SCREENING ASSAYS AND METHODS
Screening assays and methods of performing such assays are provided. In certain examples, the assays and methods may be designed to determine whether or not two or more species can associate with each other. In some examples, the assays and methods may be used to determine if a known antigen binds to an unknown monoclonal antibody.
1 . A printed microarray of unknown cell-derived products, each position of said array comprising a deposit corresponding to a composition of a single cell, said deposit being less than 100 micrometers in diameter.
2 . The microarray of claim 1 , wherein said deposit is a secreted cell-derived product selected from the group consisting of an antibody, cytokine, chemokine, and inflammatory mediator.
3 . The microarray of claim 1 , wherein said microarray comprises a capture ligand for a class of secreted products.
4 . The microarray of claim 3 , wherein said capture ligand binds to a single immunoglobulin isotype.
5 - 25 . (canceled)
26 . The microarray of claim 1 , wherein said deposit is a non-secreted cell-derived product that is liberated from an intact cell upon lysis or permeabilization of said cell.
27 . The microarray of claim 1 , wherein said deposit comprises deoxyribonucleic acid, ribonucleic acid, a polypeptide or a lipid.
28 . The microarray of claim 1 , wherein said microarray is printed on a substrate.
29 . The microarray of claim 28 , wherein said cell-derived product is immobilized on said substrate.
30 . The microarray of claim 28 , wherein said substrate comprises a solid substrate selected from the group consisting of a glass slide, a plastic slide, a bead, a metal plate, a porous filter material, and a rigid slab.
31 . The microarray of claim 30 , wherein said glass slide is 3 inches long and 1 inch wide.
32 . The microarray of claim 28 , wherein a selective coating covers a surface of said substrate.
33 . The microarray of claim 28 , wherein at least one antigen or at least one secondary antibody or a fragment thereof is on a surface of said substrate.
34 . The microarray of claim 33 , wherein said at least one antigen or at least one secondary antibody or fragment thereof is labeled with a detectable marker comprising a fluorescent label, a colorimetric label, or a radiolabel.
35 . The microarray of claim 33 , wherein a cell-derived product binds to said at least one antigen or at least one secondary antibody on the surface of said substrate.
36 . The microarray of claim 1 , wherein said deposit comprises a pathogen.
37 . The microarray of claim 1 , wherein said deposit comprises a virus.