National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology

Kyorin Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

Yusuke Fuchiwaki

Hidenori Nagai

Shunsuke Furutani

Yoshihisa Hagihara

Masatoshi Kataoka

Toshihiko Ooie

Hiroki Takaoka

An assay device allows enhancement of the liquid control performance. The assay device of the present invention includes a microflow passagewhich allows flow of the liquid, an absorbing porous mediumdisposed at a distance from one end of the microflow passage, and a separating spacedisposed between the one end of the microflow passage and the absorbing porous medium. The assay device further includes two sideways ventilation passageswhich are adjacent to both sides of the microflow passage, respectively in the width direction orthogonal to the flow direction, the two sideways ventilation passagesbeing communicated with the microflow passage to allow air circulation.

Assay device

The present invention provides a reciprocal-flow-type nucleic acid amplification device comprising:

Nucleic acid amplification device, nucleic acid amplification method, and chip for nucleic acid amplification

The present invention provides a reciprocal-flow-type nucleic acid amplification device comprising: heaters capable of forming a denaturation temperature zone and an extension/annealing temperature zone; a fluorescence detector capable of detecting movement of a sample solution between the two temperature zones; a pair of liquid delivery mechanisms that allow the sample solution to move between the two temperature zones and that are configured to be open to atmospheric pressure when liquid delivery stops; a substrate on which the chip for nucleic acid amplification according to claimcan be placed; and a control mechanism that controls driving of each liquid delivery mechanism by receiving an electrical signal from the fluorescence detector relating to movement of the sample solution from the control mechanism; the device being capable of performing real-time PCR by measuring fluorescence intensity for each thermal cycle.

The invention provides an ultra-rapid nucleic acid amplification method performed in a flow channel. Specifically, the invention provides a nucleic acid amplification method for performing a PCR reaction by supplying a PCR sample solution to a nucleic acid amplification device comprising a serpentine channel adapted to perform at least one PCR cycle, the nucleic acid amplification device comprising a DNA denaturation temperature zone corresponding to the curved portions at one side, an annealing temperature zone corresponding to the curved portions at the other side, and an extension temperature zone positioned between the annealing and DNA denaturation temperature zones, wherein the PCR sample solution is introduced in the form of sample plugs separated by gas into the serpentine channel using a pump, the sample solution being supplied into the channel in a state such that the solution is separated by gas into a segment corresponding to one PCR cycle or smaller segments.

Nucleic acid amplification method

The assay device () comprises a micro flow path (); a porous medium provided near the distal end portion () of the micro flow path (); and a space () provided between the micro flow path () and the porous medium for controlling the flow rate of a fluid moving from the micro flow path () to the space (). After a fluid moved along the micro flow path () based on a lateral flow is brought into contact with the porous medium beyond the space () and is absorbed to the porous medium, the fluid is divided by the space () so that the fluid stays in the micro flow path (). With this structure, it is possible to perform solution exchange in the micro flow path without using an external device such as a pump.

Growing community of inventors

Takamatsu, Japan

Yusuke Fuchiwaki