Apparatus for separating test compounds for an effect on a biochemical system and for detecting a effect of a test compound on a biochemical system, procedures for determining whether a sample contains a compound capable of affecting a biochemical system, for separating a plurality of test compounds for an effect on a biochemical system and uses of a microfluidic system and a test substrate.

摘要

"APPLIANCES TO SEPARATE TEST COMPOUNDS FOR AN EFFECT ON A BIOCHEMICAL SYSTEM AND TO DETECT AN EFFECT OF A TEST COMPOUND ON A BIOCHEMICAL SYSTEM, PROCESSES FOR DETERMINING A SAMPLE CONTAIN A COMPOUND COMPOUND TO AFFECT A SYSTEM, TO AFFECT A SYSTEM, TO AFFECT A SYSTEM, TO AFFECT A SYSTEM. PLURALITY OF TEST COMPOUNDS FOR AN EFFECT ON A BIOCHEMICAL SYSTEM AND USES OF A MICROFLUID SYSTEM AND A SUBSTRATE AND TEST ". The present invention provides mocrofluidic devices and processes that are useful for conducting high pass separation tests. In particular, the devices and processes of the invention are useful in separating large numbers of different compounds for their effects on a variety of chemical, and preferably biochemical, systems. The device includes a series of channels (110,112) and an optional reagent channel (114) manufactured on the surface of the substrate. At least one of these channels will typically have very small cross-sectional dimensions, for example, in the range of about 0.1 µm. The device also includes reservoirs (104,106,108) arranged and fluidly connected to the ends of the channels (110, 114). As illustrated, the sample channel (112) is used to introduce the plurality of different test compounds into the device. As such, this channel is generally fluidly connected to a source of large numbers of separate test compounds that will be individually introduced into the sample channel (112) and subsequently into the channel (110).