Patent ID: 6790632
Filing Date: 2004-09-14
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
A membrane-receptor reagent for measuring the interaction between test analytes and target membrane receptors comprising:a support comprising an energy-emitting surface that emits energy that varies as a function of distance from said surface; extended hydrophilic tethers attached to said energy-emitting surface of said support; reagent ligands attached to the ends of said extended hydrophilic tethers; a fluid lipid membrane in the form of a liposome, phospholipid vesicle, or lipid layers mounted on a second surface that projects away from said energy emitting surface, comprising target membrane receptors that specifically bind to target analytes and reversibly bind to said reagent ligands, wherein said target membrane receptors move fluidly within said fluid lipid membrane and further comprise integral or transmembrane membrane proteins labeled with a moiety that produces a detectable signal upon receiving excitation energy; and anchoring means for irreversibly binding said fluid lipid membrane to said energy-emitting surface; wherein binding between said target membrane receptors and target analyte either blocks or promotes binding between said reagent ligands and said target membrane receptors, causing a change in an average distance between said target membrane receptors and said energy-emitting surface, resulting in a change in said detectable signal.