Patent ID: 6991715

Claim:
A method for detecting prions in a sample comprising: (a) subjecting a sample selected from the group consisting of whole blood, plasma, serum, cell products, cell extracts, cerebrospinal fluid, tissue homogenates, urine, semen, and combinations thereof, to membrane-based electrophoresis in an electrophoresis apparatus to separate at least some prions present in the sample, the electrophoresis apparatus comprising (i) a separation unit having a first electrolyte chamber and a second electrolyte chamber in fluid connection with an electrolyte reservoir, a first sample chamber in fluid connection with a first sample reservoir and positioned between the first electrolyte chamber and the second electrolyte chamber, and a second sample chamber in fluid connection with a second sample reservoir and positioned adjacent to the first sample chamber and between the first electrolyte chamber and the second electrolyte chamber; (ii) a first ion-permeable membrane having a molecular mass cut-off of 100 kDa to 1000 kDa and positioned between the first sample chamber and the second sample chamber; (iii) a second ion-permeable membrane having a molecular mass cut-off of about 10 kDa and positioned between the first electrolyte chamber and the first sample chamber; (iv) a third ion-permeable membrane having a molecular mass cut-off of about 10 kDa and positioned between the second sample chamber and the second electrolyte chamber; and (v) electrodes positioned in the first and the second electrolyte chambers; (b) supplying electrolyte from the electrolyte reservoir to the first electrolyte chamber and the second electrolyte chamber; (c) supplying sample or liquid from at least the first sample reservoir to the first sample chamber, or from the second sample reservoir to the second sample chamber; and (d) detecting the presence of the separated prions by an immuno-detection assay selected from the group consisting of an enzyme linked immunosorbant assay, Western Blot, time-resolved dissociation-enhanced fluoroimmunoassay (DELFIA), and radioimmunoassay.