Electrophoresis apparatus

Abstract

An electrophoresis apparatus is provided with a plate 10 on which channels 110 are formed, a tray 22 on which the plate is to be set, a tray driving means 20 for rotary driving the tray 22 on which the plate is set, a voltage application means 30 for applying voltage to a buffer agent in the channels on the plate 10, an optical detection part for irradiating the channels on the plate with light, and detecting fluorescence that is generated from the sample due to the light irradiation, and a plate clamp 35 for pressing the plate 10 at only the channel formation areas of the plate 10 against the plate setting surface of the tray 22, there fixing and holding the plate 10 on the plate setting surface of the tray 22. Therefore, it is possible to prove a compact, light, and inexpensive electrophoresis apparatus which does not require complicated preparation works, and provides results accurately in short time.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the construction of an electrophoresis apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the electrophoresis apparatus according to the first embodiment, with an upper chassis being opened.

FIG. 3( a) is a diagram illustrating the construction of a plate clamp according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3( b) is a diagram illustrating the construction of a tray according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3( c) is a cross-sectional view illustrating the state where a plate is fixed and held by the plate clamp and the tray according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the positional relationships among an electrophoresis channel on the plate, an electrode probe, and an aperture of the tray, according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a channel formation surface of the plate according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 6( a) is a diagram illustrating the vertical move of an electrode probe substrate by a voltage application contact/separation means according to the first embodiment, wherein the electrode probes are separated from the plate.

FIG. 6( b) is a diagram illustrating the vertical move of the electrode probe substrate by the voltage application contact/separation means according to the first embodiment, wherein the electrode probes contact the plate.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a channel formed on the plate according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 8( a) is a diagram illustrating the state where a DNA conjugate for separation is filled in the channel formed on the plate according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 8( b) is a diagram illustrating the state of the intermediate step where a predetermined amount of DNA sample is added to the DNA conjugate for separation that is filled in the channel formed on the plate according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 8( c) is a diagram illustrating the state where a predetermined amount of DNA sample is added to the DNA conjugate for separation that is filled in the channel formed on the plate according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the fluorescence intensity distribution which is obtained when the DNA sample migrates in the DNA conjugate for separation that is filled in the channel formed on the plate according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a conventional electrophoresis apparatus.

Claims

1. An electrophoresis apparatus for adding a sample into channels, making the sample migrate electrophoretically by voltage application, and optically detecting the sample, said apparatus comprising: a plate on which the channels are formed;a tray on which the plate is set;a voltage application means having voltage application electrodes for applying voltage to the sample in the channels on the plate;a tray driving means for rotary driving the tray on which the plate is set;an optical detection part having a light irradiation means for irradiating the sample in the channels with light, and an optical detection means for detecting light which is emitted from the sample when the sample is irradiated with the light from the light irradiation means;a plate holding member for pressing only the channel formation areas of the plate against the plate setting surface of the tray, thereby fixing and holding the plate on the plate setting surface of the tray; anda voltage application contact/separation means for making the voltage application electrodes of the voltage application means contact with or apart from predetermined positions of the plate;wherein the voltage application electrodes of the voltage application means are brought into contact with the predetermined positions of the plate by the voltage application contact/separation means to make the sample migrate electrophoretically by voltage application, and thereafter, the voltage application electrodes of the voltage application means are separated from the predetermined positions of the plate by the voltage application contact/separation means, and the light emitted from the sample in the channels on the plate is detected by the optical detection part.

2. An electrophoresis apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein a predetermined amount of the sample is added to a buffer agent filled in the channels, and voltage is applied to the buffer agent by the voltage application electrodes of the voltage application means to make the sample migrate electrophoretically.

3. An electrophoresis apparatus as defined in claim 1 further includes a temperature control chamber for controlling the temperature surrounding the plate to a predetermined temperature.

4. An electrophoresis apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said optical detection means detects fluorescence that is generated from the sample due to light irradiation.

5. An electrophoresis apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said plate holding member has a convex configuration in which its center portion projects relative to its circumference portion, and presses the plate against the plate setting surface of the tray by the circumference portion.

6. An electrophoresis apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said temperature control chamber contains the tray, and a heating/cooling device for controlling the plate temperature control chamber at a predetermined temperature, and has an aperture through which the plate can be attached/detached to/from the tray, said aperture being closed by a partial element of the voltage application means which is disposed on the temperature control chamber.

7. An electrophoresis apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said voltage application means has plural first elastic members which press partial members of the voltage application means at predetermined positions against the temperature control chamber.

8. An electrophoresis apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said voltage application means makes the voltage application electrodes of the voltage application means contact with or apart from predetermined positions of the plate by the voltage application contact/separation means, in the state where the aperture of the temperature control chamber through which the plate can be attached/detached to/from the tray is closed with a partial element of the voltage application means.

9. An electrophoresis apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein an optical lens constituting a part of the optical detection means is disposed in the temperature control chamber.

10. An electrophoresis apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the plate setting surface of the tray has plural apertures so that the light which is emitted from the light irradiation means to the plate is not obstructed.

11. An electrophoresis apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said apertures are provided on the tray at areas where the light radiated to the channels that are formed on the plate is not obstructed.

12. An electrophoresis apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said voltage application electrodes of the voltage application means comprise probes having second elastic members for pressing the probes against the plate being embedded, said probes applying voltages to predetermined positions of the channels formed on the plate.

13. An electrophoresis apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein the total of the forces of the plural first elastic members that elastically support the entire mechanism of the voltage application means is larger than the total of the forces of the plural second elastic members that are embedded in the probes as the plural voltage application electrodes, andsaid voltage application means is pressed in a two-stage construction by the plural first elastic members and the plural second elastic members, in the direction where the voltage application means presses the plate or in the direction where the voltage application means is separated from the plate.