Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 43
Claim 1
Independent Claim
175 words
In a heterogeneous specific binding assay method for determining a ligand in a liquid medium, which method comprises the steps of: (a) contacting said liquid medium with reagent means including a labeled conjugate comprising a specific binding substance coupled to a labeling substance, said reagent means and the ligand forming a binding reaction system producing (1) a bound-phase of the labeled conjugate in which the specific binding substance therein is bound by a specific binding partner thereto and (2) a free-phase of the labeled conjugate in which the specific binding substance therein is not bound by a specific binding partner thereto, (b) separating said bound-phase and said free-phase; and (c) determining said labeling substance in said bound-phase or said free-phase as a function of the amount of said ligand in said liquid medium; the improvement wherein said labeling substance is a participant in a cyclic chemical reaction of the following type: ##STR57## wherein said labeling substance is a non catalytic material selected from the group consisting of reactants A, reactants B, and said cycled reactant.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
175 words
In a heterogeneous specific binding assay method for determining a ligand in a liquid medium, which method comprises the steps of: (a) contacting said liquid medium with reagent means including a labeled conjugate comprising a specific binding substance coupled to a labeling substance, said reagent means and the ligand forming a binding reaction system producing (1) a bound-phase of the labeled conjugate in which the specific binding substance therein is bound by a specific binding partner thereto and (2) a free-phase of the labeled conjugate in which the specific binding substance therein is not bound by a specific binding partner thereto, (b) separating said bound-phase and said free-phase; and (c) determining said labeling substance in said bound-phase or said free-phase as a function of the amount of said ligand in said liquid medium; the improvement wherein said labeling substance is a participant in a cyclic chemical reaction of the following type: ##STR57## wherein said labeling substance is a non catalytic material selected from the group consisting of reactants A, reactants B, and said cycled reactant.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said labeling substance is determined in said bound-phase or said free-phase by forming said cyclic chemical reaction therein and measuring the disappearance of one of reactants A or one of reactants B, or the appearance of one of products A or one of products B.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said labeling substance is said cycled reactant.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the reaction of reactants A to form products A and the reaction of reactants B to form products B are catalyzed by enzymes and said labeling substance is a coenzyme for said enzymes.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the same enzyme catalyzes both the reaction of reactants A to form products A and the reaction of reactants B to form products B.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said labeling substance is a coenzyme which cycles between oxidized and reduced forms while participating in said enzyme-catalyzed reactions.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said labeling substance is flavin adenine dinucleotide.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the reaction of reactants A to form products A and the reaction of reactants B to form products B are catalyzed by enzymes and said labeling substance is a substrate for said enzymes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said cyclic reaction is exponential in that one of products A or products B is also said cycled reactant.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said labeling substance is said cycled reactant.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said ligand is selected from the group consisting of antigens and antibodies thereto; haptens and antibodies thereto; and hormones, vitamins, metabolites, and pharmacological agents, and their receptors and binding substances.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said liquid medium is a biological fluid.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said labeling substance has a molecular weight of less than 9000.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
188 words
In a reagent means for use in a heterogeneous specific binding assay method for determining a ligand in a liquid medium, which means includes (i) a labeled conjugate comprising a specific binding substance coupled to a labeling substance having a predetermined characteristic, which means and the ligand form a binding reaction system producing a bound-phase and a free-phase of the labeled conjugate, one of such phases being insoluble and the other being soluble, the amount of said predetermined characteristic of the labeling substance in said bound-phase or said free-phase being a function of the amount of the ligand present in the liquid medium under assay, and (ii) a specific binding partner of said ligand which binding partner is in a form which is insoluble in said liquid medium, the improvement wherein said labeling substance is a participant in a cyclic chemical reaction of the following type: ##STR58## wherein said labeling substance is a non catalytic material selected from the group consisting of reactants A, reactants B, and said cycled reactant, wherein the conjugate and the immobilized specific binding partner are present in amounts sufficient to determine said ligand.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
188 words
In a reagent means for use in a heterogeneous specific binding assay method for determining a ligand in a liquid medium, which means includes (i) a labeled conjugate comprising a specific binding substance coupled to a labeling substance having a predetermined characteristic, which means and the ligand form a binding reaction system producing a bound-phase and a free-phase of the labeled conjugate, one of such phases being insoluble and the other being soluble, the amount of said predetermined characteristic of the labeling substance in said bound-phase or said free-phase being a function of the amount of the ligand present in the liquid medium under assay, and (ii) a specific binding partner of said ligand which binding partner is in a form which is insoluble in said liquid medium, the improvement wherein said labeling substance is a participant in a cyclic chemical reaction of the following type: ##STR58## wherein said labeling substance is a non catalytic material selected from the group consisting of reactants A, reactants B, and said cycled reactant, wherein the conjugate and the immobilized specific binding partner are present in amounts sufficient to determine said ligand.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
13 words
The means of claim 14 wherein said labeling substance is said cycled reactant.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
The means of claim 15 wherein the reaction of reactants A to form products A and the reaction of reactants B to form products B are catalyzed by enzymes and said labeling substance is a substrate for said enzymes.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
The means of claim 16 wherein said labeling substance is α-aminoacid or α-ketoacid, and said means additionally comprises L-aminoacid oxidase, glutamate, and transaminase.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
29 words
The means of claim 16 wherein said labeling substance is oxidized or reduced glutathione, and said means additionally comprises nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, glutathione reductase, dehydroascorbate, and dehydroascorbate reductase.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
The means of claim 16 wherein said labeling substance is ascorbate or dehydroascorbate, and said means additionally comprises ascorbate oxidase, oxidized glutathione, and dehydroascorbate reductase.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
33 words
The means of claim 16 wherein said labeling substance is oxidized or reduced cytochrome C and said means additionally comprises nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, cytochrome C reductase, hydrogen peroxide, and cytochrome C peroxidase.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
29 words
The means of claim 16 wherein said labeling substance is oxidized or reduced ferridoxin, and said means additionally comprises hydrogen, hydrogenase, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, and pyridine nucleotide reductase.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
39 words
The means of claim 14 wherein the reaction of reactants A to form products A and the reaction of reactants B to form products B are catalyzed by enzymes and said labeling substance is a coenzyme for said enzyme.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
176 words
The means of claim 22 wherein said labeling substance is nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide or a reduced form thereof, and, in order to form said cyclic reaction, said means additionally comprises: (1) one of the following groups of substances (a) lactaldehyde and alcohol dehydrogenase; (b) α-ketoglutarate, a substance capable of releasing ammonia upon contact with said liquid medium, and glutamic dehydrogenase; (c) acetaldehyde and alcohol dehydrogenase; (d) α-ketoglutarate, a substance capable of releasing carbon dioxide upon contact with said liquid medium, and isocitric dehydrogenase; (e) dihydroxyacetone phosphate and α-glycerol phosphate dehydrogenase; (f) pyruvate and lactate dehydrogenase; (g) 1,3-diphosphoglycerate and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase; or (h) oxaloacetate and malic dehydrogenase; and (2) one of the following groups of substances other than the group having the same reference letter as the group selected from groups (1) above (a) propanediol and alcohol dehydrogenase; (b) glutamate and glutamic dehydrogenase; (c) ethanol and alcohol dehydrogenase; (d) isocitrate and isocitric dehydrogenase; (e) L-α-glycerol phosphate and α-glycerol phosphate dehydrogenase; (f) lactate and lactic dehydrogenase; (g) glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate, phosphate, and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase; or (h) malate and malic dehydrogenase.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
131 words
The means of claim 22 wherein said labeling substance is nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate or a reduced form thereof and, in order to form said cyclic reaction, said means additionally comprises: (1) one of the following groups of substances (a) oxidized glutathione and glutathione reductase; (b) ρ-benzoquinone and quinone reductase; (c) nitrate and nitrate reductase; (d) 6-phosphogluconate and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase; or (e) α-ketoglutarate, a substance capable of releasing ammonia upon contact with said liquid medium, and glutamic dehydrogenase; and (2) one of the following groups of substances other than the group having the same reference letter as the group selected from groups (1) above (a) reduced glutathione and glutathione reductase; (b) hydroquinone and quinone reductase; (c) nitrite and nitrate reductase; (d) glucose-6-phosphate and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase; or (e) glutamate and glutamic dehydrogenase.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
33 words
The means of claim 22 wherein said labeling substance is flavin mononucleotide or a reduced form thereof, and said means additionally comprises nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, oxidized cyctochrome C, and cyctochrome C reductase.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
27 words
The means of claim 22 wherein said labeling substance is flavin adenine dinucleotide or a reduced form thereof, and said means additionally comprises D-aminoacid and D-aminoacid oxidase.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
27 words
The means of claim 22 wherein said labeling substance is adenosine diphosphate or adenosine triphosphate, and said means additionally comprises phosphoenol pyruvate, pyruvate kinase, and adenosine triphosphatase.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
32 words
The means of claim 22 wherein said labeling substance is coenzyme A or succinyl-coenzyme A, and said means additionally comprises α-ketoglutarate, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, phosphate, guanosine diphosphate, and succinic thiokinase.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
30 words
The means of claim 22 wherein said labeling substance is guanosine triphosphate or guanosine diphosphate, and said means additionally comprises oxaloacetate, phosphoenol pyruvate kinase, adenosine triphosphate, and nucleoside diphosphate kinase.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
25 words
The means of claim 22 wherein said cyclic reaction is exponential in that one of products A or products B is also said cycled reactant.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
27 words
The means of claim 30 wherein said labeling substance is adenosine triphosphate or adenosine diphosphate, and said means additionally comprises adenosine monophosphate, myokinase, phosphoenolpyruvate, and pyruvate kinase.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
30 words
The means of claim 22 wherein the same enzyme catalyzes both the reaction of reactants A to form products A and the reaction of reactants B to form products B.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
25 words
The means of claim 32 wherein said labeling substance is a coenzyme which cycles between oxidized and reduced forms while participating in said enzyme-catalyzed reactions.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
13 words
The means of claim 33 wherein said labeling substance is flavin adenine dinucleotide.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
24 words
The means of claim 14 wherein said cyclic reaction is exponential in that one of products A or products B is said cycled reactant.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
13 words
The means of claim 35 wherein said labeling substance is said cycled reactant.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
36 words
The means of claim 14 wherein said ligand is selected from the group consisting of antigens and antibodies thereto; haptens and antibodies thereto; and hormones, vitamins, metabolites, and pharmacological agents, and their receptors and binding substances.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
27 words
The means of claim 14 wherein at least one of the components of said means is incorporated with a carrier that is insoluble in said liquid medium.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
19 words
The means of claim 38 wherein said carrier is a matrix that is absorbent relative to said liquid medium.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
17 words
The means of claim 14 wherein said labeling substance has a molecular weight of less than 9000.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
41 words
The means of claim 14 which comprises (i) a soluble labeled conjugate comprising said ligand, a specific binding analog thereof, or a specific binding partner thereof, coupled to said labeling substance, and (ii) an insoluble specific binding partner of said ligand.