Substrate holder
A sample holder includes a first member featuring a first retaining mechanism configured to retain a first substrate that includes a sample, a second member featuring a second retaining mechanism configured to retain a second substrate that includes a reagent medium, and an alignment mechanism connected to at least one of the first and second members, and configured to align the first and second members such that the sample contacts at least a portion of the reagent medium when the first and second members are aligned.
1 . A device comprising:
a first substrate comprising one or more first lateral surfaces;
a second substrate comprising one or more second lateral surfaces;
a first support member comprising a first planar surface configured to support the first substrate;
a first retaining mechanism comprising a first recess and a first retaining member, wherein the first recess is formed in the first support member and is configured to receive the first substrate and the first retaining member is configured to apply a first force to the one or more first lateral surfaces of the first substrate;
a second support member comprising a second planar surface configured to support the second substrate;
a second retaining mechanism configured to receive the second substrate, the second retaining mechanism comprising a second retaining member configured to apply a second force to the one or more second lateral surfaces of the second substrate;
an alignment mechanism comprising a rotating actuator operably connecting the first support member and the second support member; and
a spacing member connected to the first support member or to the second support member,
wherein the first support member and the second support member have an open configuration and a closed configuration,
wherein the rotating actuator is configured to bring the first planar surface and the second planar surface toward one another from the open configuration to the closed configuration by enabling a relative movement of the first support member and the second support member, and
wherein, in the closed configuration:
the first planar surface is parallel to and opposite the second planar surface; and
the spacing member is in contact with the first support member and with the second support member such that the first planar surface is disposed at a distance from the second planar surface.
2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the alignment mechanism comprises a plurality of connectors positioned on the first support member and a plurality of receivers positioned on the second support member.
3 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of connectors are arranged to engage the plurality of receivers to align the first support member and the second support member when the first support member and the second support member are brought into proximity.
4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the first retaining member is adjustable.
5 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the second retaining member is adjustable.
6 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising an adjustment mechanism connected to the first support member and configured to translate the first substrate in at least one direction parallel to the first planar surface.
7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the relative movement of the first support member and the second support member is a relative rotation of the first support member and the second support member.
8 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the relative movement of the first support member and the second support member comprises a first movement of the first support member in a first direction orthogonal to the first planar surface or a second movement of the second support member in a second direction orthogonal to the second planar surface.
9 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the rotating actuator comprises one or more arms operably connecting the first support member and the second support member.
10 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the one or more arms comprises a plurality of arms operably connecting the first support member and the second support member.
11 . The device of claim 10 , wherein each arm of the plurality of arms has an identical length.
12 . The device of claim 9 , wherein each arm of the one or more arms comprises an internal pivoting mechanism configured to enable the respective arm to fold.
13 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the rotating actuator comprises a first pivot for a first arm of the one or more arms and a second pivot for a second arm of the one or more arms.
14 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the rotating actuator is manually operable to enable the relative movement of the first support member and the second support member.
15 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more first lateral surfaces are a plurality of first lateral surfaces.
16 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more second lateral surfaces are a plurality of second lateral surfaces.
17 . The device of claim 1 , wherein, in the closed configuration and with the first substrate received by the first recess and the second substrate received by the second retaining mechanism, the first substrate and the second substrate define an included angle of no more than 2 degrees.
18 . The device of claim 17 , wherein the included angle is no more than 1 degree.
19 . The device of claim 18 , wherein the included angle is no more than 0.5 degrees.
20 . The device of claim 1 , wherein, in the closed configuration, the first substrate and the second substrate are substantially parallel.
21 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the first recess is configured to receive the first substrate and the second retaining mechanism is configured to receive the second substrate such that longitudinal axes of the first substrate and the second substrate are parallel to one another.
22 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the first substrate has a first substrate shape, wherein the first recess is shaped to accommodate the first substrate shape.
23 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the first substrate and the second substrate comprise a flow cell.
24 . The device of claim 23 , wherein, in the closed configuration, the first substrate and the second substrate are brought into contact with each other in an aligned manner to facilitate spatial analysis of a biological sample.
25 . A device comprising:
a first support member comprising a first planar surface configured to support a first substrate;
a first retaining mechanism comprising a first recess and a first retaining member, wherein the first recess is formed in the first support member and is configured to receive the first substrate and the first retaining member is configured to apply a first force to one or more first lateral surfaces of the first substrate;
a second support member comprising a second planar surface configured to support a second substrate;
a second retaining mechanism comprising a second retaining member configured to apply a second force to one or more second lateral surfaces of the second substrate;
an alignment mechanism comprising:
a rotating actuator operably connecting the first support member and the second support member, wherein the rotating actuator comprises one or more arms operably connecting the first support member and the second support member and an arm of the one or more arms comprises an internal pivoting mechanism; and
a plurality of connectors positioned on the first support member; and
a plurality of receivers positioned on the second support member, wherein the plurality of connectors are arranged to engage with the plurality of receivers to align the first support member and the second support member; and
a spacing member connected to the first support member or to the second support member,
wherein the first support member and the second support member have an open configuration and a closed configuration,
wherein the rotating actuator is configured to bring the first planar surface and the second planar surface toward one another from the open configuration to the closed configuration by enabling a relative movement of the first support member and the second support member, and
wherein, in the closed configuration:
the first planar surface is parallel to and opposite the second planar surface; and
the spacing member is in contact with the first support member and with the second support member such that the first planar surface is disposed at a distance from the second planar surface.
26 . The device of claim 25 , wherein the first retaining member is adjustable.
27 . The device of claim 25 , wherein the second retaining member is adjustable.
28 . The device of claim 25 , further comprising an adjustment mechanism connected to the first support member and configured to translate the first substrate in at least one direction parallel to the first planar surface.
29 . The device of claim 25 , wherein the relative movement of the first support member and the second support member is a relative rotation of the first support member and the second support member.
30 . The device of claim 25 , wherein each arm of the one or more arms has an identical length.