Casting of gradient gels
US5071531A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 1, 1989 |
| Grant date | Dec 10, 1991 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 1, 2009 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N27/44704
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and apparatus are presented for the casting of gradient gels, without voids, in confined support structures such as thin slab-type configurations. Furthermore, by using a differential activation scheme for the casting, the method makes is possible to produce such gels in slabs of capillary cross-sectional dimension. According to a preferred method, a gradient slab gel is cast by filling a countable number of grooves in a first plate with a first gelling liquid. A gel casting region for a slab gel is formed by spacing the first plate apart from a second plate so as to provide a flow path between the first and second plates which has a directional component orthogonal to the grooves. A second gelling liquid is injected into the gel casting region between the plates, such that the first liquid mixes with the second liquid as the second liquid encounters each groove, thereby forming a gelling mixture with a composition gradient. The gelling mixture is then caused to gel in the gel casting region, thereby forming a gradient slab gel.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.