Method and a device for the evaluation of biopolymer fitness

US7534576B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• OLYMPUS CORPORATION · JP

Inventors

• Rudolf Rigler · Djursholm, SE
• Manfred Eigen · Göttingen, DE
• Karsten Henco · Erkrath, DE
• Ulo Mets · Tallinn, EE
• Jerker Widengren · Solna, SE
• Michael Stuke · Göttingen, DE
• Michael Brinkmeyer · Göttingen, DE
• Wolfgang Simm · Lausanne, CH
• Olaf Lehman · Göttingen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 4, 2007
• Grant date: May 19, 2009
• Expiry date: May 9, 2027

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T436/11
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A Method for identifying one or a small number of molecules, especially in a dilution of ≦1 μM, using laser excited FCS with measuring times ≦500 ms and short diffusion paths of the molecules to be analyzed, wherein the measurement is performed in small volume units of preferably ≦10−14 l, by determining material-specific parameters which are determined by luminescence measurements of molecules to be examined.The device which can be preferably used for performing the method according to the invention is a per se known system of microscope optics for laser focusing for fluorescence excitation in a small measuring compartment of a very diluted solution and for imaging the emitted light in the subsequent measurement through confocal imaging wherein at least one system of optics with high numerical aperture of preferably ≧1.2 N.A. is employed, the light quantity is limited by a confocally arranged pinhole aperture in the object plane behind the microscope objective, and the measuring compartment is positioned at a distance of between 0 and 1000 μm from the observation objective.