Abstract:
The present invention provides a biochip cartridge wherein an elastic body is used for a substrate member in order to stabilize the feeding of blood or solution and whereby it is possible to avoid the risk of accidental contact of the operator with solutions due to mishandling.  
     The biochip cartridge comprises a tabular substrate member formed using an elastic material and a flexible cover air tightly attached to the surface of the substrate member, wherein at least an area for storing biopolymers, an area for detecting desired biopolymers from the biopolymers that have been preprocessed, and a flow path for connecting the areas is formed on the substrate member, so that biopolymers can be successively moved from the biopolymer storage area to the biopolymer detection area through the flow path.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to a biochip cartridge for use with biochips intended to test biopolymers, such as DNA, RNA (mRNA or cDNA, for example) and protein and, more particularly, to a biochip cartridge that is extremely safe and can reduce the cost of testing.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0004]    Biochip cartridges for testing DNA or other biopolymers have been well known. For example, a biochip cartridge (also simply referred to as biochip) used to read the sequence of a DNA target by scanning a hybridized DNA chip with a biochip reader as illustrated in FIG. 1 is described in the Japanese Laid-open Patent Application 2001-235468.  
           [0005]    In this biochip, excitation light is radiated at the hybridized DNA chip within biochip  10  and fluorescent light emitted from a fluorescent marker is read using biochip reader  20  so that the sequence of the DNA target, for example, is identified. It should be noted that cartridge  11  is formed using a material that is transparent to the excitation light and fluorescent light.  
           [0006]    Biochip  10  mentioned above is configured in such a manner that substrate  12 , on which a multitude of sites CL of the DNA probe chip are arranged in arrays, is housed within cartridge  11  as illustrated in FIG. 2. In biochip  10 , solution  15  containing target DNA segments previously marked with a fluorescent marker is injected from inlet  13  using solution infusion means  14 , such as a pipette, prior to read-out operation, as shown in FIG. 3, so that the DNA segments are hybridized with the probe DNA chip.  
           [0007]    On the other hand, such test samples as blood are sometimes found to be contaminated with a virus such as HIV. Therefore, for safety reasons there is a growing tendency to use disposable equipment for such medical appliances as syringes.  
           [0008]    In contrast, the method of introducing a solution shown in FIG. 3 involves the risk of the operator being infected with a virus, such as HIV, as a result of accidental contact with the solution due to mishandling. This risk exists because the method always involves transferring the solution from solution infusion means  14  to cartridge  11 .  
           [0009]    Another problem with the conventional biochip is that the cost of testing increases since more than one kind of medical equipment must be disposed of, including syringes, appliances used for preprocessing purposes, injection means, DNA chips, and so on.  
           [0010]    The biochip illustrated in FIG. 4 has solved the aforementioned problems. The biochip comprises blood collection tube  31 , instead of a conventional conical tube, which is inserted into a syringe cylinder in order to collect blood. The blood collection tube is formed into a cylindrical shape using a solid material transparent to excitation light and fluorescent light produced. The opening of blood collection tube  31  is sealed with a rubber plug  32  which is pierced through the middle with a needle, and blood collection tube  31  as a whole is kept under negative pressure.  
           [0011]    Blood collected through the needle is temporarily retained within collection block  33  and then introduced to preprocessing block  34 , where the blood is preprocessed. This preprocessing comprises a series of processes, including separating lymphocytes from the blood, isolating DNA from the separated lymphocytes, and adding a fluorescent marker to the isolated DNA.  
           [0012]    Housed in the innermost section of blood collection tube  31  is substrate  35 , similar to the one shown in FIG. 1, on which probe DNA segments are arranged in arrays. In the innermost section, DNA segments that infiltrate from preprocessing block  34  and the probe DNA segments are hybridized.  
           [0013]    Although such a biochip cartridge as described above is advantageous in that processes, including blood collection, preprocessing and hybridization, are performed consistently and automatically, the cartridge requires a rigid blood collection tube and is therefore expensive. Furthermore, the biochip cartridge involves using an air suction pump or the like to produce negative pressure, and thus overall costs are comparatively high.  
           [0014]    A biochip that has solved the aforementioned problems is described in the Japanese Laid-open Patent Application 2002-365299 submitted by the applicant of the application concerned. This biochip is configured in such a manner as illustrated in FIG. 5. The abovementioned biochip, which is indicated by  40  in FIG. 5, has good flexibility and is formed into a flat, airtight bag-like shape, using a material transparent to fluorescent light and excitation light.  
           [0015]    Blood collection bag  41  has a rectangular outline, as shown in the plan view of FIG. 5( b ), and the periphery of the bag is sealed airtightly. The middle area of the bag is shaped like a fish. The bag&#39;s opening, which corresponds to the mouth of a fish, is closed airtight with plug  42 . Plug  42  is formed using a rubber-like material and a syringe needle is pierced through plug  42  at the time of blood collection. When the syringe needle is pulled out after blood collection, the pinhole thus opened immediately closes, preventing the collected blood from leaking out of the biochip.  
           [0016]    In sequence from plug  42  to the innermost section of the biochip, collection block  43 , preprocessing block  44 , combination block  45 , and waste liquid reservoir  47  are formed in blood collection bag  41 .  
           [0017]    Collected blood is stored in collection block  43 . Hooks  43   a  and  43   b  are formed on both the top and bottom sides of the jacket of collection block  43 . At the time of blood collection, collection block  43  is expanded by pulling outwards engagement members engaged with these hooks  43   a  and  43   b.    
           [0018]    In preprocessing block  44 , a process of isolating targets of interest from the collected blood is executed. Combination block  45  is provided with substrate member  46 , on which a plurality of probes (herein assumed to be DNA) are arranged in arrays, so that targets isolated in preprocessing block  44  can be combined complementarily with the probes.  
           [0019]    Waste liquid reservoir  47  is a pocket provided in order to retain an unnecessary solution forcibly driven out of preprocessing block  44  and combination block  45 . The pocket is compressed in its initial state.  
           [0020]    Pockets  48  and  50  corresponding to the dorsal and abdominal fins of a fish are formed on the sides of preprocessing block  44  opposing each other. Solutions necessary to isolate targets (DNA, RNA or protein) from blood are encapsulated in pockets  48  and  50 , respectively.  
           [0021]    Plug valves  49  and  51  serving as bulkheads are formed in junctions (narrow passages) between pocket  48  and preprocessing block  44  and between pocket  50  and preprocessing block  44 . These valves are designed to break when the pressure of solutions within the pockets rises to a given level.  
           [0022]    After the collected blood is stored in the collection block  43  of blood collection bag  41 , blood collection bag  41  is pinched between rollers  61  and  62  that rotate as shown in FIG. 6, so that the bag is squeezed in the direction from collection block  43  toward preprocessing block  44 .  
           [0023]    The axial length of rollers  61  and  62  is made to be greater than the width of blood collection bag  41 , so that the rollers uniformly apply pressure to the entire width of blood collection bag  41 .  
           [0024]    As rollers  61  and  62  rotate, the collected blood is forced to move toward preprocessing block  44 .  
           [0025]    When rollers  61  and  62  advance and begin squeezing pocket  48 , the internal pressure thereof rises and therefore plug valve  49  breaks. When plug valve  49  breaks, a solution within pocket  48  flows into preprocessing block  44 , where a given process based on the solution is executed.  
           [0026]    Then, when pocket  50  is also squeezed by rollers  61  and  62 , plug valve  51  likewise breaks and a solution within pocket  50  flows into preprocessing block  44 , where a given process is executed.  
           [0027]    Consequently, it is possible to easily submit blood collection bag  41  to time-differentiated processing by displacing the mounting positions of the pockets from each other. In other words, it is possible to submit the bag to the process of separating lymphocytes from blood and isolating DNA from the lymphocytes thus separated and the process of, for example, adding a fluorescent marker to the isolated DNA, with a time difference provided between these processes.  
           [0028]    When the process in preprocessing block  44  is completed, then rollers  61  and  62  are rotated further. This operation feeds the preprocessed blood toward combination block  45 , where hybridization with probe DNA chips arranged on substrate member  46  takes place.  
           [0029]    It should be noted that extra amounts of blood and solution forcibly driven out of preprocessing block  44  accumulate in waste liquid reservoir  47 .  
           [0030]    DNA chips that have undergone hybridization are read in the same way as the conventional method, using a biochip reader (not shown in the figure).  
           [0031]    As described heretofore, processes from blood collection to preprocessing and hybridization are executed consistently within a hermetically sealed blood collection bag. Therefore, it is possible to prevent accidental contact of the operator with solutions due to mishandling. In addition, since such a blood collection bag as described above can be easily fabricated using a flexible inexpensive material, it is possible to easily realize an inexpensive biochip.  
           [0032]    However, such a conventional biochip as discussed above has had the following problems:  
           [0033]    (1) Blood collection bag  41  is squeezed unevenly when being pinched and forwarded by rollers  61  and  62 , thus hindering the flow of blood or stabilization of solution.  
           [0034]    (2) Since blood collection bag  41  is soft, self-fluorescence tends to occur easily due to the adhesive agent, coatings or plastic materials used therein. This self-fluorescence constitutes background noise and causes the S/N ratio to change. Consequently, it becomes infeasible to detect weak fluorescent light (signal) emitted from the fluorescent substance with which DNA has been marked.  
           [0035]    (3) It is not possible to store mRNA or DNA as is, without submitting it to hybridization, nor is it possible to make already-stored mRNA or DNA undergo hybridization only.  
           [0036]    (4) Although the biochip in question is designed so that pre-processing and hybridization are performed within the bag and, therefore, is advantageous in that it can eliminate the risk of viruses, for example, being released from the biochip during processing, the biochip has the problem that it is not possible to use a general-purpose, slide glass type DNA microarray. Note that although there is a cassette capable of hybridization using a general-purpose, slide glass type DNA microarray, the cassette requires conversion of the sample into cDNA or labeling the sample (for example, attaching fluorescent markers) in a laboratory or other places. Furthermore, use of the cassette involves post-hybridization cleaning, resulting in the problem that a specific place and special skills are required.  
           [0037]    (5) Such a dedicated biochip as illustrated in FIG. 1 requires the use of a dedicated reader suited for that biochip, resulting in the problem that it is not possible to use general-purpose readers.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0038]    It is an object of the present invention to solve the abovementioned problems by using an elastic body for the substrate member in order to stabilize the feeding of blood or solution and providing a biochip cartridge capable of preventing the danger of the operator accidentally coming into contact with solution due to mishandling.  
           [0039]    It is another object of the present invention to realize a biochip cartridge that is low self-fluorescence.  
           [0040]    It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a biochip cartridge that allows pre-processing and cleaning to be performed within the cartridge and hybridized biopolymers to be detected using a general-purpose reader. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0041]    [0041]FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating an example of a conventional biochip.  
         [0042]    [0042]FIG. 2 is the plan view of the conventional biochip illustrated in FIG. 1.  
         [0043]    [0043]FIG. 3 is a schematic view explaining a method of injecting a solution into the conventional biochip.  
         [0044]    [0044]FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating another example of the conventional biochip.  
         [0045]    [0045]FIG. 5 is a schematic view illustrating yet another example of the conventional biochip.  
         [0046]    [0046]FIG. 6 is a schematic view explaining another method of handling the conventional biochip illustrated in FIG. 5.  
         [0047]    [0047]FIG. 7 is a schematic view illustrating one embodiment of the biochip cartridge in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0048]    [0048]FIG. 8 is a schematic view explaining the behavior of the biochip cartridge illustrated in FIG. 7.  
         [0049]    [0049]FIG. 9 is a schematic view illustrating another embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0050]    [0050]FIG. 10 is a schematic view illustrating yet another embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0051]    [0051]FIG. 11 is a schematic view illustrating yet another embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0052]    [0052]FIG. 12 is a schematic view illustrating yet another embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0053]    [0053]FIG. 13 is a schematic view illustrating yet another embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0054]    [0054]FIG. 14 is a schematic view illustrating an embodiment of the separable biochip cartridge in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0055]    [0055]FIG. 15 is a schematic view illustrating a state of the biochip cartridge being separated.  
         [0056]    [0056]FIG. 16 is a schematic view illustrating the convex joint of the housing.  
         [0057]    [0057]FIG. 17 is a schematic view illustrating the concave joint of the housing.  
         [0058]    [0058]FIG. 18 is a schematic view illustrating a state of the housings being coupled with each other.  
         [0059]    [0059]FIG. 19 is a schematic view illustrating another state of the housings being coupled with each other.  
         [0060]    [0060]FIG. 20 is a schematic view illustrating another embodiment of the biochip cartridge in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0061]    [0061]FIG. 21 is a schematic view illustrating another embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0062]    [0062]FIG. 22 is a schematic view illustrating yet another embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0063]    [0063]FIG. 23 is a schematic view illustrating another embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0064]    Preferred embodiments are described in detail hereinafter by referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein FIG. 7 is a schematic view illustrating one embodiment of the biochip cartridge in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 7( a ) is a side view, FIG. 7( b ) is the plan view of a substrate member, and FIG. 7( c ) is the view of section A-A′ (including covers).  
         [0065]    In biochip cartridge  100  illustrated in FIG. 7( a ), symbols  101  and  102  indicate transparent and flexible covers made from hard plastics and symbol  110  indicates a substrate member formed using an elastic body, such as airtight, elastic rubber. Covers  101  and  102  are hermetically attached onto the top and bottom surfaces of substrate member  110  by means of, for example, adhesion.  
         [0066]    Formed on substrate member  110  are a through-hole for flow path  111  at the inlet of the substrate member, a plurality of chambers, i.e., collection area  112 , first and second pockets  113  and  114 , preprocessing area  115 , detection area  116  and waste liquid reservoir  117 , and a through-hole for flow path  118  for connecting these elements to each other, as illustrated in FIG. 7( b ).  
         [0067]    By adhering covers  101  and  102  onto the top and bottom sides of substrate member  110 , each through-hole is closed up from both the top and bottom sides. For example, flow path  118  is shaped into such an opening (hollow) as shown in FIG. 7( c ).  
         [0068]    Now each flow path and chamber are further described in detail. Flow path  111  is a sample injection inlet for injecting a solution containing a sampled biopolymer, such as blood (hereinafter simply referred to as a sample). Note that it is also possible to directly pierce a syringe needle into substrate member  110  and inject the sample into collection area  112  without providing flow path  111 , by taking advantage of the fact that substrate member  110  itself is a rubber-like elastic body.  
         [0069]    Collection area  112  is a chamber wherein a collected sample, such as blood, is stored. In first and second pockets  113  and  114 , preprocessing solutions for separating a biopolymer to be detected from the sample in collection area  112  and refining and amplifying the biopolymer are stored.  
         [0070]    In preprocessing area  115 , the sample mixes with the preprocessing solutions from pockets  113  and  114  and preprocessing, such as separation, refining and amplification, is performed. Detection area  116  is a chamber provided with an array chip (not shown in the figure) onto which a biopolymer is fixed, wherein the biopolymer of the abovementioned preprocessed sample is made to complimentarily couple (hybridize) with this biopolymer so that the sample biopolymer is detected.  
         [0071]    Waste liquid reservoir  117  is a chamber wherein waste liquid drained from detection area  116  after hybridization is stored.  
         [0072]    Now the usage and behavior of biochip cartridge  100  configured as discussed above is described. After a sample is injected into collection area  112 , biochip cartridge  100  is placed on a flat plate (not shown in the figure), for example, and cylindrical roller-like rigid body  200  (hereinafter simply referred to as roller  200 ) is levelly pressed onto cover  101 , as illustrated in FIG. 8( a ) and rolled from the inlet side toward preprocessing area  115 .  
         [0073]    Cover  101  is deformed as roller  200  is pressed down and substrate member  110  is squeezed. As a result, flow path  111  immediately below the center of roller  200  is narrowed down and closed up, thus forming a temporary valve. As roller  200  is rotated toward the right of the figure, the temporary valve also moves rightward. This valve has the effect of preventing the flow from reversing.  
         [0074]    As collection area  112  is squeezed by roller  200 , the sample stored in collection area  112  is driven toward the right, passes through flow path  118 , and is driven out into preprocessing area  115 .  
         [0075]    Next, as pocket  113  is likewise squeezed through by roller  200 , the preprocessing solution is driven through flow path  118  into preprocessing area  115 . As roller  200  moves further toward the right, pocket  114  is also squeezed and a preprocessing solution stored therein is also driven into preprocessing area  115 . As a result, the preprocessing solutions mix with the sample within preprocessing area  115  and preprocesses, such as biopolymer separation, refining and amplification are carried out.  
         [0076]    It is possible to easily submit the sample to time-differentiated processing by displacing the positions of pockets  113  and  114  from each other toward the right, as illustrated in FIG. 7( b ).  
         [0077]    When preprocessing is completed, roller  200  is rotated in order to squeeze preprocessing area  115  so that the preprocessed sample is forwarded to detection area  116 . In detection area  116 , hybridization is carried out between the biopolymer within the sample and the biopolymer fixed on to the array chip. Biopolymers and solutions that have not undergone hybridization are sent to waste liquid reservoir  117  by rotating and moving roller  200  toward the right or by tilting the entire biochip cartridge.  
         [0078]    The array chip for which hybridization has been carried out can be read through a transparent cover  101  using a known biochip reader (not shown in the figure).  
         [0079]    The present invention is by no means limited to the above-described embodiments but may be embodied in other ways without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics thereof. Accordingly, it should be understood that all modifications falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention are covered by the appended claims.  
         [0080]    For example, it is possible to prevent the sample from inadvertently advancing further by providing the biochip cartridge with shutter  210  in addition to roller  200 , as illustrated in FIG. 9, and pressing down shutter  210  and thereby blocking the flow path as necessary.  
         [0081]    By pinching biochip cartridge  100  from top and bottom sides with two rollers, it is also possible to discharge the sample and preprocessing solutions in the same way as in the above-described embodiments.  
         [0082]    Alternatively, the biochip cartridge can be configured by previously providing valve  119  in flow path  118  at the outlet of collection area  112 , as illustrated in FIG. 10, so that the flow path is closed when injecting a sample in collection area  112  and is opened when collection area  112  is squeezed with the rollers and valve  119  is opened, thus allowing the sample to drain through flow path  118 .  
         [0083]    It is also possible to shape substrate member  110  into a wedge, so that the substrate member is not uniform in the thickness thereof but is thicker toward the collection area side and is thinner toward the waste liquid reservoir side, as illustrated in FIG. 11. This strategy enables the shapes of the flow path and pockets to be changed depending on the locations thereof, thus increasing the freedom of design.  
         [0084]    It is also possible to shape the chambers and flow path of substrate member  110  into concave openings, as illustrated in FIG. 12, rather than through-holes. Furthermore, it is also possible to configure the biochip cartridge into a structure where cover  102  on the bottom side is removed, as illustrated in FIG. 13.  
         [0085]    It is also possible to use glass or silica plates for the top and bottom side covers. Note that such transparent plates as mentioned above need not necessarily be used as long as hybridized biopolymers can be electrically detected.  
         [0086]    It is also possible to use a gel as the substrate member. Alternatively, if the biochip cartridge is disposable, it is possible to use a plastic-deformable, unrecoverable material as the material of the substrate member.  
         [0087]    According to the biochip cartridge configured as explained in the above-described embodiments, the following advantageous effects are provided:  
         [0088]    (1) Processes from sample injection to hybridization are consistently carried out within a hermetically sealed biochip cartridge. Consequently, it is possible to prevent such accidents as the operator coming into contact with injected solutions due to mishandling.  
         [0089]    (2) It is possible to easily fabricate the biochip cartridge using an inexpensive material and, therefore, an inexpensive biochip can easily be realized.  
         [0090]    (3) Since the flow path is fixed, the amount of sample residues and the unevenness of sample squeeze are reduced, enabling the sample to be precisely discharged.  
         [0091]    (4) Since rigid covers are used to pressurize the substrate member, self-fluorescence from the covers is extremely unlikely to occur.  
         [0092]    [0092]FIG. 14 is another embodiment of the present invention. The biochip cartridge as discussed in this embodiment is configured so that it is possible to eliminate the risk of accidental contact of the operator with solutions due to mishandling and to attachably and detachably separate the cartridge into two parts.  
         [0093]    Biochip cartridge  400  illustrated in FIG. 14 is identical to biochip cartridge  100  illustrated in FIG. 7 except that biochip cartridge  400  is structured so that first housing  410  and second housing  420  are attachably and detachably separable.  
         [0094]    Both housing  410  and housing  420  are formed using a material having good flexibility and have rectangular outlines, and the peripheries of the housings are sealed airtightly. In addition, housings  410  and  420  can be stored as separated from each other, as illustrated in FIG. 15.  
         [0095]    Housing  410  has a rubber-like plug  411  at one end thereof and convex joint  412  at the other end thereof. Rubber-like plug  411  is airtightly mounted on the housing. A syringe needle can be pierced into plug  411  in order to inject blood containing biopolymers, such as DNA, RNA (for example, mRNA and cDNA) and protein or a homogenized biological sample into housing  410 . By performing preprocessing, such as mRNA extraction from the blood, within housing  410 , it is possible to extract biopolymers from the biological sample.  
         [0096]    When the syringe needle is pulled out, the pinhole thus opened inplug  411  immediately closes, preventing the sample from leaking out of the housing.  
         [0097]    [0097]FIG. 16 is a schematic view illustrating one embodiment of convex joint  412 .  
         [0098]    Plug  413  into which a syringe needle  414  is pierced is airtightly attached to convex joint  412 , and removable rubber-like cap  415  is placed on syringe needle  414 . When coupling housing  410  with housing  420 , cap  415  is removed as illustrated in FIG. 16( b ). Housing  420  has concave joint  421  at one end thereof to couple with housing  410  and is internally provided with substrate member  423  onto which second biopolymers having sequences complementary to biopolymers (for example, mRNA) extracted using housing  410  are fixed. Note that by forming housing  420  using a transparent material, it is possible to directly read post-hybridization biopolymers using a fluorescence reader (not shown in the figure). FIG. 17 is a schematic view illustrating one embodiment of concave joint  421 .  
         [0099]    Rubber-like plug  422  into which the syringe needle of housing  410  is pierced is airtightly attached onto the bottom of concave joint  421 . When the syringe needle is pulled out of plug  422 , the pinhole opened by the syringe needle closes.  
         [0100]    Now the usage of the biochip cartridge configured as described above is explained. A syringe needle is pierced into plug  411  located at the sample inlet of housing  410  and a solution containing biopolymers is injected. At this moment, cap  415  is previously placed on the convex joint  412  of housing  410 , as illustrated in FIG. 16( a ). By doing so, it is possible for housing  410  to temporarily store the solution with the housing  410  separated from housing  420 , as illustrated in FIG. 15( a ).  
         [0101]    Since the biochip cartridge in accordance with the present invention has been made to be separable into two housings, it is possible to separately and easily inject a biological sample into housing  410  and inject biopolymers from housing  410  to housing  420  at different timings. Note that if the sample is submitted to a biopolymer extraction process as discussed above, viruses such as HIV are removed and therefore solutions drained out of housings are no longer dangerous.  
         [0102]    When injecting a solution of biopolymers from housing  410  to housing  420 , cap  415  is removed from housing  410  and convex joint  412  is inserted into the concave joint  421  of housing  420 . Then, housing  410  is squeezed and the solution stored in housing  410  is fed through the syringe needle into housing  420 .  
         [0103]    After injection, housing  410  is removed from housing  420  if it is no longer necessary.  
         [0104]    Within housing  420 , hybridization is carried out between biopolymers fixed onto substrate member  423  within housing  420  and biopolymers in the solution after such necessary processing as attaching a fluorescent substance is completed. Note that the part of biochip cartridge  400  wherein substrate member  423  is located corresponds to the detection area  116  of biochip cartridge  100  illustrated in FIG. 7.  
         [0105]    Hybridized biopolymers are detected in the same way as the method explained in the example of the conventional biochip cartridge.  
         [0106]    It should be noted that the present invention is by no means limited to the above-described embodiments but, should be considered inclusive of the following changes and modifications:  
         [0107]    For example, it is possible to use other means than a syringe needle in order to inject solutions into housing  410  or from housing  410  to housing  420 .  
         [0108]    It is also possible to change the way of coupling housings  410  and  420 , by cutting out the edges thereof halfway and opposite to each other so that the edges properly couple with each other, as illustrated in FIG. 18, and a solution is transferred as indicated by the arrow. It is also possible to form convex and concave joints on the sides of the housings so that the edges properly couple with each other, as illustrated in FIG. 19, and a solution is transferred as indicated by the arrow.  
         [0109]    According to the biochip cartridge configured as explained in the above-described embodiments, the following advantageous effects are provided:  
         [0110]    (1) The sample can be stored in a state of pre-hybridization mRNA or DNA solution in housing  410 .  
         [0111]    (2) It is easy to submit previously stored mRNA or DNA to hybridization only.  
         [0112]    (3) Since the sample is stored in the housing in a state of mRNA solution, for example, this method of storage protects against viruses in the blood and is therefore safe.  
         [0113]    [0113]FIG. 20 is a schematic view illustrating another embodiment of the biochip cartridge in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0114]    Biochip cartridge  500  permits preprocessing and cleaning to be carried out therewithin and hybridized biopolymers to be detected using a general-purpose reader. FIG. 20( a ) is a plan view and FIGS.  20 ( b ) and  20 ( c ) are side views.  
         [0115]    Biochip cartridge  500  comprises substrate member  510  and cover  520 . By virtue of biochip cartridge  500 , it is possible to have biological samples undergo preprocessing and hybridization in an integrated manner, with general-purpose slide glass type biopolymer microarray  530  (hereinafter simply referred to as slide  530 ) inserted into the biochip cartridge.  
         [0116]    Substrate member  510  is formed using an elastic body, such as airtight elastic rubber, and a preprocessing mechanism for applying preprocessing to solutions containing biopolymers (also simply referred to as biological samples) is provided within the substrate member.  
         [0117]    The preprocessing mechanism has a plurality of chambers comprising inlet  111  for biological samples to be injected through; collection area  112  for storing injected solutions; preprocessing solution storage  113   a  for storing preprocessing solution used to label biopolymers; combination area  116  (hereinafter referred to as detection area  116  since this block corresponds to the detection area illustrated in FIG. 7) for performing hybridization processes; washing solution storage  114   a  for storing a washing solution used to wash away (clean) a remaining extra post-hybridization biological sample; waste liquid reservoir  117  for storing the flushed extra biological sample (waste liquid); flow path  118  for connecting these constituent elements; and insertion slot  511  for slide  530  to be inserted through, as well as the capability to transfer a biological sample from the collection area to the detection area and to preprocess the biological sample in midway through the transfer in order to turn the sample into measurable biopolymers.  
         [0118]    Cover  520  is formed using a rigid material and is airtightly joined by adhesion to the back of substrate member  510  in an attachable and detachable manner, as illustrated in FIG. 20( b ).  
         [0119]    Slide  530  has, in the center thereof, array area  531  wherein a plurality of biopolymers are fixed. Array area  531  is formed so as to be positioned immediately below detection area  116  when inserted into the insertion slot  511  of substrate member  510  or when cover  520  is temporarily removed, then attached back in place.  
         [0120]    General-purpose slide  530  is standardized in terms of the size thereof, measuring 26×76 (mm) in Japan, 1×3 (inch) in the United States, and 25×75 (mm) in Europe.  
         [0121]    The insertion slot of substrate member  510  is formed to the dimensions compatible with those of the slide being used. Note that these dimensions are officially prescribed in Japan by Japanese Industrial Standard JIS R3703.  
         [0122]    In addition, gaskets  540  formed using an elastic body, such as rubber, are mounted on the bottom of substrate member  510 , as illustrated in FIG. 20( c ), in order to seal the boundaries between the surfaces of slide  530  and the bottom of substrate member  510 . This structure makes it possible to prevent a solution within detection area  116  from leaking out.  
         [0123]    Now the usage of the biochip cartridge configured as discussed above is described. After slide  530  is inserted into the insertion slot  511  of substrate member  510 , a solution is injected into inlet  111  to fill collection area  112 .  
         [0124]    Assume at this point that preprocessing and washing solutions are previously stored in preprocessing solution storage  113   a  and washing solution storage  114   a,  respectively.  
         [0125]    After collection area  112  is filled with the solution, roller  200  is pressed upon substrate member  510  from the top side thereof and rolled from inlet  111  toward detection area  116  (leftward), as shown in FIG. 20( c ). Thus, the solution within collection area  112  is driven through flow path  118  toward detection area  116 .  
         [0126]    Next, as preprocessing solution storage  113   a  is squeezed by roller  200 , the preprocessing solution is driven through flow path  118  toward detection area  116  and mixes with the injected solution there so that labeling is carried out.  
         [0127]    The labeled solution hybridizes with biopolymers in the array area  531  of slide  530 .  
         [0128]    After hybridization, roller  200  is moved onward to squeeze washing solution storage  114   a  and causes the washing solution to discharge into detection area  116  so that biopolymers that have not undergone hybridization are washed away (cleaned) along with the solution and the waste liquid is driven into waste liquid reservoir  117 .  
         [0129]    After such cleaning, slide  530  is removed from substrate member  510  and array area  531  is measured using a general-purpose reader (not shown in the figure), in order to detect hybridized biopolymers.  
         [0130]    By virtue of such a biochip cartridge as described above, it is possible to preprocess or clean biopolymer samples within the cartridge. In addition, a general-purpose reader rather than a dedicated reader can be used to detect post-hybridization biopolymers on the slide.  
         [0131]    The present invention should be considered inclusive of the following alterations and modifications:  
         [0132]    For example, liquid expansion based on piezoelectric devices or heaters can be used as means for discharging solutions, rather than using such rollers as referred to in the above-described embodiments.  
         [0133]    It is also possible to house the entirety of slide  530  within substrate member  510 , as illustrated in FIG. 21. In contrast, slide  530  can be formed so that the entirety of substrate member  510  is seated upon slide  530 , as illustrated in FIG. 22( a ). In this case, however, the periphery  550  of substrate member  510  is removably adhered to the top surface of slide  530  using an adhesive agent, as illustrated in FIG. 22( b ) and FIG. 22( c ), without using cover  520 .  
         [0134]    It is also possible to provide extraction area  519  for extracting DNA or RNA in the blood, in addition to detection area  116  for hybridization, on substrate member  510 , as illustrated in FIG. 23, so that DNA or RNA can also be detected on slide  530 .  
         [0135]    Furthermore, labeling can be achieved by attaching a light-absorbing dye or luminescent dye, in addition to by attaching a fluorescent marker.  
         [0136]    It is also possible to provide a preprocessing area in front of the connection, as indicated in the example of the conventional biochip cartridge illustrated in FIG. 5, and mix the preprocessing solution with the biological sample in that preprocessing area, in order to label biopolymers.  
         [0137]    The biochip cartridge configured as described above provides the following advantageous effects:  
         [0138]    (1) Preprocessing, such as labeling biopolymers, can be carried out within the biochip cartridge. In this case, there is no danger that viruses, for example, are released out of the biochip cartridge during processing since the sample is preprocessed within the airtightly sealed biochip cartridge.  
         [0139]    (2) A general-purpose slide can be used for the biochip cartridge and biopolymers fixed (hybridized, for example) in the array area of the slide can easily be measured with a general-purpose reader, without the need for any dedicated reader.