Modulatable Fluorophore Detection for Rare Analyte Counting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for detecting and measuring analytes in biological environments, such as medical conditions, face challenges in accurately identifying low-concentration or rare analytes due to limitations in sensitivity and specificity.
Innovation Solution
The use of functionalized fluorophores with modulatable fluorescent properties, which are selectively bound to analytes, allows for detection by illuminating the environment and modulating their fluorescent properties to differentiate bound and unbound fluorophores through distinct signal emission patterns.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional detection methods are used to detect analytes in biological environments, then the detection process is simple, but the sensitivity and specificity are insufficient for accurately identifying low-concentration or rare analytes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes fluorescence emission changes as a detection mechanism. Fluorophores bound to analytes exhibit distinct emission characteristics compared to unbound fluorophores, enabling differentiation through optical property changes. This allows highly sensitive detection of low-concentration analytes by monitoring fluorescence intensity or spectral properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modulates fluorescent properties (such as emission intensity, lifetime, or spectral distribution) to differentiate between bound and unbound fluorophores. By changing detection parameters like excitation wavelength, emission wavelength, or measurement timing, the system achieves high specificity for rare analytes without requiring overly complex instrumentation.
2Measurement precision
If fluorophores are used to detect analytes, then detection capability is improved, but the ability to differentiate bound from unbound fluorophores becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs time-resolved fluorescence detection where fluorophores are excited periodically and emission is measured at specific time intervals. By detecting fluorescence at different time points after excitation, the system exploits differences in fluorescence lifetime between bound and unbound states, enabling clear differentiation of binding status.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes dynamic modulation of fluorescent properties through environmental factors such as pH changes, ionic strength variations, or molecular interactions that occur upon analyte binding. These dynamic changes in fluorescence characteristics allow real-time differentiation of bound versus unbound fluorophores, enhancing detection accuracy.
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 precise determination of analyte presence, concentration, and location by generating images that highlight bound fluorophores, improving sensitivity and specificity in detecting analytes within biological samples.
Implementation Method 1
each of the functionalized fluorophores has a fluorescent property that is modulatable, wherein the first illumination causes individual functionalized fluorophores to emit respective first-period signals
Implementation Method 2
modulating the modulatable fluorescent property of the functionalized fluorophores during a second period of time
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for detecting the locations of individual instances of an analyte (e.g., individual cells, individual molecules) in an environment are provided. The environment includes functionalized fluorophores that are configured to selective interact with (e.g., bind with) the analyte and that have a fluorescent property that can be modulated (e.g., a fluorescence intensity that can be affected by the presence of a magnetic field). Detecting the location of individual instances of the analyte includes illuminating the environment and detecting signals emitted from the fluorophores in response to the illumination during first and second periods of time. Detecting the location of individual instances of the analyte further includes modulating the modulatable fluorescent property of the fluorophores during the second period of time and determining which individual fluorophores in the environment are bound to the analyte based on the signals detected during the first and second periods of time.