to the field of liquid crystal optical sensing technology, and in particular to a sample injection device and a detection system. Background Art

[0002] Since the discovery of liquid crystal, it has attracted widespread attention due to its unique structure and special properties. It is an ordered fluid between liquid and solid, which has both the fluidity of liquid and the optical anisotropy of crystal. At present, the most widely used is nematic liquid crystal, because external stimuli (such as temperature, physical and chemical interactions, etc.) can affect the short-range interaction and long-range order of nematic liquid crystal molecules, resulting in changes in the orientation of liquid crystals, and different response signals can be observed under a polarizing microscope. For the first time, some research groups used liquid crystal as a signal converter to convert the antigen-antibody immune reaction on the liquid crystal-solid interface into an optical response signal, and conducted pioneering research and found that sodium dodecyl sulfate (an amphiphilic molecule containing a long alkyl chain) adsorbed on the liquid crystal-water interface can induce the liquid crystal to be arranged vertically in an orderly manner. This discovery laid the foundation for the development of liquid-liquid crystal interface sensors. Since then, new liquid crystal sensors have been widely used in the detection of biological molecules such as pathogens, proteins, antigens, enzymes, glucose, cholesterol, or environmental pollutants.

[0003] Since its development, the sample injection system has been widely used in the fields of environment, biology, industry, clinical medicine, etc. In the field of liquid crystal sensing, the response of liquid crystal to external stimuli is at the molecular level, so high-sensitivity detection can be achieved. However, due to its high sensitivity, it is easily affected by the environment, especially the instantaneous state when the sample is added, which will affect the optical image and response time of the intermediate process of the reaction. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present invention provides a sample injection device and a detection system which can accurately and stably realize the injection of detection liquid and improve the repeatability and stability of the detection experiment.

[0005] In order to solve the above technical problems, an embodiment of the present invention provides a sample injection device, which is applied to a liquid crystal optical sensing system. The sample injection device includes:

[0006] The shell has an injection port and a detection port on its upper surface;

[0007] A detection component is disposed on the upper surface side of the housing and communicated with the detection port, the detection component comprising a liquid crystal detection chip for contacting with the detection liquid to assist in sensing the optical image;

[0008] A plurality of delivery channels are provided in the housing and are respectively connected to the injection port and the detection port, and are used to receive the detection liquid and deliver the detection liquid to the detection port so that the detection liquid contacts the liquid crystal detection chip;

[0009] The light-transmitting component is arranged in the housing and is used for receiving and transmitting light to the detection port.

[0010] In some embodiments, there are one or more injection ports, and the plurality of delivery channels include injection channels that are connected to the injection ports in a one-to-one correspondence.

[0011] In some embodiments, a first boss is disposed on the upper surface side of the shell, the top of the first boss is concave to form an injection pool, and the injection port is opened in the injection pool and communicated with the injection pool.

[0012] In some embodiments, the injection port opens upward or tilts upward, and the shape structure of the injection port matches the shape structure of the output end of the liquid delivery device. The injection port is also provided with a rubber ring for correspondingly abutting against the output end.

[0013] In some embodiments, the multiple delivery channels include a detection channel for delivering the detection liquid to the detection port, and a first delivery channel respectively connected to the detection channel and the injection channel. When there are multiple injection channels, the first delivery channel is connected to the multiple injection channels in the form of a manifold structure.

[0014] In some embodiments, a portion of the shell is recessed from its upper surface to form a detection pool, the detection port is opened in the detection pool and communicated with the detection pool, and the liquid crystal detection chip is located in the detection pool.

[0015] In some embodiments, the shape of the detection pool matches the shape of the liquid crystal detection chip, and the upper surface of the housing is further provided with an operating slot connected to the detection pool for picking up the liquid crystal detection chip;

[0016] The housing is also provided with a positioning hole, and the detection device in the liquid crystal optical sensing system is provided with a positioning post corresponding to the position of the positioning hole and capable of being cooperated with and penetrated in the corresponding positioning hole. The detection device at least includes a microscope.

[0017] In some embodiments, the plurality of delivery channels include a vertically opened detection channel for delivering the detection liquid to the detection port, and the light-transmitting component includes a light-guiding portion opened inside the device, a light inlet opened at the bottom of the shell and connected to the light-guiding portion, and a light-inlet plate blocking the light inlet. Light can pass through the light-inlet plate and the light-guiding portion into the detection channel, and then be emitted to the side of the liquid crystal detection chip in contact with the detection liquid.

[0018] In some embodiments, it also includes a sample outlet hole and a collection groove arranged on the upper surface side of the shell, the sample outlet hole and the collection groove are respectively one or more, the multiple delivery channels include multiple sample outlet channels, the sample outlet holes and the collection grooves correspond to the multiple sample outlet channels one by one, and are interconnected, a second delivery channel connecting the sample outlet channels and the detection channel is provided between the multiple sample outlet channels and the detection channel, and the multiple sample outlet channels and the second delivery channel are connected in the form of a manifold structure.

[0019] Another embodiment of the present invention also provides a detection system, including:

[0020] The sample injection device as described in any one of the embodiments above;

[0021] A liquid feeding device, used for feeding the test liquid into the sample injection device through the sample injection port in the sample injection device;

[0022] The detection device is detachably connected to the sample injection device, and the detection device can inject light into the light inlet at the bottom of the sample injection device and can collect the polarized image presented by the liquid crystal detection chip in the sample injection device.

[0023] Based on the disclosure of the above embodiments, it can be known that the beneficial effects of the embodiments of the present invention include being able to solve the problems of low repeatability and poor stability of the sensing system in the existing solution of directly using a sample delivery device to drop the sample on the liquid crystal sensor chip and manually moving the chip for detection. At the same time, the contact position between the added sample and the liquid crystal sensor chip can be accurately controlled to avoid the influence of human factors on the contact position and the angle problem when dropping the detection liquid, thereby improving the repeatability and stability of the experiment.

[0024] Other features and advantages of the present application will be described in the following description, and partly become apparent from the description, or be understood by practicing the present application. The purpose and other advantages of the present application can be realized and obtained by the structures specifically pointed out in the written description, claims, and drawings.

[0025] The technical solution of the present application is further described in detail below through the accompanying drawings and embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] In order to more clearly illustrate the specific implementation methods of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the specific implementation methods or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are some implementation methods of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0027] Figure 1Schematic diagram of the structure of the sample injection device in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of another structure of the sample injection device in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of another structure of the sample injection device in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of another structure of the sample injection device in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 5 This is a microscope image of an application example of the sample injection device in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 6 It is a polarized image of an application example of the sample injection device in the embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 7 FIG. 4 is another polarized image of an application example of the sample injection device in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Reference numerals:

[0035] 1-shell; 2-inlet; 3-outlet; 4-detection component; 5-inlet channel; 6-detection port; 7-collection slot; 8-detection pool; 9-light inlet; 10-detection channel; 11-first delivery channel; 12-second delivery channel; 13-outlet channel; 14-inlet pool; 15-positioning hole. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] The specific embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, but are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0037] It should be understood that various modifications may be made to the embodiments disclosed herein. Therefore, the following description should not be considered as limiting, but merely as an example of an embodiment. Other modifications within the scope of the present disclosure will occur to those skilled in the art.

[0038] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the general description of the present disclosure given above and the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure.

[0039] These and other characteristics of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred form of embodiment given as a non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0040] It should also be understood that, although the invention has been described with reference to some specific examples, those skilled in the art will be able to realize many other equivalent forms of the invention that have the characteristics recited in the claims and are therefore within the scope of protection defined thereby.

[0041] The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0042] Specific embodiments of the present disclosure are described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings; however, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples of the present disclosure, which may be implemented in a variety of ways. Well-known and / or repeated functions and structures are not described in detail to avoid obscuring the present disclosure with unnecessary or redundant details. Therefore, the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not intended to be limiting, but merely serve as a basis and representative basis for the claims to teach those skilled in the art to use the present disclosure in a variety of ways with substantially any suitable detailed structure.

[0043] This specification may use the phrases "in one embodiment," "in another embodiment," "in a further embodiment," or "in other embodiments," all of which may refer to one or more of the same or different embodiments according to the present disclosure.

[0044] The embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0045] like Figure 1 As shown, an embodiment of the present invention provides a sample injection device, which is applied to a liquid crystal optical sensing system, and the sample injection device includes:

[0046] The shell has an injection port and a detection port on its upper surface;

[0047] A detection component is disposed on the upper surface side of the housing and communicated with the detection port, the detection component comprising a liquid crystal detection chip for contacting with the detection liquid to assist in sensing the optical image;

[0048] A plurality of delivery channels are provided in the housing and are respectively connected to the injection port and the detection port, and are used to receive the detection liquid and deliver the detection liquid to the detection port so that the detection liquid contacts the liquid crystal detection chip;

[0049] The light-transmitting component is arranged in the housing and is used for receiving and transmitting light to the detection port.

[0050] The structure of the shell is not specific, for example, it is a cubic type. The shell in this embodiment is a cubic shape with a rectangular cross section. The interior can be a hollow structure, such as a box type, or a solid structure, with multiple conveying channels opened inside. During operation, the staff can use the liquid delivery device to inject the test liquid into the sample injection device through the sample injection port to contact the test liquid with the liquid crystal detection chip to complete the detection. The liquid crystal detection chip is selected to be used in this embodiment because in the field of liquid crystal sensing, the response of liquid crystal to external stimuli is at the molecular level, so it can achieve highly sensitive detection of biological molecules or environmental pollutants such as pathogens, proteins, antigens, enzymes, glucose, cholesterol, etc. However, due to the high sensitivity of liquid crystal detection, it is easily affected by the environment, especially the instantaneous state when adding the sample, which will affect the optical image and response time of the intermediate process of the reaction. By using the sample injection device in this embodiment, the problem of low repeatability and poor stability of the sensing system in the existing scheme of directly using the sample delivery device to drop the sample on the liquid crystal sensor chip and manually moving the chip for detection can be solved. At the same time, the contact position between the added sample and the liquid crystal sensor chip can be accurately controlled to avoid the influence of human factors on the contact position and the angle problem when adding the detection liquid, thereby improving the repeatability and stability of the experiment.

[0051] The liquid crystal detection chip described in this embodiment can be a glass chip, a PDMS chip, etc., such as a glass liquid crystal optofluidic chip, etc.

[0052] Continuing with the figure, the shell in this embodiment is made of a moldable solidified material such as aluminum oxide and polyester, the injection port is one or more, and the multiple delivery channels include injection channels connected to the injection ports in a one-to-one correspondence. That is, the multiple injection channels are respectively connected to the multiple injection ports in a one-to-one correspondence, and when the detection liquid is fed into each injection port, the detection liquid at each injection port enters the shell through the corresponding injection channel.

[0053] In this embodiment, a first boss is provided on the upper surface side of the shell. The structural shape of the first boss is not fixed. In this embodiment, the first boss is an oblong shape, and can also be a rectangle. The top of the first boss is concave to form a sample injection pool. The sample injection port is opened at the bottom of the sample injection pool and is connected to the sample injection pool. Such a configuration can ensure that the detection liquid can enter the sample injection pool even if it overflows, and then flow into the sample injection port to avoid waste, and at the same time, it can also reduce the difficulty of the staff in the sample delivery operation.

[0054] In another embodiment, the injection port opens upward, that is, the injection port is opened vertically, or the injection port can also be set to be inclined upward, that is, the injection port is inclined, and the specific degree of inclination is not limited, and can be comprehensively determined according to the structure and type of the injection device. In order to be more conducive to sample delivery, in this embodiment, the outer structure of the injection port matches the outer structure of the output end of the liquid delivery device, and the injection port is also provided with a rubber ring for correspondingly abutting against the output end. The rubber ring can not only provide contact friction so that the output end of the sample delivery device can be in stable contact with the injection port, but also has a sealing effect to avoid overflow of the detection liquid, causing waste or pollution.

[0055] Furthermore, the plurality of delivery channels include a detection channel for delivering the detection liquid to the detection port, and a first delivery channel connected to the detection channel and the injection channel respectively. When there are multiple injection channels, the first delivery channel is connected to the multiple injection channels in the form of a manifold structure. In this way, each injection channel is connected to the same first delivery channel, so that the first delivery channel collects the detection liquid of all injection channels and delivers it to the detection channel, so that the detection liquid contacts the liquid crystal detection chip, forcing the liquid crystal on the liquid crystal detection chip to change.

[0056] The detection channel in this embodiment is opened vertically, and the detection liquid in the first delivery channel flows along the detection channel to the detection port by the detection liquid continuously input at the injection port as a driving force, and then contacts the liquid crystal detection chip.

[0057] Continuing with the figure, part of the shell is concave from its upper surface to form a detection pool, the detection port is opened in the detection pool and connected to the detection pool, and the liquid crystal detection chip is located in the detection pool. The shape of the detection pool is preferably matched with the liquid crystal detection chip, and its size is larger than the liquid crystal detection chip, so that the staff can place and pick up the liquid crystal detection chip. The liquid crystal detection chip is placed in the detection pool and covers the detection port. The detection liquid flows out of the detection port and contacts the liquid crystal detection chip. In addition, a plurality of limit stop bars can be set in the detection pool, and the plurality of limit stop bars are arranged in different directions to abut against the sides of the liquid crystal detection chip in different directions to limit the position of the liquid crystal detection chip and prevent it from shifting, resulting in unstable contact with the detection liquid in the subsequent process.

[0058] Furthermore, the upper surface side of the shell is also provided with an operating groove connected to the detection pool for picking up the liquid crystal detection chip. The operating groove can be of any shape. The operating groove in this embodiment is circular to facilitate the insertion of fingers. The shell is also provided with a positioning hole. The detection device in the liquid crystal optical sensing system is provided with a positioning column corresponding to the position of the positioning hole and can cooperate with the corresponding positioning hole. The number of the positioning holes corresponds to the number of the positioning columns, and multiple positioning columns can be arranged along the edge of the shell. The detection device includes at least a microscope. The sampling device is mounted on the microscope, and a light source is provided on the microscope. The light source is opposite to the light-transmitting component at the bottom of the sampling device.

[0059] Continuing with the figure, the plurality of delivery channels include a detection channel vertically opened for delivering the detection liquid to the detection port, and the light-transmitting component includes a light-guiding portion opened inside the device, a light-inlet hole opened at the bottom of the shell and connected to the light-guiding portion, and a light-inlet plate blocking the light-inlet hole, and the light-inlet plate can be a high-transmittance glass, etc. Alternatively, a light-inlet channel can be set at the corresponding detection channel in the shell, one end of the light-inlet channel is connected to the light-inlet hole, and the other end is connected to the detection channel, and the connection is also provided with a light-transmitting member, which is used to allow light to enter the detection channel and close the detection channel to prevent the detection liquid from flowing into the light-inlet channel. The light-inlet channel forms a light-guiding portion as a whole, or the shell is a hollow structure, and the internal detection channel is prepared and formed by a light-transmitting material, and the light-guiding portion is any area in the shell that can guide light into the detection channel. That is, light can pass through the light-inlet plate and the light-guiding portion into the detection channel, and then be directed to the side of the liquid crystal detection chip in contact with the detection liquid.

[0060] In another embodiment, the sample injection device further includes a sample outlet hole and a collection slot provided on the upper surface side of the shell, the sample outlet hole and the collection slot are respectively one or more, the multiple delivery channels include multiple sample outlet channels, the sample outlet holes and the collection slots correspond to the multiple sample outlet channels one by one, and are interconnected, a second delivery channel connecting the sample outlet channels and the detection channel is provided between the multiple sample outlet channels and the detection channel, and the multiple sample outlet channels and the second delivery channel are connected in the form of a manifold structure. The sample outlet channel is provided to accommodate or guide out excess detection liquid while ensuring that the detection liquid smoothly enters the detection channel and contacts the liquid crystal detection chip, thereby ensuring the smooth completion of the detection process.

[0061] In specific applications, for example, a glass chip is used to complete the detection of SDS. The sampling system of the present invention is placed under an upright polarizing microscope to collect optical images to verify its feasibility. A chip with an overall size of 18mm×18mm is placed at the detection position. The sensing area of ​​the chip used can be but is not limited to 2.72mm×2.72mm, wherein the side length of the microstructure is 80μm, the size between the two microstructures is 40μm, and the thickness is 16.5μm. The glass liquid crystal optofluidic chip can also be replaced with a PDMS liquid crystal optofluidic chip. For example, the sensing area of ​​the chip is 2.72mm×2.72mm, wherein the side length of the microstructure is 80μm, the size between the two microstructures is 40μm, and the thickness is 20μm. Taking the glass chip as an example, first, the light from the microscope is irradiated onto the chip through the light inlet, and the collected microscope image is as follows Figure 5 After the chip is filled with liquid crystal, the polarized image of the liquid crystal optofluidic chip is as shown in Figure 6 As shown. Further, at the injection port of the injection device, 840 μL of 10 μM SDS solution was added using an electric pipette. The sample first passed through the injection channel, then slowly entered the detection channel and the sample output channel, and the polarization image of the sample after contacting for 1 minute was recorded, as shown in FIG. Figure 7 As shown. The results show that the imaging is very uniform in the entire field of view. Among them, the electric pipette used can control the flow rate to enter at a consistent rate, and has the same initial state each time it contacts the liquid crystal sensor chip. The time for recording the sample is not limited to 1 minute, and can also be 2 minutes, etc., which is not specific.

[0062] Another embodiment of the present invention also provides a detection system, including:

[0063] The sample injection device as described in any one of the embodiments above;

[0064] A liquid feeding device, used for feeding the test liquid into the sample injection device through the sample injection port in the sample injection device;

[0065] The detection device is detachably connected to the sample injection device, and the detection device can inject light into the light inlet at the bottom of the sample injection device and can collect the polarized image presented by the liquid crystal detection chip in the sample injection device.

[0066] The above embodiments are only exemplary embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. The protection scope of the present invention is defined by the claims. Those skilled in the art may make various modifications or equivalent substitutions to the present invention within the essence and protection scope of the present invention, and such modifications or equivalent substitutions shall also be deemed to fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A sample injection device, used in a liquid crystal optical sensing system, characterized in that: The sample injection device comprises: The shell has an injection port and a detection port on its upper surface; A detection component is disposed on the upper surface side of the housing and communicated with the detection port, the detection component comprising a liquid crystal detection chip for contacting with the detection liquid to assist in sensing the optical image; A plurality of delivery channels are provided in the housing and are respectively connected to the injection port and the detection port, and are used to receive the detection liquid and deliver the detection liquid to the detection port so that the detection liquid contacts the liquid crystal detection chip; The light-transmitting component is arranged in the housing and is used for receiving and transmitting light to the detection port.

2. The sample injection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: There are one or more injection ports, and the plurality of delivery channels include injection channels that are connected to the injection ports in a one-to-one correspondence.

3. The sample injection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A first boss is disposed on the upper surface side of the shell, the top of the first boss is concave to form a sample injection pool, and the sample injection port is opened in the sample injection pool and communicated with the sample injection pool.

4. The sample injection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The injection port opens upward or tilts upward, and the shape structure of the injection port matches the shape structure of the output end of the liquid delivery device. The injection port is also provided with a rubber ring for correspondingly abutting against the output end.

5. The sample injection device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The multiple delivery channels include a detection channel for delivering the detection liquid to the detection port, and a first delivery channel respectively connected to the detection channel and the injection channel. When there are multiple injection channels, the first delivery channel is connected to the multiple injection channels in the form of a manifold structure.

6. The sample injection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A portion of the shell is concave from the upper surface side thereof to form a detection pool, the detection port is opened in the detection pool and communicated with the detection pool, and the liquid crystal detection chip is located in the detection pool.

7. The sample injection device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The shape of the detection pool matches the shape of the liquid crystal detection chip, and the upper surface of the housing is also provided with an operating slot connected to the detection pool for picking up the liquid crystal detection chip; The housing is also provided with a positioning hole, and the detection device in the liquid crystal optical sensing system is provided with a positioning post corresponding to the position of the positioning hole and capable of being cooperated with and penetrated in the corresponding positioning hole. The detection device at least includes a microscope.

8. The sample injection device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The multiple conveying channels include a vertically opened detection channel for conveying the detection liquid to the detection port. The light-transmitting component includes a light-guiding portion opened inside the device, a light inlet hole opened at the bottom of the shell and connected to the light-guiding portion, and a light-inlet plate blocking the light inlet hole. Light can pass through the light-inlet plate and the light-guiding portion into the detection channel, and then be emitted to the side of the liquid crystal detection chip that contacts the detection liquid.

9. The sample injection device according to claim 5, characterized in that: It also includes a sample outlet hole and a collecting groove arranged on the upper surface side of the shell, the sample outlet hole and the collecting groove are respectively one or more, the multiple delivery channels include multiple sample outlet channels, the sample outlet holes and the collecting grooves correspond to the multiple sample outlet channels one by one, and are connected to each other, a second delivery channel connecting the sample outlet channels and the detection channel is provided between the multiple sample outlet channels and the detection channel, and the multiple sample outlet channels and the second delivery channel are connected in the form of a manifold structure.

10. A detection system, characterized in that: include: The sampling device according to any one of claims 1 to 9; A liquid feeding device, used for feeding the test liquid into the sample injection device through the sample injection port in the sample injection device; The detection device is detachably connected to the sample injection device, and the detection device can inject light into the light inlet at the bottom of the sample injection device and can collect the polarized image presented by the liquid crystal detection chip in the sample injection device.

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