Digital Chromatographic Assay System for Ultra-Sensitive Analyte Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current digital assay methods for analyte detection are cumbersome, time-consuming, and difficult to industrialize, limiting their suitability for on-site and rapid detection, and they struggle with achieving ultra-sensitive detection due to complex procedures and sensitivity restrictions.
Innovation Solution
An ultra-sensitive digital rapid chromatographic assay system combining a chromatography reaction system, an optical imaging system, and an image processing system, featuring a lateral or vertical flow chromatographic reaction system with immobilized capture biological ligands and tracer nanoparticles, and utilizing fluorescence or dark-field microscopy for single nanoparticle visualization and counting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If digital PCR or digital ELISA methods are used to achieve ultra-sensitive detection, then detection sensitivity is improved, but device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate due to complicated procedures and difficult standardization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the sample into millions of femtoliter-sized microwells, distributing target molecules across micro-reaction units. This segmentation enables digital reading of single molecule signals while maintaining operational simplicity through automated processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces magnetic beads as intermediaries to capture and concentrate target analytes before detection. This intermediary step simplifies the detection procedure by pre-concentrating targets, thereby improving sensitivity without significantly increasing operational complexity.
2Measurement precision
If single nanoparticle counting methods are used to achieve ultra-trace detection, then detection sensitivity is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to time-consuming procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary concentration of target analytes using magnetic beads before the actual detection step. This preliminary action reduces the time required for single nanoparticle counting by pre-enriching targets, thereby improving productivity without sacrificing detection sensitivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual single nanoparticle counting with automated optical detection systems that can rapidly image and count particles. This substitution of mechanical/manual operations with automated systems significantly improves detection speed while maintaining sensitivity.
3Ease of operation
If traditional immunoassays are used for analyte detection, then ease of operation is maintained, but measurement precision deteriorates due to inability to detect ultra-trace signals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from detecting macroscopic overall signals to detecting single particle signals at the microscopic level. This dimensional change from bulk to single-particle detection enables ultra-trace sensitivity while maintaining operational simplicity through standardized protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the detection parameter from macroscopic signal intensity to single particle count. This parameter change enables detection of ultra-trace analytes while maintaining ease of operation through automated counting systems that simplify data interpretation.
4Ease of operation
If macroscopic overall signal collection is used in immunochromatography, then ease of operation is maintained, but measurement precision deteriorates due to inability to recognize single particle signals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from collecting macroscopic overall signals to visualizing and counting individual particles at the microscopic level. This dimensional change enables recognition of single particle signals while maintaining operational simplicity through standardized imaging and counting procedures.
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 system significantly enhances detection sensitivity, simplifies procedures, reduces detection time, and facilitates easy standardization, enabling fast, cost-effective, and industrializable on-site detection of analytes, improving upon traditional methods by allowing single particle counting and microscopic signal amplification.
Implementation Method 1
The optical imaging system is a fluorescence microscopy amplification or dark-field microscopy amplification optical system, which can visualize a single tracer nanoparticle specifically bound on the reaction membrane of the chromatography reaction system
Implementation Method 2
The optical imaging system is a fluorescence microscopy amplification or dark-field microscopy amplification optical system, which can visualize a single tracer nanoparticle specifically bound on the reaction membrane of the chromatography reaction system
Implementation Method 3
The chromatography reaction system is a lateral flow or vertical flow chromatographic reaction system
Implementation Method 4
a detection area on the reaction membrane of the chromatography reaction system is immobilized with capture biological ligands, and the analytes to be detected is specifically captured and enriched by means of the biological ligands
Data Source
AI summary
An ultra-sensitive digital rapid chromatographic assay system includes a chromatography system, an optical imaging system, and an image processing system. The chromatography system is a lateral flow or vertical flow chromatography system. The detection area on a reaction membrane of the chromatography system is immobilized with capture biological ligands, the analytes to be detected is specifically enriched by means of the captured biological ligands, and the analytes enriched in the detection area is specifically recognized by the detection biological ligands labelled with tracer nanoparticles. The optical imaging system can visualize a single tracer nanoparticle specifically bound on the reaction membrane. The image processing system includes a detection area recognition module and a nanoparticle counting module, and the counted number of tracer nanoparticles specifically binding to the detection area and the concentration of the analytes to be detected are a proportional relationship.