초록 ▼

Devices and methods for performing assays on materials, particularly biological materials, are provided. The devices and methods make use of self-sealing members, which can be applied to a flat surface to form wells to facilitate immobilization of materials on the flat surface, then removed to yield

Devices and methods for performing assays on materials, particularly biological materials, are provided. The devices and methods make use of self-sealing members, which can be applied to a flat surface to form wells to facilitate immobilization of materials on the flat surface, then removed to yield a flat surface that facilitates the performance of processes on and/or detection of the immobilized material.

대표청구항 ▼

What we claim is: 1. A kit for forming a device comprising: a base plate; a first removable member adapted to repeatedly self-seal on the base plate, the first removable member defining at least one first orifice therein and having walls bounding the at least one first orifice on sides of the at le

What we claim is: 1. A kit for forming a device comprising: a base plate; a first removable member adapted to repeatedly self-seal on the base plate, the first removable member defining at least one first orifice therein and having walls bounding the at least one first orifice on sides of the at least one first orifice, the first removable member being in self-sealing contact with the base plate for defining at least one first well corresponding to a respective one of the at least one first orifice; a second removable member adapted to repeatedly self-seal on at least one of the first removable member and the base plate, the second removable member defining at least one second orifice therein and having walls bounding the at least one second orifice on sides of the at least one second orifice, the second removable member being in self-sealing contact with one of the first removable member and the base plate for defining at least one second well corresponding to a respective one of the at least one second orifice, wherein said at least one second orifice is smaller than said at least one first orifice; and at least one registration element adapted to align the base plate, the first removable member, and the second removable member with one another. 2. The kit of claim 1, wherein the walls of the first removable member bounding the at least one first orifice are tapered in a direction from an upper surface of the first removable member toward a lower surface of the first removable member such that an opening of the at least one first orifice is larger in the upper surface of the first removable member than an opening of the at least one first orifice in the lower surface of the first removable member. 3. The kit of claim 1, wherein the walls of the second removable member bounding the at least one second orifice are tapered in a direction from an upper surface of the second removable member toward a lower surface of the second removable member such that an opening of the at least one second orifice is larger in the upper surface of the second removable member than an opening of the at least one second orifice in the lower surface of the second removable member. 4. The kit of claim 2, wherein the walls of the second removable member bounding the at least one second orifice are tapered in a direction from an upper surface of the second removable member toward a lower surface of the second removable member such that an opening of the at least one second orifice is larger in the upper surface of the second removable member than an opening of the at least one second orifice in the lower surface of the second removable member, a degree of tapering of the walls of the first removable member being substantially equal to a degree of tapering of the walls of the second removable member. 5. The kit of claim 1, wherein a contour of an opening of the at least one second orifice in a lower surface of the second removable member is substantially identical to a contour of a corresponding opening of the at least one first orifice in an upper surface of the first removable member. 6. The kit of claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least one first orifice and the at least one second orifice includes a plurality of orifices defining an array that spatially and dimensionally corresponds to a standard array of wells in an industry standard microtiter plate. 7. The kit of claim 6, wherein the standard microtiter plate is selected from the group consisting of a 6-well microtiter plate, a 12-well microtiter plate, a 24-well microtiter plate, a 96-well microtiter plate, a 384-well microtiter plate, a 1,536-well microtiter plate, and a 9,600-well microtiter plate. 8. The kit of claim 1, wherein the base plate is made of a material selected from the group consisting of glass, silicon, fused silica, metal films, polystyrene, poly(methylacrylate), and polycarbonate. 9. The kit of claim 1, further comprises a first layer of metal disposed on an upper surface of the base plate. 10. The kit of claim 9, wherein the first layer of metal made of a material is selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, platinum, palladium and copper. 11. The kit of claim 10, further comprising a second layer of metal disposed between the upper surface of the base plate and the first layer of metal. 12. The kit of claim 11, wherein the second layer of metal is made of a material selected from the group consisting of chromium and titanium. 13. The kit of claim 1, wherein the base plate is treated with a solution of mixed self-assembled monolayer (SAM). 14. The kit of claim 1, wherein the base plate is treated with a solution of biospecific mixed SAM. 15. The kit of claim 1, wherein the at least one registration element comprises a registration pin adapted to extend through the base plate, the first removable member, and the second removable member for aligning respective ones of the base plate, the first removable member and the second removable member. 16. The kit of claim 1, wherein the at least one registration element includes a visual mark disposed on at least one of the base plate, the first removable member and the second removable member. 17. The kit of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first removable member and the second removable member is made of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). 18. The kit of claim 1 wherein the base plate is treated to enhance immobilization of peptide substrates thereon. 19. The kit of claim 1 wherein the base plate is treated to enhance immobilization of kinase substrates thereon. 20. The kit of claim 1, wherein the base plate is treated to enhance immobilization of antibody substrates thereon. 21. The kit of claim 20, wherein the base plate is treated with a solution of mixed self-assembled monolayer (SAM), such that binding of kinase substrates is enhanced in discrete areas and reduced or eliminated in others. 22. The kit of claim 21, wherein the base plate is treated with a solution of mixed self-assembled monolayer (SAM), such that specific binding of kinase substrates in desired orientations is enhanced and non-specific binding of kinase substrates is reduced or eliminated. 23. The kit of claim 22, wherein the base plate is treated with mixed self-assembled monolayer (SAM) comprising about 0.1 to 20% maleimide-terminal groups in a background of tri(ethylene glycol) terminal groups. 24. A kit for forming a device comprising: a base plate; a first removable member adapted to repeatedly self-seal on the base plate, the first removable member defining at least one first orifice therein and having walls bounding the at least one first orifice on sides of the at least one first orifice, the first removable member being in self-sealing contact with the base plate for defining at least one first well corresponding to a respective one of the at least one first orifice; a second removable member adapted to repeatedly self-seal on at least one of the first removable member and the base plate, the second removable member defining at least one second orifice therein and having walls bounding the at least one second orifice on sides of the at least one second orifice, the second removable member being in self-sealing contact with one of the first removable member and the base plate for defining at least one second well corresponding to a respective one of the at least one second orifice, wherein said at least one second orifice is smaller than said at least one first orifice; and at least one registration element adapted to align the base plate, the first removable member, and the second removable member with one another within 200 microns in all directions. 25. A kit for forming a device comprising: a base plate; a first removable member adapted to repeatedly self-seal on the base plate, the first removable member defining at least one first orifice therein and having walls bounding the at least one first orifice on sides of the at least one first orifice, the first removable member being in self-sealing contact with the base plate for defining at least one first well corresponding to a respective one of the at least one first orifice; a second removable member adapted to repeatedly self-seal on at least one of the first removable member and the base plate, the second removable member defining at least one second orifice therein and having walls bounding the at least one second orifice on sides of the at least one second orifice, the second removable member being in self-sealing contact with one of the first removable member and the base plate for defining at least one second well corresponding to a respective one of the at least one second orifice, wherein said at least one second orifice is smaller than said at least one first orifice; and at least one registration element adapted to align the base plate, the first removable member, and the second removable member with one another in only one specific orientation. 26. The device of claim 25, wherein the at least one registration element comprises a first registration element, a second registration element, and a third registration element. 27. The device of claim 26, wherein the first registration element and second registration element are identical and the third registration element is different. 28. The device of claim 26, wherein the first registration element, the second registration element, and the third registration element are elliptical or circular cylinders of an approximately equal length. 29. The device of claim 28, wherein the first registration element has a first diameter, the second registration element has a second diameter, and the third registration element has a third diameter, wherein the first and second diameter are approximately equal, and are smaller than the third diameter. 30. The device of claim 26, further comprising in the base plate a first base registration orifice for the first registration pin, a second base registration orifice for the second registration pin, and a third base registration orifice for the third registration pin; and further comprising in the first removable member, a first member registration orifice for the first registration pin, a second member registration orifice for the second registration pin, and a third member registration orifice for the third registration pin, wherein either or both of the first base registration orifice and the first member registration orifice, or the second base registration orifice and the second member registration orifice are not the same shape. 31. The device of claim 30, wherein one of the first base registration orifice and the first member registration orifice is oval or rectangular and the other one of the first base registration orifice and the first member registration orifice is circular. 32. The device of claim 31, wherein a short axis of the oval or rectangular orifice is approximately equal to a diameter of the circular orifice. 33. The device of claim 30, wherein one of the second base registration orifice and the second member registration orifice is oval or rectangular and the other one of the second base registration orifice and the second member registration orifice is circular. 34. The device of claim 33, wherein a short axis of the oval or rectangular orifice is approximately equal to a diameter of the circular orifice. 35. The device of claim 30, wherein the third base registration orifice and the third member registration orifice are substantially identical in size and shape. 36. The device of claim 26, further comprising in the base plate a first base registration orifice for the first registration pin, a second base registration orifice for the second registration pin, and a third base registration orifice for the third registration pin; and further comprising in the first removable member, a first member registration orifice for the first registration pin, a second member registration orifice for the second registration pin, and a third member registration orifice for the third registration pin, the first base registration orifice is oval or rectangular, and has a first long axis and a first short axis, the second base registration orifice is oval or rectangular, and has a second long axis and a second short axis, the third base registration orifice is oval or rectangular, and has a third long axis and a third short axis, wherein the first long axis is parallel to the second long axis, and perpendicular to the third long axis. 37. The device of claim 26, further comprising in the base plate a first base registration orifice for the first registration pin, a second base registration orifice for the second registration pin, and a third base registration orifice for the third registration pin; and further comprising in the first removable member, a first member registration orifice for the first registration pin, a second member registration orifice for the second registration pin, and a third member registration orifice for the third registration pin, the first member registration orifice is oval or rectangular, and has a first long axis and a first short axis, the second member registration orifice is oval or rectangular, and has a second long axis and a second short axis, the third member registration orifice is oval or rectangular, and has a third long axis and a third short axis, wherein the first long axis is parallel to the second long axis, and perpendicular to the third long axis.