Fluorescence detection type electrophoresis apparatus

Claim 2

A multicolor fluorescence detection type electrophoresis apparatus, comprising in combination: electrophoretic means having a plurality of migration lanes for which fragment groups specifically labeled with a plurality of fluorophores of different light emission peak wavelengths migrate electrophoretically in one direction, exciting means for simultaneously irradiating a plurality of light beams of different wavelengths to a plurality of irradiation positions in the migration lane to excite the fluorophores, said exciting means simultaneously irradiating all of said plurality of migration lanes at said plurality of irradiation positions, said plurality of irradiation positions being spaced apart in the migration direction, the fragment groups being excited at each of said plurality of irradiation positions, and light detection means for identifying the detecting lights emitted from the fluorophores excited at the plurality of irradiation positions at each of said irradiation positions.

Claim 3

A multicolor fluorescence detection type electrophoresis apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the light detection means comprises in combination: image dividing means for dividing each of fluorescent images formed at said plurality of irradiation positions into a plurality of virtual images at different positions, optical lens means for refocusing the respective divided virtual images, multicolor optical filters for wavelength selecting the respective refocused images, and a light-sensitive detector for identifying and detecting the wavelength selected images.

Claim 4

A multicolor fluorescence detection type electrophoresis apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that said image dividing means comprises a plurality of polygonal prisms corresponding in number to said plurality of irradiation positions, said each prism having one light receiving surface for receiving fluorescent lights from the corresponding irradiation position and a plurality of light emitting surfaces.

Claim 5

A multicolor fluorescence detection type electrophoresis apparatus according to claim 1, wherein any two adjacent irradiation positions are spaced apart by at least 1 cm.

Claim 6

A multicolor fluorescence detection type electrophoresis apparatus, comprising in combination: electrophoretic means having a plurality of migration lanes in which fragment groups specifically labeled with a plurality of fluorophores of different light emission peak wavelengths migrate electrophoretically in one direction, exciting means for simultaneously irradiating a first light of first wavelength for effectively exciting fluorophores belonging to a first group of the plurality of fluorophores at a first irradiation position on said plurality of migration lanes, but cannot substantially excite flurophores belonging to a second group, said first light simultaneously irradiating all of said migration lanes at said first irradiation position, and for irradiating a second light of second wavelength for effectively exciting fluorophores belonging to the second group of the plurality of fluorophores at a second irradiation position on said migration lanes, but cannot substantially excite fluorophores belonging to the first group, said second position being spaced apart from said first irradiation position in the migration direction, said second light simultaneously irradiating all of said migration lanes at said second irradiation position, and light detection means for identifying and detecting lights emitted from the fluorophores of the first group in terms of first fluorescent images produced at the first irradiation position, and for identifying and detecting lights emitted from the fluorophores of the second group in terms of second fluorescent images produced at the second irradiation position.

Claim 7

A multicolor fluorescence detection type electrophoresis apparatus, comprising in combination: electrophoretic means having a plurality of migration lanes in which fragment groups specifically labeled with a plurality of fluorophores of different light emission peak wavelengths migrate electrophoretically in one direction, exciting means for simultaneously irradiating a first light of first wavelength for effectively exciting fluorophores belonging to a first group of the plurality of fluorophores at a first irradiation position on said plurality of migration lanes, but cannot substantially excite flurophores belonging to a second group, said first light simultaneously irradiating all of said migration lanes at said first irradiation position, and for irradiating a second light of second wavelength for effectively exciting fluorophores belonging to the second group of the plurality of fluorophores at a second irradiation position on said migration lanes, but cannot substantially excite fluorophores belonging to the first group, said second position being spaced apart from said first irradiation position in the migration direction, said second light simultaneously irradiating all of said migration lanes at said second irradiation position, and light detection means for identifying and detecting lights emitted from the fluorophores of the first group in terms of first fluorescent images produced at the first irradiation position, and for identifying and detecting lights emitted from the fluorophores of the second group in terms of second fluorescent images produced at the second irradiation position.

Claim 8

A multicolor fluorescence detection type electrophoresis apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the light detection means comprises in combination: image dividing means for dividing the first and second fluorescent images formed at said first and second irradiation positions into a first plurality of virtual images and a second plurality of virtual images, respectively, optical lens means for refocusing the respective divided virtual images, multicolor optical filters for wavelength selecting the respective refocused images, and a light-sensitive detector for identifying and detecting the wavelength detected images.

Claim 9

A multicolor fluorescence detection type electrophoresis apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that said image dividing means comprises a first polygonal prism for dividing said first fluorescent image formed at said first irradiation position of each of said said plurality of migration lanes into said first plurality of virtual images and a second polygonal prism for dividing said second fluorescent image formed at said second irradiation position of each of said plurality of migration lanes into said second plurality of virtual images, each of said first and second polygonal prisms having one light receiving surface for receiving fluorescent light from the corresponding irradiation position and a plurality of light emitting surfaces.

Claim 10

A multicolor fluorescence detection type electrophoresis apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said first and second irradiation positions are spaced apart by at least 1 cm.

Claim 11

A multicolor fluorescence detection type electrophoresis apparatus, comprising in combination: a gel electrophoresis plate having a plurality of parallel migration lanes formed therein in which fragment groups specifically labeled with a plurality of fluorophores of different light emission peak wavelengths migrate electrophoretically, exciting means for simultaneously irradiating a plurality of exciting light beams of different wavelengths, said plurality of light beams being irradiated toward a side edge of said gel electrophoretic plate to simultaneously irradiate across all of said plurality of migration lanes along a corresponding number of irradiation lines at different positions which are spaced apart from each other in the direction of the migration lane, the fragment groups being excited at each of said irradiation lines and light detection means for identifying and detecting lights emitted from the fluorophores excited on the plurality of irradiation lines by wavelength at each of said irradiation positions.

Claim 12

A multicolor fluorescence detection type electrophoresis apparatus, comprising in combination: a gel electrophoresis plate having a plurality of parallel migration lanes formed therein in which fragment groups specifically labeled with a plurality of fluorophores of different light emission peak wavelengths migrate electrophoretically, exciting means for simultaneously irradiating a plurality of exciting light beams of different wavelengths, said plurality of light beams being irradiated toward a side edge of said gel electrophoretic plate to simultaneously irradiate across all of said plurality of migration lanes along a corresponding number of irradiation lines at different positions which are spaced apart from each other in the direction of the migration lane, the fragment groups being excited at each of said irradiation lines and light detection means for identifying and detecting lights emitted from the fluorophores excited on the plurality of irradiation lines by wavelength at each of said irradiation positions.

Claim 13

A multicolor fluorescence detection type electrophoresis apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that said light detection means comprises in combination: image dividing means for dividing each of fluorescent images formed at said plurality of irradiation lines into a plurality of virtual images at different positions, optical lens means for refocusing the respective divided virtual images, multicolor optical filters for wavelength selecting the respective refocused images, and a light-sensitive detector for identifying and detecting the wavelength selected images.

Claim 14

A multicolor fluorescence detection type electrophoresis apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that said image dividing means comprises a plurality of polygonal prisms corresponding in number to said plurality of irradiation lines, said each prism having one light receiving surface for receiving fluorescent lights from the corresponding irradiation line and a plurality of light emitting surfaces.

Claim 15

A multicolor fluorescence detection type electrophoresis apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that said light detecting means is a two-dimensional fluorescent light detector having one detection surface for detecting a plurality of fluorescent line images refocused through said optical lens means.

Claim 16

A multicolor fluorescence detection type electrophoresis apparatus according to claim 9, wherein any two adjacent irradiation positions are spaced apart by at least 1 cm.