Immunochromatographic Sensor with Mask Antigen for Intuitive Concentration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional competitive immunochromatographic sensors lack intuitive visualization of molecular concentration, leading to potential user errors in judging the presence or absence of substances due to non-intuitive color signals that inversely correlate with substance concentration, making it difficult to determine cutoff values and quantify narrow concentration ranges.
Innovation Solution
The method involves creating a competitive immunochromatographic analysis using judgement parts on a membrane carrier with a text antibody and a mask antigen, where the ratio of these components differs between parts, allowing for intuitive concentration judgment based on the appearance of characters or figures formed by the text antibody and mask antigen, rather than relying solely on color shades.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If competitive immunochromatography is used to detect substance concentration, then the detection method is simple and rapid, but the color signal shows negative correlation with concentration making visual judgment non-intuitive and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional competitive immunochromatography signal interpretation by using a mask antigen that blocks the test line, causing the substance of interest to appear as a visible character or figure. When the target substance concentration is high, it competes effectively for labeled antibodies, preventing them from binding to the mask antigen, thus the character remains visible. This inversion transforms the non-intuitive negative correlation into an intuitive positive visual display where higher concentration equals more visible character.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes color changes and visual appearance of characters/figures instead of relying on color density variations. The test line contains a character or figure formed by antibodies that bind to the target substance, creating a visible optical signal that directly correlates with concentration. This approach replaces subtle color density differences with distinct visual character appearance, making judgment intuitive and eliminating the need to interpret negative correlations.
2Loss of time
If conventional competitive immunochromatography is used, then the test can be performed quickly, but it is very difficult to determine cutoff values and quantify narrow concentration ranges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the measurement parameter from color density (which has limited dynamic range and difficult cutoff determination) to the presence, absence, or visibility intensity of a character or figure. This parameter transformation enables precise quantification across narrow concentration ranges by measuring the optical characteristics of the visible character, while maintaining rapid testing. The character's visibility provides a clear threshold for cutoff determination and allows for semi-quantitative analysis through image processing or visual assessment.
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 enables accurate and intuitive visualization of substance concentration, allowing for easier judgment and adjustment of cutoff values, reducing user errors and improving sensitivity by correlating the visibility of characters or figures with substance concentration.
Implementation Method 1
a step for competitively binding the labeled antibody to the substance to be measured, the mask antigen and the text antibody on the judgement parts
Implementation Method 2
the labeled substance and in the test solution are allowed to competitively react with the anti-bilirubin antibody
Implementation Method 3
the mixed solution consisting of the labeled substance and the test solution is subjected to chromatographic development on the membrane carrier toward the capture part
Data Source
AI summary
[Problem to be solved by the invention]The purpose of the present invention is to provide a competitive immunochromatographic analysis method and immunochromatographic sensor using said analysis method capable of intuitively displaying a molecular concentration of a substance to be measured and facilitating visual judgement of the molecular concentration.[Problem to be solved by the invention]Competitive immunochromatographic analysis method according to the present invention is characterized in that the method comprisesa step for supplying a mixed solution, in which a test solution containing a substance to be measured A and a labeled antibody B are mixed, to one or more judgement parts wherein said judgement parts are formed by immobilizing a text antibody C which specifically reacts with the labeled antibody B specifically reacting with the substance to be measured A on a membrane carrier in the form of character(s) or figure(s) and immobilizing a mask antigen D composed of the same antigen as the substance to be measured A on the membrane carrier so as to surround said text antibody C,a step for competitively binding the labeled antibody B to the substance to be measured A, the mask antigen D and the text antibody C on the judgement parts,a step for judging the concentration of the substance to be measured A based on the signal from the labeled antibody B bound to the text antibody C and the mask antigen D.