Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
156 words
A method of performing an assay of an analyte in a liquid medium, comprising the use of:- i) individual assay vessels or an array of assay vessels in fixed relationship to one another, ii) a labelled reagent for the assay which is soluble in the liquid medium, and iii) another reagent for the assay bound to magnetically attractable particles which are suspendable but insoluble in the liquid medium which method comprises a) incubating in the assay vessels a sample containing the analyte with the other reagents for the assay whereby the labelled reagent becomes partitioned between the liquid phase and the magnetically attractable particles in proportions which depend on the concentration of the analyte in the sample, b) separating the liquid phase from the magnetically attractable particles, and removing the liquid phase from the assay vessels, c) resuspending the magnetically attractable particles in another liquid medium and observing a signal generated by the labelled reagent thereon.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
156 words
A method of performing an assay of an analyte in a liquid medium, comprising the use of:- i) individual assay vessels or an array of assay vessels in fixed relationship to one another, ii) a labelled reagent for the assay which is soluble in the liquid medium, and iii) another reagent for the assay bound to magnetically attractable particles which are suspendable but insoluble in the liquid medium which method comprises a) incubating in the assay vessels a sample containing the analyte with the other reagents for the assay whereby the labelled reagent becomes partitioned between the liquid phase and the magnetically attractable particles in proportions which depend on the concentration of the analyte in the sample, b) separating the liquid phase from the magnetically attractable particles, and removing the liquid phase from the assay vessels, c) resuspending the magnetically attractable particles in another liquid medium and observing a signal generated by the labelled reagent thereon.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is used a planar array of assay vessels.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the array of assay vessels is a microtiter plate.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
28 words
A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the label of the labelled reagent is a component of a fluorescent or luminescent system.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
22 words
A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein each assay vessel is optically screened from its neighbours.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
34 words
A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein observation of the signal generated by the labelled reagent in step c) is effected from above or below the assay vessel.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
39 words
A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the magnetically attractable particles are suspendable in the liquid phase without shaking for a period at least as long as the incubation time of the assay.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
31 words
A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the magnetically attractable particles attenuate the signal generated by the labelled reagent thereon by not more than 50%.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
26 words
A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the assay is a competition assay or immunoassay, or a two-site immunometric assay.