JP2008199991A - Hybridization equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an improving technique associated with the transportation and agitation of a liquid in a hybridization treatment apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: The hybridization treatment apparatus is used as follows. A syringe pump 10 sucks reagents from a plurality of reagent bottles 70 through a sucking passage 30, and ejects the reagents into a mixing bottle 80 through an ejecting passage 40. A tube pump 20 agitates and mixes the reagents in the mixing bottle 80 by sucking the reagents from the mixing bottle 80 and ejecting the reagents into the mixing bottle 80. The syringe pump 10 also sucks the mixed reagents from the mixing bottle 80 through a branched passage 32 and ejects the mixed reagents from a nozzle 50 through a nozzle passage 42. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a hybridization processing apparatus, and more particularly to transfer and stirring of a liquid in the hybridization processing apparatus.

  With the development of bio-related technology, in recent years, for example, research on hybridization treatment used for experiments and diagnosis at the gene level has been actively conducted. The hybridization process is used to detect the distribution or amount of specific DNA or RNA in living tissue or cells. For example, by targeting the chromosomal DNA of cells or mRNA in tissues, and performing hybridization with RNA probes or DNA probes, the location of specific genes on the chromosome can be detected, or mRNA in tissues can be detected. Methods such as detecting a localized region are known.

  Against this background, several devices used for hybridization treatment have been proposed (see Patent Documents 1 and 2).

JP 2006-25767 A JP 2003-57250 A

  In the background as described above, the inventors of the present application have conducted research and development on an improved technique related to a hybridization treatment apparatus. In particular, research and development has been repeated focusing on the transfer and stirring of liquid in the apparatus.

  The present invention has been made in the course of research and development, and an object thereof is to provide an improved technique relating to the transfer and stirring of liquid in a hybridization apparatus.

  In order to achieve the above object, a hybridization apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a transfer pump that transfers liquid contained in a plurality of liquid containers, and a suction flow that connects the plurality of liquid containers and the transfer pump. A passage, a discharge passage connecting the transfer pump and the mixing vessel, a stirring pump for stirring the liquid contained in the mixing vessel, a branch passage connecting the suction passage and the mixing vessel, a discharge passage and a nozzle A nozzle flow path to be connected, and the transfer pump sucks liquid from a plurality of liquid containers via the suction flow path and discharges the liquid to the mixing container via the discharge flow path. Agitates the liquid in the mixing container by sucking the liquid from the mixing container and discharging the liquid to the mixing container, and the transfer pump sucks the liquid from the mixing container through the branch channel. , Nozzle flow path And ejecting the liquid from a nozzle, thereby, and performing the reaction process utilizing liquid discharged is stirred from the nozzle in the mixing vessel.

  In the above aspect, since the liquid stored in the mixing container is stirred by the stirring pump, for example, a plurality of types of reagents can be mixed in the mixing container. Therefore, for example, it is possible to omit the mixing process by the user's manual work.

  In a preferred aspect, the transfer pump sucks the residual liquid in the suction flow path by sucking air through the air flow path connected to the suction flow path.

  In a preferred aspect, the agitation pump is a tube pump that sucks and discharges liquid through a tube.

  The present invention provides an improved technique relating to the transfer and agitation of liquid in a hybridization apparatus. For example, according to a preferred aspect of the present invention, it is possible to omit the mixing process by the user's manual work.

  DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of a hybridization treatment apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a unit for transferring and stirring a reagent in the apparatus.

  Various reagents used for the hybridization process are accommodated in the plurality of reagent bottles 70A and 70B. For example, different types of reagents A and B are accommodated in the reagent bottle 70A and the reagent bottle 70B, respectively. Three or more reagent bottles 70 may be provided. A cleaning liquid is accommodated in the cleaning liquid bottle 72.

  The syringe pump 10 functions as a transfer pump that transfers the reagent accommodated in the plurality of reagent bottles 70A and 70B. The syringe pump 10 and the plurality of reagent bottles 70 </ b> A and 70 </ b> B are connected by the suction channel 30.

  In the suction channel 30, an electromagnetic valve V1 is provided in the vicinity of the syringe pump 10, and electromagnetic valves VA and VB are provided in the vicinity of each of the plurality of reagent bottles 70A and 70B. Further, an electromagnetic valve V5 is provided in the vicinity of the cleaning liquid bottle 72. Further, an air flow path 34 is connected to the suction flow path 30, and an electromagnetic valve V 6 is provided in the air flow path 34.

  A branch channel 32 is connected to the suction channel 30, and the suction channel 30 and the mixing bottle 80 are connected via the branch channel 32. The branch flow path 32 is provided with an electromagnetic valve V4.

  The syringe pump 10 is connected to the mixing bottle 80 via the discharge channel 40. An electromagnetic valve V <b> 2 is provided in the vicinity of the syringe pump 10 in the discharge flow path 40. Further, the discharge flow path 40 is provided with an electromagnetic valve V3, and a nozzle flow path 42 is connected to the discharge flow path 40 via the electromagnetic valve V3. A nozzle 50 is connected to the nozzle flow path 42.

  The electromagnetic valve V3 is a three-way valve, and the syringe pump 10 is connected to the mixing bottle 80 or the nozzle 50 by the switching function of the electromagnetic valve V3.

  The tube pump 20 functions as a stirring pump that stirs the reagent stored in the mixing bottle 80. The tube pump 20 and the mixing bottle 80 are connected by a tube 22. The tube pump 20 sucks the reagent from the mixing bottle 80 and discharges the reagent to the mixing bottle 80 by squeezing the tube 22 while sequentially shifting the pressing locations of the one tube 22. That is, the tube pump 20 mixes the reagents in the mixing bottle 80 by circulating and stirring the reagents.

  Note that the bottom of the mixing bottle 80 is formed in, for example, an inverted conical shape. The tip of the branch flow path 32 is disposed near the top of the bottom of the mixing bottle 80, and one end of the tube 22 is also disposed near the bottom of the mixing bottle 80. Thereby, the reagent in the mixing bottle 80 is sucked without waste. Incidentally, it is desirable that the end of the branch flow path 32 and one end of the tube 22 are cut into a V shape.

  Further, the plurality of reagent bottles 70A and 70B and the cleaning liquid bottle 72 are also inclined and arranged so as to suck the liquid accommodated therein without waste. Moreover, it is desirable that the tip of the suction channel 30 disposed near the bottom of each of the plurality of reagent bottles 70A and 70B and the cleaning liquid bottle 72 is cut into a V shape.

  In the initial state, for example, when the power is not supplied to the unit shown in FIG. 1, the electromagnetic valves V1, V2, the electromagnetic valves V4 to V6, and the electromagnetic valves VA, VB are all closed (normally closed). It is. In the initial state, the solenoid valve V3 is in a state where the syringe pump 10 side and the nozzle 50 side are connected. In the initial state, the syringe pump 10 and the tube pump 20 are stopped.

  Next, the operation of the unit shown in FIG. 1 will be described. Prior to the operation of this unit, for example, a sufficient amount of a predetermined reagent is accommodated in the plurality of reagent bottles 70A and 70B, and a sufficient amount of cleaning liquid is also stored in the cleaning liquid bottle 72. Further, the mixing bottle 80 may be empty, or a small amount of liquid may be stored in the mixing bottle 80 in advance.

  First, a necessary amount of reagent is transferred from the reagent bottle 70 to the mixing bottle 80. For example, when the reagent A accommodated in the reagent bottle 70A is transferred to the mixing bottle 80, the electromagnetic valve V1 is opened and the electromagnetic valve V2 is closed. Further, the solenoid valve V3 is controlled to connect the syringe pump 10 side and the mixing bottle 80 side. Further, the solenoid valves V4 to V6 and the solenoid valve VB are closed, and only the solenoid valve VA is opened.

  By causing the syringe pump 10 to perform a suction operation in the above valve setting state, the reagent A is sucked into the syringe pump 10 from the reagent bottle 70A via the suction flow path 30. After this suction operation, the solenoid valve V1 is closed and the solenoid valve V2 is opened, and the syringe pump 10 performs a discharge operation in this valve setting state, whereby the syringe pump 10 side and the mixing bottle 80 side are connected by the solenoid valve V3. Therefore, the reagent A is discharged from the syringe pump 10 to the mixing bottle 80 through the discharge flow path 40.

  If a necessary amount of reagent A cannot be transferred to the mixing bottle 80 by one suction / discharge operation, the suction / discharge operation of a predetermined amount of reagent A may be repeatedly executed until the required amount is reached. When transferring the reagent B accommodated in the reagent bottle 70B to the mixing bottle 80, only the electromagnetic valve VB is used instead of opening only the electromagnetic valve VA during the suction operation of the syringe pump 10 described above. Can be opened.

  Next, the residual liquid in the suction channel 30 and the discharge channel 40 is transferred to the mixing bottle 80. In this case, the electromagnetic valve V1 is opened and the electromagnetic valve V2 is closed. Further, the solenoid valve V3 is controlled to connect the syringe pump 10 side and the mixing bottle 80 side. Furthermore, the solenoid valves V4 and V5 and the solenoid valves VA and VB are closed, and only the solenoid valve V6 is opened.

  By causing the syringe pump 10 to perform a suction operation in the above valve setting state, air is sucked from the air flow path 34 to the syringe pump 10 via the suction flow path 30. Thereby, the reagent (residual liquid) remaining in the suction flow path 30 is sucked into the syringe pump 10 together with air. After this suction operation, the solenoid valve V1 is closed and the solenoid valve V2 is opened, and the syringe pump 10 performs a discharge operation in this valve setting state, whereby the syringe pump 10 side and the mixing bottle 80 side are connected by the solenoid valve V3. Therefore, air is discharged from the syringe pump 10 to the mixing bottle 80 via the discharge flow path 40. Thereby, the reagent (residual liquid) remaining in the discharge flow path 40 is discharged to the mixing bottle 80 together with air.

  If the residual liquid is not discharged to the mixing bottle 80 by one suction / discharge operation, the air suction / discharge operation may be repeatedly executed. As a result of the suction and discharge of air, the remaining liquid in the flow path becomes extremely small, desirably there is no remaining liquid, and the reagent can be used without waste.

  When a necessary amount of a plurality of types of reagents is transferred from the plurality of reagent bottles 70 to the mixing bottle 80, a reagent mixing process is executed. In this case, all the solenoid valves are initialized, and the syringe pump 10 is also stopped. In this state, the tube pump 20 is operated to suck the reagent from the mixing bottle 80 and discharge the reagent to the mixing bottle 80. Thus, the reagent in the mixing bottle 80 is mixed by circulating and stirring the reagent by the tube pump 20.

  When the mixing of the reagents is completed, the mixed reagent (mixed reagent) in the mixing bottle 80 is discharged from the nozzle 50. In this case, the electromagnetic valve V1 is opened and the electromagnetic valve V2 is closed. Further, the solenoid valve V3 is controlled to connect the syringe pump 10 side and the nozzle 50 side. Furthermore, the solenoid valves V5 and V6 and the solenoid valves VA and VB are closed, and only the solenoid valve V4 is opened.

  By causing the syringe pump 10 to perform a suction operation in the above valve setting state, the mixed reagent is sucked from the mixing bottle 80 to the syringe pump 10 via the branch channel 32 and the suction channel 30. After this suction operation, the solenoid valve V1 is closed and the solenoid valve V2 is opened, and the syringe pump 10 performs a discharge operation in this valve setting state, whereby the syringe pump 10 side and the nozzle 50 side are connected by the solenoid valve V3. Therefore, the mixed reagent is discharged from the syringe pump 10 to the nozzle 50 via the nozzle channel 42. Thus, the mixed reagent is discharged from the nozzle 50 to the workpiece 60. If a necessary amount of the mixed reagent is not discharged from the nozzle 50 in one suction / discharge operation, the predetermined amount of the mixed reagent may be repeatedly discharged until the required amount is reached.

  By the way, a reaction processing container including, for example, a slide glass is arranged on the workpiece 60, and the mixed reagent is discharged from the nozzle 50 into the reaction processing container, and the reaction processing is executed in the reaction processing container.

  Through the operation described above, the mixed reagent is discharged from the nozzle 50 to the workpiece 60. Further, in the unit shown in FIG. 1, the inside of the suction channel 30 and the discharge channel 40 can be cleaned. For example, when cleaning the inside of the suction flow path 30, the electromagnetic valve V1 is opened and the electromagnetic valve V2 is closed. Further, the electromagnetic valves V4 and V6 and the electromagnetic valves VA and VB are closed, and only the electromagnetic valve V5 is opened. By causing the syringe pump 10 to perform a suction operation in this valve setting state, the cleaning liquid is sucked into the syringe pump 10 from the cleaning liquid bottle 72 via the suction flow path 30. As a result, the cleaning liquid passes through the suction channel 30 and the suction channel 30 is cleaned.

  Further, when the inside of the discharge flow path 40 is washed, the solenoid valve V1 is closed and the solenoid valve V2 is opened while the syringe pump 10 sucks the cleaning liquid, and the syringe pump 10 is discharged in this valve setting state. Let it be done. At that time, the cleaning liquid is discharged from the syringe pump 10 to the mixing bottle 80 through the discharge flow path 40 by controlling the electromagnetic valve V3 to connect the syringe pump 10 side and the mixing bottle 80 side. As a result, the cleaning liquid passes through the discharge flow path 40 and the discharge flow path 40 is cleaned.

  In the state where the syringe pump 10 has sucked the cleaning liquid, the solenoid valve V1 is closed and the solenoid valve V2 is opened, and the solenoid valve V3 is controlled to connect the syringe pump 10 side and the nozzle 50 side. It is also possible to clean the inside of the nozzle flow path 42 and the inside of the nozzle 50 with the cleaning liquid by performing the discharging operation. The cleaning liquid discharged from the nozzle 50 may be stored in a waste liquid bottle, for example.

  Furthermore, in the unit shown in FIG. 1, the reagent in the mixing bottle 80 can be stirred using the syringe pump 10. In this case, first, the electromagnetic valve V1 is opened and the electromagnetic valve V2 is closed, and the electromagnetic valves V5 and V6 and the electromagnetic valves VA and VB are also closed and only the electromagnetic valve V4 is opened. By causing the syringe pump 10 to perform a suction operation in this valve setting state, the reagent in the mixing bottle 80 is sucked into the syringe pump 10. After this suction operation, in a state where the syringe pump 10 side and the mixing bottle 80 side are connected by the electromagnetic valve V3, V1 is closed and V2 is opened, and the syringe pump 10 performs the discharge operation, and is sucked by the syringe pump 10. Return the reagent to the mixing bottle 80. The reagent is agitated and mixed by repeating suction and discharge of the reagent in the mixing bottle 80 by the syringe pump 10.

  As mentioned above, although preferred embodiment of this invention was described, embodiment mentioned above is only a mere illustration in all the points, and does not limit the scope of the present invention. The present invention includes various modifications without departing from the essence thereof.

It is a schematic diagram which shows suitable embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  10 syringe pump, 20 tube pump, 30 suction flow path, 32 branch flow path, 34 air flow path, 40 discharge flow path, 42 nozzle flow path, 50 nozzles, 70 reagent bottles, 80 mixing bottles.

Claims (3)

A transfer pump for transferring liquids contained in a plurality of liquid containers;
A suction channel connecting a plurality of liquid containers and a transfer pump;
A discharge channel connecting the transfer pump and the mixing container;
A stirring pump for stirring the liquid contained in the mixing container;
A branch flow path connecting the suction flow path and the mixing container;
A nozzle flow path connecting the discharge flow path and the nozzle;
Have
The transfer pump sucks liquid from a plurality of liquid containers via a suction channel, and discharges the liquid to a mixing container via a discharge channel,
The stirring pump agitates the liquid in the mixing container by sucking the liquid from the mixing container and discharging the liquid to the mixing container,
Further, the transfer pump sucks the liquid from the mixing container through the branch flow path, and discharges the liquid from the nozzle through the nozzle flow path,
Thereby, the reaction process is performed using the liquid stirred and discharged from the nozzle in the mixing container.
A hybridization apparatus characterized by the above. The hybridization apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
The transfer pump sucks the remaining liquid in the suction flow path by sucking air through the air flow path connected to the suction flow path.
A hybridization apparatus characterized by the above. The hybridization apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
The stirring pump is a tube pump that sucks and discharges liquid through a tube.
A hybridization apparatus characterized by the above.

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