Dry analytical element having a spread control area for assaying enzyme activity

Claim 2

A dry analytical element for assaying an enzyme activity in a liquid, which comprises a support having provided thereon at least a porous liquid-spreading layer composed of water non-absorbent fibers, wherein said porous liquid-spreading layer contains a substrate for an enzyme to be assayed and at least one water soluble hydrophilic polymer in an amount effective to decrease the spreading area of said porous liquid-spreading layer by at least 20%, wherein said hydrophilic polymer is selected from the group consisting of a polymer comprising a repeating unit represented by formula (I) ##STR8## wherein R 1 represent a hydrogen atom or a lower alkyl group; and R 2 and R 3 each represents a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic hydrocarbon residue; a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon residue, or a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group, or R 2 and R 3 taken together form a ring.

Claim 3

A dry analytical element for assaying an enzyme activity in a liquid, which comprises a support having provided thereon at least a porous liquid-spreading layer composed of water non-absorbent fibers, wherein said porous liquid-spreading layer contains a substrate for an enzyme to be assayed and at least one water soluble hydrophilic polymer in an amount effective to decrease the spreading area of said porous liquid-spreading layer by at least 20%, wherein said hydrophilic polymer is a polymer comprising a repeating unit represented by formula (II) ##STR9## wherein R 4 represents a hydrogen atom or a lower alkyl group; and Q represents: ##STR10## wherein q represents an integer of from 2 to 4, --NR 5 --CO--R 6 , wherein R 5 represents an alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and R 6 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms; or ##STR11## wherein Z 1 represents an atomic group forming a lactam ring, an oxazolidone ring or a pyridone ring.

Claim 4

A dry analytical element for assaying an enzyme activity in a liquid, which comprises a support having provided thereon at least a porous liquid-spreading layer composed of water non-absorbent fibers, wherein said porous liquid-spreading layer contains a substrate for an enzyme to be assayed and at least one water soluble hydrophilic polymer in an amount effective to decrease the spreading area of said porous liquid-spreading layer by at least 20%, wherein said hydrophilic polymer is a polymer comprising a repeating unit represented by formula (II) ##STR9## wherein R 4 represents a hydrogen atom or a lower alkyl group; and Q represents: ##STR10## wherein q represents an integer of from 2 to 4, --NR 5 --CO--R 6 , wherein R 5 represents an alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and R 6 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms; or ##STR11## wherein Z 1 represents an atomic group forming a lactam ring, an oxazolidone ring or a pyridone ring.

Claim 5

The dry analytical element of claim 2, wherein R 1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; and R 2 and R 3 each represents a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, an ethyl group, a benzyl group, a hydroxyethyl group, a cyclohexyl group, a phenyl group, a piperidino group or a morpholino group, with the total number of carbon atoms in R 2 and R 3 being up to 12.

Claim 6

The dry analytical element of claim 2, wherein R 4 is a hydrogen atom; and Q represents: ##STR12## wherein R 5 represents a methyl group or an ethyl group, and R 6 represents a hydrogen atom, a methyl group or an ethyl group; or ##STR13## wherein Z 1 represents an atomic group forming a 5- or 6-membered lactam ring or an oxazolidone ring.

Claim 7

The dry analytical element of claim 4, wherein Q repressents a pyrrolidone residual group or an oxazolidone residual group.

Claim 8

The dry analytical element of claim 1, wherein said polymer comprising the repeating unit of formula (I) contains at least 20 mol % of said repeating unit of formula (I).

Claim 9

The dry analytical element of claim 2, wherein said polymer comprising the repeating unit of formula (I) or (II) is present in an amount of from 2 g to 15 g per m 2 of the liquid-spreading layer.

Claim 10

The dry analytical element of claim 1 wherein said polymer comprising the repeating unit of formula (I) contains at least 50 mol % of said repeating unit of formula (I).

Claim 11

The dry analytical element of claim 1 wherein said polymer comprising the repeating unit of formula (I) is present in an amount of from 2 to 15 g per m 2 of the liquid-developing layer.

Claim 12

The dry analytical element of claim 2 wherein said polymer comprising the repeating unit of formula (II) contains at least 20 mol % of said repeating unit of formula (II).

Claim 13

The dry analytical element of claim 2 wherein said polymer comprising the repeating unit of formula (II) contains at least 50 mol % of said repeating unit of formula (II).