Apparatus for simultaneously monitoring reactions taking place in a plurality of reaction vessels

摘要

The apparatus (10) comprises four square vessel holders (11.1 to 11.4) each of the holders taking up to twenty-four removable reaction-vessels 18. The different holders allow independent temperature cycles for the different groups of vessels (18). A single light source (13) produces the excitation light needed. A network of two different kinds of optic fiber bundles (41, 45) transmits this light to the reaction vessels through a first set of interference filters (21.1 to 21.4), second optical units paralleling and focusing the light, respectively. A test branch 41.6 of the first bundle (41) is connected to a reference unit (43) for control purposes. Fluorescence light emitted by sample-reaction-mixtures is collected by third optic fibers (47) and is transmitted through a second set of interference filters (23.1 to 23.4) to individually assigned light receiving elements (51). The filters are carried by wheels (22, 24) which are rotated stepwise and in synchronism with each other. This allows to change periodically the wavelength of excitation light and the kind of monitoring. The apparatus makes possible free handling of the vessel holders (11.1 to 11.4) and random access to vessels to be monitored. <IMAGE>