Patent ID: 6358752
Filing Date: 2002-03-19
Classification: C12Q,G01N,Y10S

Abstract:
A method for detecting or quantifying an analyte in a liquid test sample, comprising:providing a test device comprising: a contact portion on a first absorbent material; a capture portion either on said first absorbent material, or on a second absorbent material in fluid flow contact with said first absorbent material, wherein said capture portion has a first binding material bound to said capture portion; and an electrode array comprising a first conductor having a plurality of fingers, and a second conductor having a plurality of fingers, wherein said fingers of said first conductor are interdigitated with said fingers of said second conductor, said first and second conductors are electrically connected to one another via a voltage source and readout device, and said array is positioned to induce redox cycling of an electroactive marker released in said capture portion; applying the test sample to said contact portion; applying a voltage across said conductors, wherein said potential is sufficient to induce redox cycling of said marker; allowing the test sample to migrate from said contact portion into said capture portion; contacting the test sample with a liposome conjugate of liposomes and a second binding material, wherein said liposomes encapsulate an electroactive marker, wherein said second binding material binds with a portion of the analyte; and wherein said first binding material binds with a portion of the analyte other than the portion of the analyte for which the second binding material is selected; incubating the test sample with the conjugate for a time sufficient to permit reaction between any analyte present in the test sample and the second binding material; after said incubating and said allowing, lysing any liposomes present in said capture portion to release said marker, whereby said marker undergoes redox cycling induced by said conductors causing current to flow between said first and second conductors; detecting the presence or amount of said current; and correlating the presence or amount of said current with the presence or amount, respectively, of the analyte in the test sample.