MULTIPLE-SITE SAMPLE-HANDLING APPARATUS AND METHOD

摘要

A microchannel apparatus and method for processing a sample or performing a plurality of small-volume reactions simultaneously with components in a bulk phase medium are disclosed. The apparatus includes a device having an elongate or planar channel providing a plurality of discrete small-volume reaction regions within the channel, each communicating with supply and hold reservoirs from which material can be introduced into the regions, and to which material can be transferred from the reaction regions. A reaction-specific reagent is carried on a wall portion of each reaction region, or in a reservoir associated with a reaction region, for reacting in solution with one or more components in the bulk-phase medium, to effect a selected solution-phase reaction in each region or in region-specific reservoir associated therewith. The channel or the fluid communication between a reaction region and an associated region-specific region dimensioned to substantially prevent convective fluid flow among the reaction regions during such reactions, thus confining the reaction in each region. The apparatus also includes structure for moving solvent or solvent components from or to a selected region-specific reservoir, to or from the associated reaction region, and a control unit for controlling such reservoir-to channel and channel-to-reservoir movement.