| 主权项 |
1. An integrated modular unit, comprising:
at least one modular analyte concentrator-microreactor (ACM) device attached to a support; at least one transport capillary or passage, each of the at least one transport capillary or passage being connected to one of the at least one analyte concentrator-microreactor (ACM) device; a separation capillary or passage connected to each of the at least one analyte concentrator-microreactor (ACM) device; each of the at least one analyte concentrator-microreactor (ACM) device having transport inlet and outlet ends connected to a respective one of the at least one transport capillary or passage; each of the at least one analyte concentrator-microreactor (ACM) device having separation inlet and outlet ends connected to the separation capillary or passage; each of the at least one analyte concentrator-microreactor (ACM) device having an internal passage or channel, the internal passage or channel has a staggered configuration which includes an elongated concentration area; the elongated concentration area of each of the at least one analyte concentrator-microreactor (ACM) device serving as an intersection region where the respective one of the at least one transport capillary or passage and the separation capillary or passage connect at two separate points to form an analyte concentrator-microreactor area; the elongated concentration area of each of the at least one analyte concentrator-microreactor (ACM) device providing a place of shelter for received microstructures or a matrix assembly and/or provides a place of shelter for encapsulated cellular and/or subcellular structures, and/or encapsulated cellular receptors; the microstructures or the matrix assembly is adapted to immobilize one or more affinity ligands, the microstructures or matrix assembly are localized within the elongated concentration area of each of the at least one analyte concentrator-microreactor (ACM) device for generating a concentration space where concentration of one or more analytes of interest and/or their respective modified and/or altered corresponding molecular counterpart from a sample introduced into the respective one of the at least one transport capillary or passage occurs by binding of the one or more analytes of interest and/or their respective modified and/or altered corresponding molecular counterpart to the one or more affinity ligands and/or for generating a microreaction space where microreaction of the one or more analytes of interest and/or their respective modified and/or altered corresponding molecular counterpart from the sample introduced into the respective one of the at least one transport capillary or passage occurs; alternatively an internal wall of the elongated concentration area of the at least one analyte concentrator-microreactor (ACM) device is adapted to immobilize the one or more affinity ligands directly without the need of the microstructures or the matrix assembly; controlling means for independently controlling flow of the sample or buffers in each of the respective transport capillaries or passages and past each of the at least one analyte concentrator-microreactor (ACM) device and conveyed by electromigration, electro-osmotic flow, mechanical pressure or a combination of electro-osmotic flow and mechanical pressure to an outlet end of the respective one of the at least one transport capillary or passage, and for separately and independently controlling flow of a cleaning buffer supply, conditioning buffer supply, washing buffer supply, separation buffer supply, or eluting buffer supply through the separation capillary or passage and past each of the analyte concentrator-microreactor (ACM) devices to allow for the binding of the one or more analytes of interest and/or their respective modified and/or altered corresponding molecular counterpart to the one or more affinity ligands and release of the bound one or more analytes of interest and/or their respective modified and/or altered corresponding molecular counterpart from the one or more affinity ligands and conveyed, the released analytes bound to the analyte concentrator-microreactor (ACM) device, by electromigration, electro-osmotic flow, mechanical pressure or a combination of electro-osmotic flow and mechanical pressure to an outlet end of the separation capillary or passage, the controlling means for independently controlling flow is a fluid controlling system comprising micro-valves operated manually or by electronic-controlled circuitry; and inlet and outlet ends of the separation capillary or passage detachably connected by couplers to an analytical separation instrument or interchangeable cartridge cassette; wherein each of the at least one analyte concentrator-microreactor (ACM) device can capture, isolate, concentrate, and separate the one or more analytes of interest and/or their respective modified and/or altered corresponding molecular counterpart bound to and released from the one or more affinity ligands in each of the at least one analyte concentrator-microreactor (ACM) device by alternating fluid communication of the separation buffer supply and then the eluting buffer supply and delivering the released analytes of interest and/or their respective modified and/or altered corresponding molecular counterpart, via the separation capillary or passage, to a detection system separately, independently and sequentially by electromigration, electro-osmotic flow, mechanical pressure or a combination of electro-osmotic flow and mechanical pressure within the separation capillary or passage. |
