Randomly Ordered Arrays and Methods of Making and Using

Abstract

Arrays including microparticles having probe and marker moieties are used for the detection of a target in a sample. Microparticles are randomly immobilized on at least a portion of a substrate. A detection scheme is performed to detect the marker associated with the microparticle and the identity of the probe, and any target bound to the probe.

1 . An array comprising: 
 a) a substrate;    b) a plurality of microparticles randomly immobilized on the wherein each microparticle comprises a self-encoding marker and a probe couple to the microparticle, wherein each self-encoding marker and probe comprises a unique self-encoding marker/probe pair, and wherein the probe is configured and arranged to specifically bind a target present in a sample; and    c) an immobilization material which immobilizes the microparticles on the substrate;    wherein the immobilization material comprises a reactive polymer, the reactive polymer bound to the substrate, and the microparticles immobilized on the substrate via the reactive polymer;    wherein the reactive polymer comprises a photoreactive polymer having at least one photoreactive group.    
     
     
         2 . The array of  claim 1  wherein the photoreactive group is selected consisting of aryl ketones, arylazides, acyl azides, sulfonyl azides, phosphoryl azides, diazoalkanes, diazoketones, diazoacetates, and ketenes.  
     
     
         3 . The array of  claim 1  the reactive polymer is selected from the group consisting of functionalized polyacrylamide, polymethacrylamide, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyacrylic acid, polyethylene glycol, polyvinyl alcohol, poly(HEMA), copolymers thereof, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         4 . The array of  claim 1  wherein the reactive polymer is selected from the group consisting of photoreactive copolymers consisting of vinylpyrolidone and N-[3-(4-Benzoylbenzamido)propyl]methacrylamide (BBA-APMA); and acrylamide and BBA-APMA.  
     
     
         5 . The array of  claim 1  wherein the reactive polymer comprises polymers selected from the group consisting of functionalized polysaccharides, glycosaminoglycans, polypeptides, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         6 . The array of  claim 1  wherein the immobilization material is patterned on the substrate thereby forming patches of immobilization material on the substrate.  
     
     
         7 . The array of  claim 6  wherein the microparticles are immobilized on the substrate via the patches of immobilization material.  
     
     
         8 . The array of  claim 7  wherein the plurality of microparticles comprises more than one subset of microparticles having unique self-encoding marker/probe pairs and the subsets of microparticles are individually disposed on separate patches of immobilization material on the substrate.  
     
     
         9 . The array of  claim 1  wherein the microparticle further comprises a coating of a reactive compound, wherein the reactive compound is used to couple the microparticles to the immobilization material, the self-encoding marker, the probe, or any combination of the above.  
     
     
         10 . The array of  claim 9  wherein the reactive compound includes reactive groups selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acids, sulfonic acids, phosphoric acids, phosphonic acids, aldehydes groups, amine groups, thiol groups, thiol-reactive groups, and epoxide groups.  
     
     
         11 . The array of  claim 1  wherein the probe is a nucleic acid probe.  
     
     
         12 . The array of  claim 1  wherein the probe is an antibody probe.  
     
     
         13 . The array of  claim 1  wherein the self-encoding probe comprises at least one detectable particle and wherein the at least one detectable particle is coupled to the microparticle.  
     
     
         14 . The array of  claim 13  wherein the detectable particle is selected from the group consisting of fluorphores, quantum dots, radioisotopes, and magnetic particles.  
     
     
         15 . The array of  claim 14  wherein the self-encoding marker comprises a combination of detectable particles.