Separation unit, separation method, fluid device, and composite fluid device and kit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016274010-A1
Application number	US-201615169079-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 31, 2016
Priority date	Dec 3, 2013
Publication date	Sep 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention provides a separation unit, a separation method, a fluid device, a composite fluid device and kit which are able to obtain a target analyte from a sample including the analyte. The separation unit of the present invention is characterized in being provided with a filter for selectively filtering analyte from a sample, and a structural material arranged to be movable to the secondary side of the filter so as to promote filtration while maintaining contact with the analyte filtrated by the filter.

First claim

1 . A separation unit comprising:
a filter for selectively filtering an analyte from a sample, and a structural material movably arranged on a secondary side of the filter so that filtration is promoted while maintaining contact with the analyte to be filtered from the filter.

2 . The separation unit according to claim 1 , wherein the structural material is arranged to be lowered by a load of the analyte to be filtered by the filter.

3 . The separation unit according to claim 1 , wherein the structural material covers the secondary side of the filter, the structural material has deflectibility so that it moves away from the secondary side of the filter as the analyte is filtrated, and the structural material has a water impermeability.

4 . The separation unit according to claim 1 , wherein the structural material is a thin film material, sheet, or film, made of synthetic resin.

5 . The separation unit according to claim 4 , wherein a surface of the thin film material, sheet, or film is roughened.

6 . The separation unit according to claim 5 , wherein a roughening process is creasing, embossing, or pleating.

7 . The separation unit according to claim 1 , wherein the sample is blood, and the analyte is plasma.

8 . A fluid device comprising:
an inlet for sample introduction, a filter for selectively filtering an analyte from a sample, a structural material movably arranged on a secondary side of the filter so that filtration is promoted while maintaining contact with the analyte to be filtered from the filter, and an outlet for discharging a sample, which communicates with a gap between the filter and the structural material.

9 . The fluid device according to claim 8 , further comprising: a housing which forms a first space part into which the sample can be injected at a primary side of the filter, and forms a second space part independently from the first space part which accommodates the structural material at the secondary side of the filter.

10 . The fluid device according to claim 9 , wherein the structural material covers the secondary side of the filter, a peripheral portion of the structural material is fixed to a peripheral portion of a secondary side of the filter, and a central portion of the structural material is movably arranged from the secondary side of the filter to the housing constituting the second space part, so that a filtrate housing portion which is variable in volume is formed between the structural material and a surface of the secondary side of the filter.

11 . The fluid device according to claim 10 , wherein the outlet comprises a tube communicating with the filtrate housing portion.

12 . The fluid device according to claim 9 , wherein the outlet is provided on the same level as the surface of the secondary side of the filter in the housing.

13 . The fluid device according to claim 9 , wherein the outlet is provided below the surface of the secondary side of the filter in the housing.

14 . The fluid device according to claim 9 , wherein the housing comprises:
a lid forming the first space part and provided with a concave portion that covers the primary side the filter, and a bottom forming the second space part and provided with a concave portion that covers the secondary side of the filter and the structural material.

15 . The fluid device according to claim 8 , wherein the sample is blood, and the analyte is plasma.

16 . A separation method comprising:
a step of supplying a sample containing a liquid component and a solid component to a primary side of a filter for selectively filtering the liquid component from the sample, and a step comprising:
having the liquid component soaked into an inside of the filter by capillary action, and contacting the liquid component that has reached a secondary side of the filter with a structural material which is in contact with or close to the secondary side of the filter,
expanding a volume of a gap between the filter and the structural material by pressing down the structural material by the liquid component flowed out from the secondary side during gradually filtering the sample supplied from the primary side by the filter, and
continuing the capillary action by the pressed down structural material via a filtered liquid component.

17 . The separation method according to claim 16 , further comprising a step of discharging the filtered liquid component out of the gap.

18 . The separation method according to claim 16 , further comprising a step of deflating a space between the filter and the structural material before supplying the sample.

19 . The separation method according to claim 16 , wherein the liquid component is plasma constituting blood, and the solid component is blood cell constituting the blood.

20 . A composite fluid device for detecting a biomolecule contained in an exosome in plasma obtained from a sample containing blood by separating blood cells using the separating unit according to claim 1 , comprising:
a preprocessing portion having the separation unit or the fluid device, an exosome purification portion having a layer modified with a compound having a hydrophobic chain and a hydrophilic chain, and a biomolecule detection portion.

Assignees

• Univ Tokyo
• Nikon Corp

Inventors

• Ichiki Takanori
• Takarada Hiromi
• Suzuki Kuno

Classifications

• B01L2400/0481

  squeezing of channels or chambers · CPC title

• G01N1/4077 Primary

  by other techniques involving separation of suspended solids · CPC title

• B01L2300/0681

  Filter · CPC title

• B01L2300/041

  Connecting closures to device or container · CPC title

• B01L2300/0627

  Sensor or part of a sensor is integrated · CPC title