Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
122 words
A composition for detecting the presence of a material of interest in a specimen, which comprises: a detector conjugate comprising a fluorescing compound and a compound capable of binding within an epitopic site on the material of interest or a derivative thereof and a non-detector conjugate comprising a poly(amino acid) and a minic compound having substantial structural and charge similarity to the fluorescing compound, and no observable fluorescence in the region of fluorescence of the fluorescing compound, or low level fluorescence relative to the fluorescing compound at a wavelength different from that of the fluorescing compound in the region of fluorescence of the fluorescing compound, said non-detector conjugate being incapable of specific binding to the material of interest or a derivative thereof.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
122 words
A composition for detecting the presence of a material of interest in a specimen, which comprises: a detector conjugate comprising a fluorescing compound and a compound capable of binding within an epitopic site on the material of interest or a derivative thereof and a non-detector conjugate comprising a poly(amino acid) and a minic compound having substantial structural and charge similarity to the fluorescing compound, and no observable fluorescence in the region of fluorescence of the fluorescing compound, or low level fluorescence relative to the fluorescing compound at a wavelength different from that of the fluorescing compound in the region of fluorescence of the fluorescing compound, said non-detector conjugate being incapable of specific binding to the material of interest or a derivative thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
10 words
The composition of claim 1 in an an aqueous medium.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
The composition of claim 1 wherein the material of interest is antigenic.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The composition of claim 1 wherein the material of interest is selected from the group consisting of viruses, bacteria, fungi, chlamydia, surface antigens, and cancer antigens.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
11 words
The composition of claim 1 wherein the fluorescing compound is florescein.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
The composition of claim 1 wherein the compound capable of binding with the material of interest or a derivative thereof is antibody specific for the material of interest or a derivative thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
12 words
The composition of claim 1 wherein the poly(amino acid) is a globulin.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
The composition of claim 1 wherein the poly(amino acid) is a blood plasma protein.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
12 words
The composition of claim 1 wherein the poly(amino acid) is an immunoglobulin.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
12 words
The composition of claim 1 wherein the poly(amino acid) is an enzyme.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The composition of claim 1 wherein the fluorescing compound is fluorescein and the mimic compound is a fluorescein derivative substituted at the 4',5'-positions with oxy substituents.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
The composition of claim 11 wherein the oxy substituents are alkoxy of from 1 to 8 carbon atoms.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
The composition of claim 1 wherein the fluorescing compound is fluorescein and the mimic compound is 4',5'-dimethoxy-5-carboxy-3',6'-dihydroxyspiro[isobenzofuran-1(3H),9'-(9H)xanthen]-3-one.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
35 words
The composition of claim 1 wherein the fluorescing compound is a fluorescein derivative substituted at the 2',7'-positions with oxy substituents and the mimic compound is a fluorescein derivative substituted at the 4',5'-positions with oxy substitutents.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
The composition of claim 1 wherein the material of interest is a herpes virus antigen.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
The composition of claim 1 wherein the compound capable of binding with the material of interest is antibody to herpes virus.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
The composition of claim 1 wherein the compound capable of binding with the material of interest is a monoclonal antibody to herpes virus.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
The composition of claim 1 in an aqueous buffered medium containing about 1 to 4 parts by weight of non-detector conjugate per part by weight of detector conjugate.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
19 words
The composition of claim 1 wherein the ratio of mimic compound to poly(amino acid) is about 10:1 to 30:1.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
86 words
A method for determining the presence of a material of interest in a specimen, which comprises: (a) combining the specimen and the composition of claim 1; (b) incubating the combination; (c) removing unbound conjugate from the combination; (d) irradiating the combination with light having a wavelength absorbed by the fluorescing compound; and (e) observing the amount of the fluorescent light emitted, and the morphology of, by the combination, wherein the fluorescent light emitted is related to the presence of the material of interest in the sample.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
The metnod of claim 20 wherein the material of interest is selected from the group consisting of viruses, bacteria, fungi, chlamydia, surface antigens, and cancer antigens.