Optoelectronic detection system

Abstract

The invention relates to optoelectronic systems for detecting one or more target particles. The system includes a reaction chamber, a specimen collector, an optical detector, and a reservoir containing cells, each of the cells having receptors which are present on the surface of each cell and are specific for the target particle to be detected, where binding of the target particle to the receptors directly or indirectly activates a reporter molecule, thereby producing a measurable optical signal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for detecting a target particle in a liquid sample comprising:
 a) adding the liquid sample to a chamber;   b) localizing the target particles within the chamber;   c) adding emitting cells, comprising one or more receptors suitable for interaction with a target particle and emitter molecules that emit photons in response to one or more receptors interacting with the target particle, to form a mixture;   d) localizing the emitter cells within a chamber;   e) measuring for photon emission from the cells in the mixture.