Method and device for the manipulation of microcarriers for an identification purpose

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for the manipulation for an identification purpose of a microcarrier comprising the steps of: (a) an identification purpose step of the microcarrier, and (b) a positioning and orientation step prior to or during the identification purpose step, wherein the identification purpose step is a detection step for the detection of a identifiable or encoded microcarrier and a labeling step resulting in a identifiable or encoded microcarrier. The invention further relates to an apparatus for the manipulation for identification purposes of a microcarrier comprising means for identification purposes such as a microscope or labeling means such as a high spatial resolution light source, and means for the positioning and orientation of the microcarriers and to a microcarrier suitable for use in a method according to the invention.

1 . Method for the manipulation for an identification purpose of a microcarrier comprising the steps of: 
 (a) an identification purpose step of the microcarrier; and    (b) a positioning and orientation step prior to or during the identification purpose step.    
     
     
         2 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the identification purpose step is a detection step for the detection of an identifiable or encoded microcarrier.  
     
     
         3 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the identification purpose step is a labeling step resulting in an identifiable or encoded microcarrier.  
     
     
         4 . Method according to any of the claims  1 - 3 , wherein the microcarrier is an encoded microcarrier encoded by a code written on the microcarrier.  
     
     
         5 . Method according to  claim 4 , wherein the microcarrier is encoded by a code written on the microcarrier by exposing the microcarrier to a high spatial resolution light source.  
     
     
         6 . Method according to any of the previous claims for the manipulation for identification purposes of a population of microcarriers, whereby the positioning and orientation step further comprises: 
 (b.1) the distribution of the population of microcarriers in a one-layer system; and    (b.2) restricting the rotational movement of the microcarriers.    
     
     
         7 . Method according to  claim 6 , whereby the distribution of step b.1 results in a plane configuration having two dimensions (X,Y).  
     
     
         8 . Method according to  claim 6 , wherein the distribution of step b.1 results in a line configuration.  
     
     
         9 . Method according to any of the previous claims  6 - 8 , wherein the distribution step is caused by a transportation of the microcarriers preferably according to a laminar flow pattern in a liquid, gaseous or semi-solid environment.  
     
     
         10 . Method according to  claim 9 , wherein the laminar flow pattern is provided in a capillary tube.  
     
     
         11 . Method according to any of the previous claims  1 - 10 , whereby the positioning and orientation step results from a physical, mechanical, chemical or biological interaction on or near the microcarrier.  
     
     
         12 . Method according to  claim 11 , whereby the positioning and orientation step restricts the rotational movement of the microcarrier as a result of a magnetic field imposed on the microcarrier.  
     
     
         13 . Method according to  claim 11 , whereby the positioning and orientation step restricts the rotational movement of the microcarrier as a result of electrical field imposed on the microcarrier.  
     
     
         14 . Method according to any of the previous claims  1 - 13 , whereby the positioning and orientation step results from the non-spherical configuration of the microcarrier, and more in particular by the ellipsoidal or cylindrical configuration of the microcarrier.  
     
     
         15 . Method for the manipulation for an identification purpose of a microcarrier, comprising the steps of 
 a) positioning and orienting said microcarrier,    b) encoding said microcarrier by writing a code thereon,    c) allowing a target-analyte reaction on or in said microcarrier,    d) positioning and orienting said microcarrier and    e) identifying said microcarrier;    whereby step (c) may also preceed step (a).    
     
     
         16 . Method according to  claim 15 , comprising one or more features of any of claims  1 - 14 .  
     
     
         17 . Method according to any of  claims 1  to  16 , wherein the encoding step is performed using a process selected from the group comprising photochroming, chemical etching, material deposition, photobleaching, or exposing said microcarrier to a high spatial resolution light source.  
     
     
         18 . Method according to  claim 17 , wherein the encoding step is performed by photochroming.  
     
     
         19 . Method according to  claim 17 , wherein the encoding step is performed by photobleaching.  
     
     
         20  Method according to any of claims  1 - 19 , wherein the positioning and orientation step results from a physical, mechanical, chemical or biological interaction on or near said microcarrier.  
     
     
         21 . Method according to any of claims  1 - 20 , whereby the positioning and orientation step restricts the rotational movement of the microcarrier as a result of a magnetic field imposed on the microcarrier.  
     
     
         22 . Method according to claim  1 - 20 , whereby the positioning and orientation step restricts the rotational movement of the microcarrier as a result of electrical field imposed on the microcarrier.  
     
     
         23 . Method according to any of the previous claims  1 - 20 , whereby the positioning and orientation step results from the non-spherical configuration of the microcarrier, and more in particular by the ellipsoidal or cylindrical configuration of the microcarrier.  
     
     
         24 . Method according to any of claims  1 - 23 , wherein the positioning and orientation step occurs in a flow cell.  
     
     
         25 . Method according to any of claims  1 - 24 , wherein the identification step is performed using an optical identification mean.  
     
     
         26 . Method according to  claim 25 , wherein said optical identification mean comprises a laser beam, or a transmission microscope or a confocal microscope or a fluorescence microscope.  
     
     
         27 . Method according to any of the previous claims  1 - 26  wherein the encoding comprises the writing of a code on a microcarrier whereby the code is generated by a spatial modulation created inside the microcarrier or on its outer surface.  
     
     
         28 . Method according to  claim 27 , wherein the spatial modulation is a known arrangement of a finite number of distinct volume elements located inside or on the surface of the microcarrier.  
     
     
         29 . Method according to claims  26  or  27 , wherein the spatial modulation is generated by: 
 (i) changing one or more properties of the material in an individual volume element,  
 (ii) removing material from an individual volume element,  
 (iii) depositing material on an individual volume element,  
 (iv) leaving an individual volume element unchanged, or a combination thereof.  
 
     
     
         30 . Method for performing a target analyte assay comprising one or more steps of a method according to any of claims  1 - 29 .  
     
     
         31 . Method for encoding a microcarrier, wherein the encoding comprises the writing of a code on a microcarrier whereby the code is generated by a spatial modulation created inside the microcarrier or on its outer surface.  
     
     
         32 . Method according to  claim 31 , wherein the spatial modulation is a known arrangement of a finite number of distinct volume elements located inside or on the surface of the microcarrier.  
     
     
         33 . Method according to claims  31  or  32 , wherein the spatial modulation is generated by: 
 (i) changing one or more properties of the material in an individual volume element,  
 (ii) removing material from an individual volume element,  
 (iii) depositing material on an individual volume element, or  
 (iv) leaving an individual volume element unchanged, or a combination thereof.  
 
     
     
         34 . Encoded microcarrier obtainable by the method of any of claims  31 - 33 .  
     
     
         35 . Apparatus for the manipulation for identification purposes of a microcarrier comprising means for identification purposes such as a microscope or labeling means such as a high spatial resolution light source, and means for the positioning and orientation of the microcarriers.  
     
     
         36 . Apparatus according to  claim 35 , whereby the means for positioning and orientation of the microcarriers comprises a solid support comprising a number of wells each suitable for housing at least one microcarrier and rotation restriction means.  
     
     
         37 . Apparatus according to  claim 36 , whereby the rotation restriction means are provided via a magnetic and/or electrical field.  
     
     
         38 . Apparatus according to  claim 35 , further comprising a reservoir suitable for containing a population of microcarriers, which reservoir is connectable to a capillary tube and pressure differential means for providing a laminar flow pattern in the capillary tube.  
     
     
         39 . Apparatus according to  claim 38 , whereby further a magnetic and/or electrical field is provided for the restriction of the rotation of the microcarriers.  
     
     
         40 . Microcarrier suitable for use in a method according to any of the previous claims  1 - 33 .  
     
     
         41 . Microcarrier according to  claim 40 , characterized in that the microcarrier is encoded by a code written on the microcarrier.  
     
     
         42 . Microcarrier according to  claim 40 ,  41  or  34 , whereby the encoded microcarrier is characterized in that the code has been written by exposing the microcarrier to a high spatial resolution light source.  
     
     
         43 . Microcarrier according to  claim 40 ,  41  or  42 , wherein the microcarrier further comprises a net electrical charge, an electrical dipole momentum or a magnetic dipole momentum or wherein the microcarrier is ferro-, ferri- or paramagnetic as such, has an anisotropy in its shape, an anisotropy in its mass distribution or wherein the microcarrier has a combination of these features.  
     
     
         44 . Microcarrier according to any of claims  40 - 43 , wherein said code is written by photochroming, chemical etching, material deposition, photobleaching, or exposing said microcarrier to a high spatial resolution light source.  
     
     
         45 . Microcarrier according to  claim 44 , wherein said code is written by photochroming.  
     
     
         46 . Microcarrier according to  claim 44 , wherein said code is written by photobleaching.  
     
     
         47 . Use of a microcarrier according to any of claims  40 - 46  or  34 , in a high-throughput screening assay.  
     
     
         48 . Report comprising information obtained in a use according to  claim 47 .  
     
     
         49 . Method for the preparation of an encoded microcarrier according to any of claims  40 - 46  or  34 , comprising the step of writing a code on said microcarrier.  
     
     
         50 . Method according to  claim 49 , wherein said code is written by photochroming, chemical etching, material deposition, photobleaching, or exposing said microcarrier to a high spatial resolution light source.  
     
     
         51 . Method according to  claim 50 , wherein said code is written by photochroming.  
     
     
         52 . Method according to  claim 50 , wherein said code is written by photobleaching.  
     
     
         53 . Computer for monitoring a high-throughput target-analyte assay with a microcarrier according to any of claims  40 - 46  or  34 , wherein said computer is linked to an apparatus according to any of claims  35 - 39 .  
     
     
         54 . Device for high-throughput target-analyte assay, comprising a computer according to  claim 53  and an apparatus according to any of claims  35 - 39 .