Patent ID: 6696265
Filing Date: 2004-02-24
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
A method of reducing flow analysis error in at least one flow analysis assay on a flow analyzer, wherein said flow analysis assay is performed subsequent to at least one prior flow analysis assay performed on the same flow analyzer, comprising:a) passing a population of one or more subsets of spectrally addressable microspheres, which had been exposed to a sample suspected of harboring one or more analytes of interest, through a flow analyzer, each subset of spectrally addressable microspheres being distinguishable by at least one characteristic from at least one other subset of spectrally addressable microspheres, said microspheres exhibiting a surface fluorescence value indicative of a biomolecular reaction having taken place on the surface of said microspheres in the presence of said one or more analytes of interest; b) discarding a number, N, of highest surface fluorescence values and a number, N, of lowest surface fluorescence values, which number equals a maximum number of microspheres, N, carried over from said prior assay performed on said same flow analyzer; and c) calculating the extent of the biomolecular reaction, if any, using surface fluorescence values not discarded in step b).