Patent ID: 7060225

Claim:
A device for detecting the presence of a ligand in a sample, comprising, a cassette having a first and a second end, and comprising an inlet port at the first end which is in fluid communication with at least one flow channel, said flow channel(s) comprising, one or more mixing chambers, one or more assay components, and a detection chamber delineated on at least two sides by low or non birefringent glass and in fluid communication with the one or more mixing chambers, wherein said assay components comprise: a receptor that exhibits specificity for a ligand, a microparticle that exhibits specificity for the receptor, and a liquid crystalline material, wherein said assay components are contained within said mixing chamber(s) or within a holding chamber in fluid communication with said mixing chamber(s), wherein the detection chamber that is located at the second end of the cassette provides for the detection of distortion in the liquid crystalline material, and wherein the inlet port, the one or more mixing chambers, and the detection chamber are arranged in series, and define a substantially linear flow path from the first end to the second end of the cassette.