Analysis cuvette and derivatives with signal amplification
A cuvette in which a fluorescent enzymatic reaction can be carried out that is for analyzing a sample includes at least one vertical wall and a bottom. The cuvette is made of a transparent or translucent material and a portion of the cuvette is partially covered on the outside with a sleeve including an inner coating made of retro-reflective material that is in contact with the cuvette.
1. A cuvette in which a fluorescent enzymatic reaction can be carried out that is for analyzing a sample, the cuvette comprising at least one vertical wall and a bottom, wherein:
the cuvette is made of a transparent or translucent material;
the outside of the cuvette is partially covered with a sleeve that includes a retro-reflective coating comprising a retro-reflective material;
the retro-reflective coating is thereby on the outside of the cuvette so as to partially cover the outside of the cuvette; and
the sleeve is totally or partially present at the level of lateral partition(s) of the cuvette and is absent at the bottom of the cuvette.
2. The cuvette as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the interior shape of the sleeve partially matches the exterior shape of the cuvette, with the exception of at least one zone configured to allow illumination at an excitation wavelength and detection of an emission wavelength from outside of the cuvette.
3. The cuvette as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the retro-reflective material is either prism-based or bead-based.
4. The cuvette as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is attached to the cuvette by adhesive-bonding without deterioration of the optical qualities of the interior face of the sleeve.
5. The cuvette as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the adhesive is transnarent or translucent and does not absorb ITV rays.
6. The cuvette as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is attached to the cuvette by mechanical clip-fastening.
7. The cuvette as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the retro-reflective coating is sandwiched between the cuvette and the sleeve.
8. An analysis bar for analyzing a sample, the analysis bar comprising a plurality of cuvettes that include a first cuvette and the cuvette as claimed in claim 1 as a second cuvette, wherein the plurality of cuvettes are configured to contain and store liquid and to be used in combination with a tip during analysis that is configured to suction liquid from the first cuvette and to expel liquid into the second cuvette.
9. The analysis bar as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the plurality of cuvettes are positioned along a longitudinal axis and the first cuvette is configured to receive the sample and the second cuvette acts as a final cuvette configured to allow reading of a signal during analysis of the sample.
10. The analysis bar as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the plurality of cuvettes includes additional cuvettes between the first cuvette and the final cuvette.
11. An analysis device comprising the analysis bar as claimed in claim 8 and a support that supports the analysis bar.
12. A method of analyzing a sample comprising measuring fluorescence of the sample in the cuvette as claimed in claim 1 during analysis of the sample, wherein the fluorescence is indicative of at least one analyte in the sample.
13. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein an analysis bar comprises the cuvette among a plurality of cuvettes.
14. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the analysis of the sample comprises carrying out an immunoassay.
15. A method comprising:
carrying out an enzymatic reaction between a substrate and an enzyme in the cuvette as claimed in claim 1 that results in producing a degradation product that is a fluorescent molecule; and
subjecting the fluorescent molecule to illumination at an excitation wavelength that results in fluorescence at an emission wavelength, wherein the fluorescence is indicative of at least one analyte in a sample.
16. A cuvette in which a fluorescent enzymatic reaction can be carried out that is for analyzing a sample, the cuvette comprising at least one vertical wall and a bottom, wherein:
the cuvette is made of a transparent or translucent material;
the cuvette is partially covered on the outside with a sleeve including an inner coating made of retro-reflective material that is in contact with the cuvette;
the sleeve is attached to the cuvette by an adhesive; and
the adhesive is transparent or translucent and does not absorb UV rays.
17. A cuvette in which a fluorescent enzymatic reaction can be carried out that is for analyzing a sample, the cuvette comprising at least one vertical wall and a bottom, wherein:
the cuvette is made of a transparent or translucent material;
the outside of the cuvette is partially covered with a sleeve that includes a retro-reflective coating comprising a retro-reflective material;
the retro-reflective coating is thereby on the outside of the cuvette so as to partially cover the outside of the cuvette; and
the sleeve is attached to the cuvette by adhesive-bonding without deterioration of the optical qualities of the interior face of the sleeve.
18. The cuvette as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the retro-reflective material is prism-based.
19. The cuvette as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the retro-reflective material is bead-based.
20. The cuvette as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the adhesive is transparent or translucent and does not absorb UV rays.
21. A cuvette in which a fluorescent enzymatic reaction can be carried out that is for analyzing a sample, the cuvette comprising at least one vertical wall and a bottom, wherein:
the cuvette is made of a transparent or translucent material;
the outside of the cuvette is partially covered with a sleeve that includes a retro-reflective coating comprising a retro-reflective material;
the retro-reflective coating is thereby on the outside of the cuvette so as to partially cover the outside of the cuvette; and
the sleeve is attached to the cuvette by mechanical clip-fastening.