Analytical cartridge with fluid flow control
Analytical cartridges, systems and methods of processing a sample for analysis using capillary flows. Vertical gradient sample filtration provides filtrate to an incubation chamber for a time controlled by a flow modulator at the outlet of the incubation chamber. The flow modulator can include a serpentine capillary flow path without side walls. Incubated filtrate can flow from the incubation chamber to a detection channel after a predetermined time. The detection chamber can include one or more analytical regions in a porous substrate for detection of two or more analytes on the same cartridge from the same sample.
1. An analytical cartridge comprising:
a sample input port in fluid communication with an incubation chamber through a capillary channel;
two or more separate detection channel branches in fluid contact with the incubation chamber;
one or more analytical regions in each detection channel branch, wherein a first analytical region in a first of the separate detection channel branches is adapted to detect a first analyte, and a second analytical region in a second of the separate detection channel branches is adapted to detect a second analyte different from the first analyte.
2. The analytical cartridge of claim 1 , further comprising a filter in the sample input port.
3. The analytical cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the incubation chamber comprises an analytical reagent or an affinity molecule.
4. The analytical cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the incubation chamber is wider than the first capillary channel.
5. The analytical cartridge of claim 1 , wherein a first of the detection channel branches comprises an analytical reagent or an affinity molecule.
6. The analytical cartridge of claim 1 , wherein a second of the detection channel branches comprises an analytical reagent or an affinity molecule different from that of the first detection channel.
7. The analytical cartridge of claim 1 , further comprising a cartridge top cover and a cartridge base both made of transparent materials allowing interrogation of analytical regions by an external detector light source.
8. The analytical cartridge of 1 wherein an analytical region comprises a porous substrate disposed on a top or bottom surface of the first detection channel, and wherein a cross sectional area of the porous substrate at the one or more analytical regions is less than 90% of the total channel cross sectional area in a plane perpendicular to the channel axis.
9. An assay reader system comprising the analytical cartridge of claim 1 , an interrogating light source adapted to illuminate the one of more analytical regions, and a detector adapted to detect a signal from the one or more analytical regions.
10. An assay reader system of claim 9 , wherein the interrogating light source is adapted to provide two or more selectable intensities of illumination.
11. A method of sample analysis, the method comprising:
applying a liquid sample to the input port of the cartridge of claim 1 ;
flowing the sample by capillary action through the capillary to the incubation chamber;
reacting one of more analytes of the sample with a reagent or affinity molecule in the incubation chamber;
flowing reacted sample to the to the first and second detection channel branches; and,
detecting the presence of reacted analyte at an analytical region of the first or second detection channel branch.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising detecting a different analyte in the first detection channel branch than in the second detection channel branch.
13. The analytical cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the incubation chamber is downstream from the sample input port and upstream from each of the two or more separate detection channel branches.
14. The analytical cartridge of claim 1 , wherein both the incubation chamber and the one or more analytical regions of a detection channel branch comprise one or more reagents or affinity molecules.