Fluorescent Nanoparticle Detection Reducing Background Noise

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current immunohistological staining methods using high-luminance fluorescent labeling materials suffer from increased background noise and lack quantitativity, making it difficult to accurately detect specific biological substances like HER2 in breast cancer diagnosis.

Innovation Solution

The use of fluorescent substance-encapsulated nanoparticles as color formers, combined with nanoparticles encapsulating no fluorescent substance as a blocking agent to prevent non-specific adsorption, enhances the signal-to-noise ratio and accuracy of detection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If high-luminance fluorescent labeling materials are used to improve detection sensitivity, then the signal intensity increases, but background noise increases and measurement precision deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection precisionVSAvoidbackground noise
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention divides the fluorescent labeling system into two distinct components: fluorescent substance-encapsulated nanoparticles (signal-forming particles) and nanoparticles encapsulating no fluorescent substance (blocking particles). This segmentation allows the signal generation and noise suppression functions to be separated and optimized independently, resolving the contradiction between detection sensitivity and background noise.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The blocking particles act as an intermediary substance that mediates between the fluorescent signal and the background noise. By competing for non-specific binding sites, these particles suppress background noise without affecting the specific fluorescent signal, thereby improving measurement precision while maintaining detection sensitivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-generated harmful factors

If conventional blocking agents are used to reduce non-specific adsorption, then background noise is reduced, but the blocking ability is insufficient compared to nanoparticles

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenon-specific adsorptionVSAvoidblocking ability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the physical parameter of the blocking agent from conventional small molecules or proteins to nanoparticles. This size parameter change provides two advantages: (1) nanoparticles have larger surface area for blocking non-specific sites, and (2) their size is comparable to the target structures, enabling more effective steric blocking. This parameter change significantly enhances blocking ability and reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If fluorescent dyes or semiconductor nanoparticles are incorporated to increase fluorescence quantity, then detection sensitivity improves, but non-specific bonding increases and background noise increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefluorescence detection sensitivityVSAvoidnon-specific bonding complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention segments the fluorescent labeling function from the blocking function into two separate particle types. The fluorescent substance-encapsulated nanoparticles provide signal with controlled non-specific bonding, while the separate blocking particles specifically address the non-specific bonding issue. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by allowing each component to be optimized for its specific function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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 approach allows for improved histologically stained images with enhanced diagnostic accuracy by reducing background noise and increasing the precision of HER2 detection in breast cancer diagnosis.

Implementation Method 1

fluorescent substance-encapsulated nanoparticles to whose particle surfaces biological substance-recognizing molecules have been bonded

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluorescence: Fluorescence

Implementation Method 2

nanoparticles encapsulating no fluorescent substance are used as a blocking agent for preventing the fluorescent substance-encapsulated nanoparticles from being non-specifically adsorbed

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Data Source

PatentUS9632081B2Detection method for biological substance
Publication Date: 2017.04.25 KONICA MINOLTA INC

AI summary

A detection method for a specific biological substance uses, as a color former, fluorescent substance-encapsulated nanoparticles which have biological substance-recognizing molecules. The biological substance-recognizing molecules specifically recognize a specific biological substance. The biological substance-recognizing molecules are bonded to the surface of the nanoparticles. Nanoparticles encapsulating no fluorescent substance are used as a blocking agent for preventing the fluorescent substance-encapsulated nanoparticles from being non-specifically adsorbed on a biological substance other than the specific biological substance.