Patent ID: 7425309

Claim:
An immunological assay system, comprising: a vessel capable of containing an assay sample and a reagent, wherein the vessel comprises a bottom with an uneven surface, wherein the bottom of the vessel comprises a filter material chosen from at least one of the following: polypropylene with 0.45 micron (μm)-sized pores; cellulose nitrate with 0.45 μm-sized pores; nylon 6,6 with 0.45 μm-sized pores; nylon 6,6 with 1.2 μm-sized pores; HPVM membrane with 0.2 μm-sized pores; polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) with 1.0 μm-sized pores; PVDF with 1.2 μm-sized pores; PVDF with 0.2 μm-sized pores; and PVDF with 0.25 μm-sized pores, wherein the filter material provides the uneven bottom surface and is configured to cause reacted components to spread out over the uneven bottom surface while substantially preventing reacted components from passing through the filter material; an image acquisition system in close proximity to the vessel, wherein the image acquisition system is designed to detect the presence of interactions between components in the assay sample and the reagent, wherein said interactions are evidenced by agglutination, wherein the image acquisition system consists of a flow cytometer or a capillary cytometer, and wherein the image acquisition system in close proximity to a sample separation system; and an incubator in which the vessel may be placed, wherein the incubator houses the vessel while the assay sample and the reagents react.