Capillary Electrophoresis with Affinity-Based Analyte Concentrators
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Solution Overview
Problem
Capillary electrophoresis instruments face limitations in sensitivity, particularly for samples at sub-nanomolar quantities, and have low throughput, making it challenging to analyze multiple samples with varying concentrations efficiently.
Innovation Solution
An electrophoresis apparatus with multiple transport and separation capillaries, incorporating analyte concentrators that use affinity probes to bind target compounds, allowing for sequential binding and elution of analytes, and the use of chromophoric reagents to enhance detection sensitivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If capillary electrophoresis is used for analyzing samples at sub-nanomolar quantities, then measurement precision is improved, but sensitivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary concentration action by passing the sample through a solid-phase microextraction device before electrophoresis. This device pre-concentrates the analyte in the capillary, ensuring sufficient analyte quantity reaches the detection zone. This preliminary action resolves the contradiction by preparing the sample in advance to have both high precision separation capability and sufficient sensitivity for detection.
2Device complexity
If conventional capillary electrophoresis is used, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the capillary electrophoresis system into multiple independent capillaries, each capable of simultaneous analysis. This segmentation allows parallel processing of multiple samples, dramatically increasing throughput. The modular nature of segmented capillaries maintains relative simplicity while achieving high productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a multi-functional system where a single capillary electrophoresis instrument can analyze multiple different analytes simultaneously in different capillaries. The system can handle various sample types and concentrations, making it universally applicable to diverse analytical needs while maintaining high throughput.
3Reliability
If solid-phase microextraction devices are added to concentrate analytes, then sensitivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the solid-phase microextraction concentration function directly into the capillary electrophoresis instrument. The microextraction device is integrated with the capillary system, combining concentration and separation functions in a unified instrument. This merging approach improves sensitivity while minimizing the increase in overall system complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This setup significantly improves sensitivity and throughput, enabling the analysis of multiple samples with high and low concentrations, including those in diluted solutions, by effectively concentrating and detecting analytes through multiple separation methods.
Implementation Method 1
The analyte concentrator contains affinity probes to bind target compounds
Implementation Method 2
When high voltage is applied to a capillary filled with an appropriate solution and/or matrix, molecular components migrate through the tube at different rates and physically separate them
Implementation Method 3
an additional analyte concentrator containing a chromophoric reagent may be placed in one or more of the separation capillaries to react with the analyte present in that capillary
Data Source
AI summary
A disease detection system which includes an electrophoresis apparatus and a biomarker detector. The apparatus includes: (a) a transport passage; (b) a plurality of separation passages, each of the separation passages having an overlapping portion that overlaps the transport passage; and (c) a different biomarker concentrator in each of the overlapping portions and which concentrates at least one different biomarker from a specimen from an animal introduced into the transport passage. A plurality of the different biomarkers is associated with at least one predetermined disease, such as diabetes, heart disease or cancer. The detector detects the presence of the different biomarkers which were concentrated by the biomarker concentrators and delivered to the biomarker detector via the separation passages. First and second sets of the biomarker concentrators can be associated with respective first and second predetermined diseases and the user can determine which set will be used in each procedure.