Patent ID: 6416644
Filing Date: 2002-07-09
Classification: G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
An automated computer-controlled method for isolating one or more selected proteins present in a two-dimensional array prepared by two-dimensional electrophoresis in a gel, the method comprising:a) laying only the gel smoothly on a scanning platform in the absence of an attached backing material; b) scanning the gel to yield a digitized image; c) inputting said image into an image processor for identifying a plurality of protein-containing regions in the gel; d) excising said protein-containing regions from said gel by means of a computer-controlled excision device on the basis of coordinates supplied by said image processor, said excision device being moved by a computer-controlled means to cut, retrieve and expel a plug of the gel; and e) depositing said protein-containing regions in a plurality of vessels.