Device for trapping biologically-relevant substances and system for collecting biologically-relevant substances
The disclosed device for trapping biologically-relevant substances can easily collect biologically-relevant substances from a thin tissue section or a gel in which said biologically-relevant substance have been fractionated. Said device is provided with: trapping bodies for trapping biologically-relevant substances; carriers that hold the trapping bodies; and electrodes for charging the trapping bodies. The trapping bodies are charged and brought into contact with a prescribed position on a thin tissue section that contains biologically-relevant substances or a gel in which biologically-relevant substances have been fractionated, thereby trapping said biologically-relevant substances from said gel or thin tissue section.
1. A device for trapping a biologically-relevant substance, which device comprises:
(a) magnetic particles for trapping the biologically-relevant substance,
(b) rod-like magnetic member being capable of retaining the magnetic particles on a tip of the magnetic member and releasing the magnetic particles from the tip,
(c) an electrode for charging the magnetic member, and
(d) a permanent magnet for retaining the magnetic particles,
wherein the magnetic particles retained by the magnetic member are charged and brought into contact with
(i) a predetermined position on a gel in which the biologically-relevant substance has been fractionated or
(ii) a thin tissue section containing the biologically-relevant substance
such that the biologically-relevant substance from said gel or thin tissue section is trapped, and
wherein the magnetic member includes a conductive intermediate member that separates the magnetic particles from the permanent magnet, and serves as a cover for partitioning the permanent magnet from the magnetic particles.
2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the magnetic particles are magnetic particles bound with a substance having affinity for the biologically-relevant substance.
3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the magnetic particles are charged via the magnetic member.
4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the magnetic member is provided with a mechanism for magnetizing or demagnetizing the magnetic particles.
5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the biologically-relevant substance is a nucleic acid or a protein.
6. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the magnetic member comprises one or more pins.
7. A method for collecting a biologically-relevant substance, which method comprises a step of using the device according to claim 1 to collect the biologically-relevant substance from (i) a gel in which the biologically-relevant substance has been fractionated or (ii) a thin tissue section containing the biologically-relevant substance.