Patent EP0261887A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0261887A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Sensor
Assignee: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
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Filing: 1987-09-18
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2007-09-18
Abstract
Abstract A sensor suitable for the detection of chemical species (e.g. biochemical species) includes a membrane having an ionophore such that gated ion transport may occur through the membrane. The membrane and/or the ionophore is/are such that a dynamic characteristic of conductance through the membrane may be modified when a species to be detected is present. Means are also provided for measuring a dynamic characteristic of conductance through the membrane. The sensor may be used to detect species at very low concentrations and finds application in immunoassay.
Inventors
- 👤 David Edward Williams
- 👤 Martin Fleischmann
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 18:12
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N33/00; G01N33/48; G01N33/50; G01N33/53; G01N33/543; G01N33/54366; G01N33/54373; G01N33/5438
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
58 words
A sensor which includes a membrane having an ionophore such that gated ion transport may occur through the membrane, said membrane and/or said ionophore being such that a dynamic characteristic of conductance through the membrane may be modified when a species to be detected is present, and means for measuring a dynamic characteristic of conductance through the membrane.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
58 words
A sensor which includes a membrane having an ionophore such that gated ion transport may occur through the membrane, said membrane and/or said ionophore being such that a dynamic characteristic of conductance through the membrane may be modified when a species to be detected is present, and means for measuring a dynamic characteristic of conductance through the membrane.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
A sensor according to claim 1 wherein said ionophore is capable of interacting with a species to be detected, when present, such that dynamic characteristics of conductance through the membrane are modified.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
A sensor according to claim 2 wherein the ionophore is capable of being chemically or physically linked to the species to be detected.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
A sensor according to claim 3 wherein the ionophore is an antigen specific to a species to be detected comprising an antibody.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
A sensor according to claim 1 further including a modifying species capable of modifying a dynamic characteristic of conductance through the membrane when a species to be detected is present.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
A sensor according to claim 5 wherein the modifying species is associated with the ionophore.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
A sensor according to claim 6 wherein the modifying species is an antigen and the species to be detected comprises its corresponding antibody.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
A sensor according to claim 5 wherein the modifying species is associated with parts or constituents of the membrane other than the ionophore.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
A sensor according to claim 8 wherein the membrane contains an antibody as the modifying species whereby the binding of an antigen thereto is capable of modifying a dynamic characteristic of conductance through the membrane.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
A sensor according to claim 8 wherein the membrane contains an antigen as the modifying species whereby the binding of an antibody thereto is capable of modifying a dynamic characteristic of conductance through the membrane.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
A sensor according to claim 10 wherein the membrane is a lipid layer containing a modifying species comprising an antigen to produce an antigen-labelled lipid.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
A sensor according to claim 1 wherein the ionophore is haemocyanin or gramicidin and the membrane is a bi-layer lipid membrane.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
A sensor according to claim 12 for detecting strepavidin wherein the haemocyanin or gramicidin is labelled with biotin.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
62 words
A sensor according to any of the preceding claims wherein the means for measuring a dynamic characteristic of conductance through the membrane is capable of measuring one or more of spectral power density, event frequency, auto-correlation function, variance of signal, probability density function of current, static lifetime, frequency with which the conductance has a specified value and correlation function of level-crossing times.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
74 words
A method for the detection of a species which method comprises contacting a species to be detected with a sensor including a membrane having an ionophore such that gated ion transport may occur through the membrane, said membrane and/or said ionophore being such that a dynamic characteristic of conductance through the membrane may be modified in the presence of the species to be detected, and measuring a dynamic characteristic of conductance through the membrane.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
74 words
A method for the detection of a species which method comprises contacting a species to be detected with a sensor including a membrane having an ionophore such that gated ion transport may occur through the membrane, said membrane and/or said ionophore being such that a dynamic characteristic of conductance through the membrane may be modified in the presence of the species to be detected, and measuring a dynamic characteristic of conductance through the membrane.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
65 words
A method according to claim 15 wherein aqueous solutions of an inorganic salt are provided on each side of the membrane and the presence of a species to be detected is sensed by detecting the effect on passage of ions from one solution through the membrane to the other solution, said detecting being by means of measuring a dynamic characteristic of conductance through the membrane.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 16 wherein one or both of the solutions contain ionophores dissolved therein.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method according to claim 16 or 17 wherein an electrode is positioned in each solution and is connected to a device for measuring a dynamic characteristic of conductance through the membrane.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
19 words
A method according to any of claims 16 to 18 wherein each solution is an aqueous potassium chloride solution.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method according to claim 17 and to claims 18 and 19 when dependent on claim 17 wherein the ionophore concentration in one or both of the solutions is of the order of a few nanograms per millilitre.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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