Patent ID: 8586389

Claim:
A functional cassette for the detection of ligands, the cassette comprising: a pair of opposed transparent substrates defining a space therebetween; a liquid crystalline material disposed within the space defined by the pair of opposed transparent substrates; a pair of transparent electrodes disposed on at least a portion of the opposed transparent substrates on a side facing the opposing substrate and defining a primary detection area, wherein the primary detection area includes a liquid crystalline material and a plurality of receptors specific to a ligand, wherein the plurality of receptors are attached to substrates to form receptor-bound substrates, and a sample for analysis can be introduced therein, such that any ligands in the sample form receptor-ligand complexes upon binding of the ligands to the receptor-bound substrates, wherein the formation of receptor-ligand complexes may be detected by alteration of the light transmission properties of the liquid crystalline material in the primary detection area; and a secondary detection area adapted to detect aggregated receptor-ligand complexes located within the liquid crystalline material by a secondary detection method, wherein the primary detection area and the secondary detection area are in fluid communication with each other.