Carrier plate and multi-well screening assembly for immunoassay procedures

Claim 2

A carrier plate (26), useful in immunoassay procedures and comprising: a support body (40a), and a plurality of posts (42a), extending from a face of the body (40a) with each post having an enlarged removable portion (44a) at its distal end adapted to bind an immunogenic substance to its surface, each post (42a) having a reduced neck (46) to render it frangible for removal of the enlarged portion from the plate (26).

Claim 3

A plate according to claim 1, wherein the enlarged portion is a substantially spherical bead (44a).

Claim 4

A plate according claim 1 or 2, wherein the post are arranged in orthogonal columns and rows.

Claim 5

A plate according to any preceding claim, which has 96 posts.

Claim 6

A plate according to any preceding claim, wherein the enlarged portions are made of plastics, preferably styrene acrylonitrile.

Claim 7

A plate according to claim 5 which is integrally formed or moulded.

Claim 8

A plate according to claim 6, wherein the entire plate is made of styrene acrylonitrile.

Claim 9

A multi-well screening assembly comprising: a tray (28), having a plurality of individualized wells (31), therein; and a carrier plate (26), for positioning on the tray and having a plurality of posts (42a), each post extending from the plate to align with a respective one of the wells, the plate being in accordance with any one of the preceding claims.

Claim 10

An assembly according to claim 8, wherein each row of wells is separated by a fluid barrier thereby forming a plurality of substantially parallel troughs containing the wells.

Claim 11

An assembly according to claim 8, wherein at least one row of wells is separated from the remaining rows in the tray.

Claim 12

An assembly according to claim 8, 9 or 10, together with a carrier plate (90) which comprises: a generally planar support body (91); and a plurality of separate, individualized pockets (94) in the body (91) intended for receipt of individual enlarged portions (44a. 95) after removal from the carrier plate (26) by rupture of the respective frangible neck (46); each pocket (94) including an upper opening (98) to allow deposit of the respective removable portion in to the respective pocket and to allow removal of the removable portion from the pocket, and each pocket (94) further including a lower opening (97) which is smaller than the removable portion deposited in the pocket (94) and which allows fluid to enter in to the pocket (94) while the removable portion (95) is in the pocket.

Claim 13

A radioimmunoassay ("RIA") for screening of hybridoma cultures for antibody production, characterized in that an assembly according to any of claims 8 to 11 is employed as part of the equipment for the assay, the removable bodies (94) being contacted with the hybridoma cultures while attached to the respective posts (42a) and then being ruptured for removal from the post.