Patent ID: 6852290

Claim:
A multi-well assembly, comprising: a multi-well block having a plurality of wells, each well having an open top and a fluid-impermeable bottom surface; and a guide plate defining a plurality of fluid passageways, each fluid passageway corresponding to a respective well of the multi-well block, the guide plate being configured such that registering the guide plate with the bottom of the multi-well block establishes fluid communication between each well and an associated fluid passageway to allow fluid to flow from each well into an associated fluid passageway, wherein the guide plate has upwardly extending integral projections that are non-removable from the guide plate, wherein the projections extend through and open the bottom surfaces of the wells whenever the guide plate is registered with the multi-well block; wherein the bottom surfaces of the wells are impermeable to a fluid with which the multi-well block is used whenever the guide plate is not registered with the multi-well block.