EP2129464A1

EP2129464A1 - Device for receiving, treating, and storing small volume samples

Info

Publication number: EP2129464A1
Application number: EP08715555A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Heidrun Rhode; Stefan Kreusch; Helga Endmann; Michael HÄNDEL; Günther SAMMLER; Edith Zimmermann
Original assignee: SCIENOVA GmbH
Current assignee: SCIENOVA GmbH
Priority date: 2007-03-08
Filing date: 2008-03-07
Publication date: 2009-12-09
Also published as: US8758706B2; US20100136596A1; WO2008106960A1; DE102007011866A1

Abstract

The aim was to create a device, by means of which biomolecules in samples in a volume range from <1 µl to 500 µl can be received, treated, and stored in a quick, reproducible, and loss-free manner as easily, effortlessly, and practical as possible, and without any risk of damaging the device. The invention provides sample vessels (33) that are configured, in terms of size and shape, as dimensionally and positionally stable capillaries that are open on both sides, the longitudinal walls of which are completely or partially made of a semi-permeable membrane. The invention serves the universal and exact handling of small volume samples.

Description

Apparatus for receiving, treating and storing small-volume samples

The invention relates to a device for as universal as possible handling, that is to say for the reception, the most diverse treatments and for the storage of samples in μl volumes.

Essential constituents of biological samples, biomolecules, analytes and essential analytes are terms used interchangeably in the context of the invention, in particular for those constituents in samples to be examined which are in the focus of interest of the examiner or user and contain it together with dt ^r are. These are, for example, metabolites, nucleic acids, Pepticv proteins, particles, cells, viruses, microorganisms, spores, markers, enzyme substrates or products and others, both in their entirety or parts thereof and / or complexes thereof.

For the purposes of the invention, matrix means those constituents of a sample which are not in the focus of interest and which often interfere with analytical methods, in particular the solvent and other accompanying substances, such as, for example, salts, detergents, buffers, metal ions, antibiotics and others. In most cases, the essential constituents of a sample differ from the matrix constituents in their size or molecular size.

Biological samples must be treated in a variety of ways during preparative and analytical procedures. Such treatments include the addition of auxiliary reagents such as urea or guanidine for denaturation, mercaptoethanol or dithiothreitol for reduction, iodoacetamide for modification, enzymes and their cofactors for the selective elimination of modifications or the selective digestion of essential analytes, substrates for the detection of enzymatic activities , Inhibitors for the suppression of undesired enzymatic reactions, capture reagents for the binding of undesired substances and others.

Often it is necessary to bring the essential components of biological samples into another medium, another matrix (see above), in order to establish compatibility with subsequent purification steps or analysis methods. As often If only small amounts of sometimes very valuable samples are available, and if more than one analysis method is usually used for one sample, it is advisable to transfer as few as possible subsamples of the sample to the appropriate medium compatible with the respective analysis. For mass spectrometric investigations, what is more, a so-called desalination, ie a very drastic reduction of the salt and detergent concentration of the matrix on receipt of often low molecular weight essential constituents in the range of 1000 to 3000 Da is required.

Although mass spectrometry processes have very low volumes (1-5 μl), they require relatively high analyte concentrations. In order to reach the sensitivity range, it is often necessary to pre-analytically concentrate the essential constituents of the samples. However, the concentrations of interfering substances should not grow equally.

Analytical screening methods and proteomics-based technologies often generate very large numbers of similar samples, each of which must undergo one or more similar treatments, such as media changes, desalting or concentration procedures.

Usually, the medium change, which may also include desalting, is realized by three alternatively employable methods: gel chromatography, reverse phase chromatography and dialysis. Gel chromatography is based on the chromatographic separation of matrix components according to the molecular weight size. It requires clean chromatography conditions and currently relatively large sample volumes. The sample components are always present after the medium change in larger volumes than the starting material and currently mostly in the ml range. For a parallelization in the sense that a plurality of similar samples is handled simultaneously, no solution is currently known to the experts.

A miniaturization would be conceivable, but requires sample volume-dependent minimum separation lengths of the columns and thus also not to be exceeded minimum volumes of the desalted samples. In WO 9502182, for example, such Procedures in miniaturized scale for prefractionation for Capillarelektrophorese- method described.

On the other hand, analytical chromatographic separations are possible in parallel to the nano-fluidic scale (eg WO 2004101 151). However, this can not be used for a preparative application in the context of sample pretreatment, since the sample amounts to the sensitivity range z. B. mass spectrometric method below and the sample components after chromatography always in larger volumes, so additionally diluted compared to the original sample, are present.

By reverse phase chromatography are preferably hydrophobic

Sample components bound to a solid hydrophobic phase. These carriers are then washed with the potential loss of essential, especially hydrophilic, analytes and subsequently eluted in the desired salt-free medium. Here are the skillful choice of the adsorption and elution volumes and Aufkonzentrierungsschritte possible. Micro methods for sample and elution volumes in the μl range were developed in so-called Zip-Tips from Millipore (WO 9837949) or Perfect Pure (Eppendorf). A parallelization of these micro-processes is not or only possible with difficulty because of the runnability of the microspill, membranes or monolithic structures housed in pipette tips, which is to be controlled by the examiner.

There are parallelizable spin-down devices arranged in arrays of hydrophobic membranes. These methods, although involving a centrifuge, suggest practicable parallelized handling (US Pat. No. 6,998,047). For this, however, much larger volumes are needed than with Zip Tips.

The solid phase extraction is usually a special form of reverse phase chromatography and can also be used in highly miniaturized scale (EP 1 139087). In US 2006198765 a solution is described which offers a 96-fold parallelized solid-phase extraction or optionally also affinity chromatography for the smallest volumes. Also in WO 02082051 parallelized affinity matrices used for sample pretreatment for mass spectrometry. This principle is used in numerous other patents. Reverse-phase chromatography, solid-phase extraction and affinity chromatography have the principle to purify the analyte (s) from the accompanying substances and possibly also to concentrate it. However, these methods always select specific analytes depending on the properties of the analytes and those of the solid phase.

In the dialysis method described below, the impurities and the solvent are removed without affecting the composition of the essential analytes of the sample.

Dialysis procedures and corresponding devices are currently available for any desired volume range from about 10 μl to several liters. Usually in the laboratory dialysis hoses, bags or cartridges are used. The medium change takes place here via diffusion of the low-molecular-weight matrix constituents through a so-called semipermeable membrane with retention of essential sample contents.

Semi-permeable membranes in the sense of the invention are membranes which no longer allow the particles, cells or molecules beyond a certain size (cut-off) to pass through, d. H. permeiren. This happens due to the pores introduced in the membranes, wherein the pore sizes are usually realized in a narrow size range. These may be frits with pores of several 100 microns, filtration membranes with pores in the micron and sub-micron range and molecular sieve membranes in the molecular weight range of a few hundred Da to several 100 kDa.

Diffusion is a process that occurs due to Brown ^'s molecular motion in accordance with Fick ^'s law of diffusion (1).

q x de x dt

where: d _m = amount of the diffusing substance,

D = diffusion coefficient q = diffusion cross-section or area, de = concentration difference and dl = diffusion path dt = diffusion time.

Membranes have additional factors that depend on the properties of the diffusing material as well as those of the membrane.

For low-molecular matrix components, the pure diffusion times of

Concentration gradient, the available surface directly and the diffusion path inversely proportional dependent and are usually for a diffusion distance of 1, 3 cm about 100 h, for 1, 3 mm for about 1 h and for 13 microns about 0.3 sec ( SM Rappoport, Medical Biochemistry, Verl. People and Health, 1983, p. 39/40). By suitable geometry (large effective area, small diffusion paths) and by suitable membranes (no interaction of the materials to be exchanged with the membrane), therefore, the diffusion for the efficient medium change, especially for small volumes usable. By generating turbulence in the sample and / or dialysis external fluid by means of suitable mechanical devices, in addition, the concentration differences (de in formula 1) can be kept high, thereby accelerating the diffusion through the membrane. Also bundles of so-called Hollow-Fasem with defined pores, through which the sample liquid flows, are used for dialysis in the laboratory and preferably for hemodialysis. The same, usually large-volume sample flows through a bundled high number of Hollow fibers, whereby the effective surface is greatly increased. Even cartridges with semipermeable membranes are used in the flow to change the medium in the laboratory. Cartridges and hollow fibers have large dead volumes due to the connection to pumps and require high pressures, since the small cross-sections have large flow resistances and the relatively thick walls have long diffusion barriers. This makes it difficult to integrate both technical solutions into highly miniaturized or even parallelized systems.

In the laboratory, dialysis should be carried out in bags or containers with simple pipetting steps. It usually comes only to insignificant volume changes of the sample. With clever choice of membrane type and pore size (Molecular weight cut-off) no significant components of biological samples are lost. For the simultaneous dialysis of a large number of similar, but in the composition of essential analytes and matrix constituents, however, different small-volume samples, there is still no satisfactory solution. The "drop-dialysis", ie dialysis by means of comparatively coarsely porous floating on the dialysis liquid filtration membranes is indeed designed for rapid desalination of smallest volumes to a few ul, but not to parallelize and not quantified in terms of recovering sample amount and the essential components contained therein There are single dialysis devices down to a minimum volume of currently 10 μl (eg, US 5,503,741), where the surface-volume ratio is by no means optimal and parallelization is not provided., In addition, special microdialysis units are for even smaller volumes, but not for medium change [0003] Instead, it has been developed for the diffusion-based production of low-molecular-weight solutes (WO 2004032735), whereby a maximum surface volume is formed in the small inner chamber, which is partially formed by a semipermeable membrane reached ratio, but transported in this a liquid that is to absorb from the outside living tissue sample diffusible substances and thus perform an analysis. Here . is a parallelization excluded.

No. 6,458,275 shows a possibility for parallelized equilibrium dialysis for the investigation of binding constants in the microplate grid, which realizes a separate outside liquid for each sample and can not be used for efficient medium change or for desalting because of the low volume ratio outside liquid / sample.

The parallelized implementation of dialysis is realized in different solutions. Up to 12 samples and a minimum volume of 20 μl (Pierce: Microdialyzer System) or up to 96 samples and a minimum volume of approximately 24 μl (advantageously in the microplate grid) are possible (eg US 2004195163, US Pat 2005019774, US 2005148066, Spectrum Labs: Spectra / PorMicrodialyzer). Due to the present unfavorable surface-to-volume ratios, the relatively small Diffusion surfaces and the resulting relatively large diffusion paths are required for a complete medium change with these methods many hours. During this time, even when the sample vessels are capped, evaporation losses due to the high-surface area evaporation capability in the enclosed air chamber can occur, and essential components of the samples can change, for example denature proteins. In addition, the samples from the microplate well-shaped sample containers with fragile membranes are difficult to parallelize and can be recovered with little loss. A standardization of the dialysis conditions for all samples is not given by the randomness of the formation of the effective diffusion path by volume tolerances, meniscus formation as well as by hard-to-control air bubble inclusions and Luftpoister formation.

Sample plates for use in dialysis systems are known (DE 101 60 975 A1), with which a multiplicity of micro samples in the μl range can be dialyzed. The sample vessels, whose upper ends are open and their lower ends, i. the end faces of the sample vessels were closed by a filtration membrane used for the "drop-dialysis" were arranged in suitable grid for the liquid handling technology for microplate technology, however, would be desirable a further reduction of the dialysis time and a reduction of the risk of damage, especially the semipermeable membrane In addition, the dialysis time depends on the filling level (diffusion path dl in formula 1) and thus on the sample volume and on the pipetting precision.

In summary, there is still no fully satisfactory, practical, fast, reproducible method, with which unselective for essential components of samples in the volume range of <1 .mu.l to 500 .mu.l a medium change can be carried out lossless in a short time. Dialysis procedures that reach the lower of the stated volume range are not quantitative and can not be parallelized; those that can be parallelized require larger volumes and have considerable disadvantages with regard to handling, the expected precision and the required dialysis times. Concentrations are principally possible by means of precipitation reactions, ultracentrifugation, ultrafiltration, lyophyllisation, incl. The special form by means of SpeedVac, and adsorption processes.

Neutral salt, acid and organic solvent precipitations are efficient methods of increasing the concentration of many analytes, such as proteins. However, these methods are not suitable for low molecular weight substances and peptides, are also not "unselective" for many other analytes, as analyte and matrix properties determine the case efficiency, and denature in addition usually a variety of proteins.Furthermore, precipitation reactions are difficult to miniaturize and The centrifugation and ultrafiltration are not possible in μl volumes, require flow aids such as centrifuges or vacuum, and are difficult to realize in parallel. US 2005133425 proposes a kit containing individual elements for ultrafiltration for the purpose of molecular weight-selective concentration and thus selective enrichment of selected analytes.

With the process of Lyphyllisation, also by means of SpeedVac, although a well parallelizable and miniaturizable process is available, but with the disadvantage that with the used physical principle of evaporation of the solvent and all interfering impurities are concentrated with. If the process continues until complete solvent removal, i. H. led to the so-called dry, there is a risk that the essential analytes, especially proteins or special peptides are often not / only partially soluble again.

Adsorption by means of specific capture compounds are elegant methods,

However, to enrich analytes on surfaces also implies a pre-selection of bound analytes. These are methods that are easy to parallelize. Such methods are described, for example, for numerous SELDI carriers in different embodiments, in WO 2005103718 for glycoproteins, in US 2003027216 for immunoreactive analytes, in WO 2005070141 for various analytes to be selected, in which case a parallelization up to 96-fold is additionally provided. But also more unspecific adsorption, such as the above-described reversed-phase chromatography in Zip-Tips select special, especially hydrophobic, analytes. Miniaturized chromatographic adsorptive processes (US 2003027216, WO 2005070141) usually require a flow aid, such as centrifugal acceleration or negative pressure.

In summary, there are except the only conditional and described above adsorptive devices such. As Zip tips with the known disadvantages, no device and no practicable method, which can also be used to change the medium in combination with a significant concentration of a variety of parallel samples in the μl range and without selection of a portion of the sample components.

The invention is based on the object to provide a device with which biomolecules in samples in the volume range of <1 .mu.l to 500 .mu.s in the simplest possible, low expenditure and practicable way and without risk of damage to the device quickly, reproducibly and loss-free, comprehensively treated and can be stored.

The inclusion and treatment of the samples should be able to take place with the advantages of the liquid handling technique known per se, as is known, inter alia, for microplates.

The device should be usable without alterations, pipetting and conversions, etc., equally for medium changes, concentration steps and other sample treatments, including storage, in order to be able to handle the once introduced samples in a reproducible manner. For this purpose, methods which can be used as widely as possible without preference or selection of specific analytes by means of any reactive surfaces should be usable.

According to the invention, the device is realized by at least one sample vessel for universal recording, treatment and storage of small-volume samples, which in size and shape as a form and position stable capillary open on both sides is formed, the longitudinal wall is formed completely or partially from a known semipermeable membrane.

As a capillary in the context of the invention are tube-shaped sample containers to understand with very small inner diameter. This capillary can be called a straight tube. or be designed as a single or multiple curved tube. For example, a U-shaped curved capillary whose two-sided openings are accessible from the same side of the device is expedient.

For their dimensional and positional stability, it may be expedient if the capillary with one or more supporting and thus shape and position stabilizing bodies, for example made of stainless steel or of a non-metallic material, such as glass,

Ceramic or plastic, in particular in the areas of their capillary ends or

End faces, positively connected. On the other hand, it is also possible that the sample vessel in size and shape directly as a capillary depression, prepared for example by casting, pressing, deformation or machining, in an already shape and position-stable body, which may also consist of several partial bodies, is introduced.

The semipermeable membrane can advantageously be permanently and sealingly connected to the shape and position-stabilizing bodies by methods known per se. Such methods are known, for example, as overmolding, IR welding, UV bonding or gluing. These methods have long been used for the non-detachable connection of a wide variety of polymeric materials.

In the subclaims advantageous embodiments of the capillary sample vessels are listed.

It is advantageous that the proposed capillaries can be arranged in a grid suitable for liquid handling technology for microplate technology (nx 8 × 12 or n × 8 or / and m × 12) and thus permit multiple sample treatment. Thus, the application and compatibility of known and established in practice methods of liquid handling technology without complicated adjustments and conversions or separate methods of sample handling is given. The proposed special sample container allows in particular in its aforementioned multiple arrangement in the grid simple and practical manageable, despite very small sample volumes extremely low-loss applications and universal use for recording, treatment and storage of samples, including for concentration and for the medium change. Due to the said universal uses, otherwise required changes, pipetting and retrofitting etc., which in practice involve special expenses in sample handling, especially in many thousands of samples in screening procedures and also the additional risk of sample losses and - confusions in itself.

For the parallelized dialysis of microvolumes a geometry of the sample vessels was found, which not only extremely short and thus effective diffusion paths regardless of the sample volume in the range of less than a millimeter allows, but realized with the membrane assembly also a very efficient compared to the volume large effective diffusion area.

In addition, the evaporation is minimized and not least a loss-free and easily parallelizable recovery of the dialyzed sample possible. In this way a drastic reduction of the required diffusion time is achieved and in addition a high precision of this sample treatment step is ensured. In addition, if necessary, further treatments, such as the addition of modifying reagents whose residues can be removed by dialysis after reaction without further effort, or the digestion of protein analytes using specific proteases in the same sample vessel in which previously the medium change or concentration has taken place , followed by renewed concentration and desalting.

The semipermeable membrane is in contrast to the known solutions described above not arranged transversely to the feed direction, which from experience can not easily cause damage only with improper handling, but formed in the axial or longitudinal direction of the capillary as a complete or partial wall, causing the Risk of damage to the membrane, in particular by pipetting, is virtually eliminated. The capillaries are advantageously realized in a ratio of their length to the inner diameter of greater than 4. The maximum extension of the cross section of the capillaries should not exceed 5 mm. In addition, the capillary openings, for example by means of lids, stoppers or adhesive films, can also be easily handled and reliably closed. Due to all these features, the risk of evaporation during a medium change by dialysis is reduced to a minimum, which also ensures a high reproducible accuracy of handling and analysis of the samples.

The proposed capillary geometry with the recommended dimensions and the comparatively large proportion of the semipermeable membrane allows well-parallelizable process-combined applications.

For example, in the case of immersion of the device in an external liquid with lossless receipt of the essential analytes in small volume sample volumes a: the removal is primarily contained in the sample and the analysis more troublesome

Matrix components, b: the addition of auxiliary reagents and c: the removal of by-products after auxiliary reactions relatively easily by dialysis on the outside liquid possible. Due to the comparatively small surfaces at the open Kapillarenden, which can also be closed, while the evaporation is minimized or excluded. When stored in an evaporative environment without contacting outside liquid, the devices are useful as parallelized reaction vessels for auxiliary analytical reactions or for storage and transport of samples, such as microplates or tubes.

In the case of storage in a dry environment, optionally with controlled convection or vacuum, the evaporation of the solvent present in the sample solution through the large surface of the semipermeable membrane can be used for the purpose of concentrating essential analytes at high speed and advantageously without pipetting.

It is also possible any sequential combination of the listed applications and also at different temperatures. The capillarity of the sample vessels and the cohesion forces of the liquid column realized therefrom as well as the non-selectivity of the semipermeable membrane with regard to the hydrophobic or hydrophilic character of the essential sample components also enable their quasi-complete recovery.

As a result of the abovementioned possibilities and features, the device can be used universally, practicably, with minimal effort and with good precision and recovery of the essential analytes of a sample for a large number of parallelized methods.

The invention will be explained below with reference to exemplary embodiments. Show it:

Fig. 1: Top view of a capillary whose wall with a round cross-section consists entirely of a semipermeable membrane, wherein the independent capillary is arranged between two stabilizing bodies

Fig. 2: plan views of four capillaries with different cross-section, which are each formed by a recess in a stable body, wherein the recess is in each case completed by a semi-permeable membrane

Fig. 3: plan views of four capillaries with different cross-section, which are each formed as a breakthrough in a stable body, wherein the breakthrough is completed on both sides by a semi-permeable membrane Fig. 4: Formation of eight U-shaped capillary sample vessels in microplates raster dimension in a stable basic body a: front view b: section XX corresponding to FIG. 4ac: section YY corresponding to FIG. 4a d: side view in a sectional representation of a stack of 12 rowed stable basic bodies according to FIG. 4 a with 8 U-shaped capillary sample vessels each (see individual illustration of FIG.

Fig. 5: Time course of the decrease of the p-nitrophenol concentration in six simultaneously dialyzed samples using U-shaped capillary sample vessels; shown are mean values (points) and standard deviations (error bars)

Fig. 6: Time course of the decrease of the NaCl concentration in eight simultaneously dialysed samples using U-shaped capillary sample vessels; the mean values (points) are shown

Fig. 7: Time course of the volume decrease of eight simultaneously stored in U-shaped capillary sample vessels in the convection current of a fan samples

8: mass spectra of the three samples according to embodiment 8 a: mass spectrum of sample 1, 2 pM protein, 10 mM Tris / HCl, pH 7.4 with

15 mM NaCl. b: mass spectrum of sample 2, 9.4 pM protein, ca. 53 mM Tris / HCl, pH 7.4 with 70 mM NaCl. c: mass spectrum of sample 3, 19 pM protein, 10 mM Tris / HCl, pH 7.4 with 10 mM NaCl

FIG. 9 Lactate production in human erythrocytes according to exemplary embodiment 10. FIG

Application Example 1: FIG. 1 shows a cross section through a capillary sample vessel 1 with a circular cavity cross-sectional area 2. The capillary is arranged to protect it between two shape and position stabilizing bodies 3 and 4. The cylindrical surface (longitudinal wall) of the capillary sample vessel 1 consists entirely of a semipermeable membrane 5 (indicated in the sectional view of Fig. 1 as a circular dotted line). Application Example 2

Fig. 2 shows representations of also cross-sections through four capillary sample vessels 6, 7, 8, 9 with different cavity cross-sectional areas 10, 1 1, 12, 13, in contrast to Fig. 1, in which the capillary independently, d. H. is realized independently of the adjacent shape and position-stabilizing bodies 3, 4 by the semipermeable membrane 5 as a cylindrical surface, the capillary sample vessels 6, 7, 8, 9 each as an example produced by casting, pressing, deformation or machining recess in one Form and position-stable base body 14, 15, 16, 17 formed. Covered in each case the depression in the shape and position stable base body 14, 15, 16, 17 with a z. B. glued or bonded semipermeable membrane 18 (again shown as a dotted line), whereby each of the cavity of the capillary sample vessels 6, 7, 8, 9 is completed laterally. In this way, in the form and position-stable base body 14, a capillary sample vessel 6 having a triangular cavity cross-sectional area 10, in the form and position-stable base body 15, a capillary sample vessel 7 with a semi-circular cavity cross-sectional area 1 1, in the shape and position stable base body 16th a capillary sample vessel 8 having a rectangular cavity cross-sectional area 12 and in the form and position-stable base body 17 a capillary sample vessel 9 having a trapezoidal cavity cross-sectional area 13.

Application Example 3

In a similar manner as in Fig. 2, Fig. 3 also shows four cross-sections through capillary sample vessels 19, 20, 21, 22 which are each realized in a form and position-stable base body 23, 24, 25, 26. In contrast to FIG. 2, in this embodiment, the capillaries are not formed by depressions, but in each case as a breakthrough by the shape and position-stable base body 23, 24, 25 and 26 respectively. The breakthroughs are on both sides by semipermeable membranes 27, 28 (also shown here as dotted lines) covered. In this way, the four capillary sample vessels 19, 20, 21, 22, whose shown in Fig. 3 cavity cross-sectional areas 29, 30, 31, 32 each have different shapes with the illustrated straight and / or curved polygons. Application Example 4:

FIG. 4 shows a specific embodiment of eight U-shaped capillary sample vessels 33 in the microplate raster dimension nx 8, with n = 1 in a form-stable and position-stable base body 34. Each sample vessel 33 consists of two vertical capillary tubes 35, 36, which are the cavity 3 and which have upwardly open tube ends 37 and communicate with said U-shaped sample vessel formation at the bottom via a horizontal capillary tube 38 in the form of sample cup 8 (see FIG. 2). This capillary tube 38 preferably contains a stabilizing connecting web 43, which only partially constricts the lumen, between a material lip 44 and the remaining main body 34.

The tube ends 37 of the capillary tubes 35, 36 are in each sample vessel 33 via a connecting tube 39 with the opening 40 (capillary tube 35) for filling or removal of reasons not shown in the drawing for clarity or with the vent 41 (capillary tube 36) for the sample filling or -dnähme in connection.

Fig. 4b shows for clarity a section in the indicated in Fig. 4a plane XX through the capillary tube 35 of a sample vessel 33 with the opening 40 for said sample filling or -dnähme and a applied by bonding semipermeabie and thereby completing the U-shaped sample vessel 33 semipermeabie Membrane 42.

Fig. 4c shows for clarity a section in the plane indicated in Fig. 4a Y-Y through the capillary tube 38 of a sample vessel 33 with the stabilizing, the lumen only partially constricting, connecting web 43 and the material lip 44th

4d shows a side view of a section through a stack of a total of twelve lined-up form and position-stable base bodies 34 according to FIG. 4a with (as shown in FIG. 4a) eight U-shaped capillary sample vessels 33. The section shown in FIG. 4b XX corresponds to the left sample vessel 33 in FIG. 4d. In FIG. 4d to the right, there are another eleven body 34 which is stable in terms of shape and position angegeschht (also feasible by a single shape and position stable base for the entire block of a total of 96 existing Probengefaße 33) Thus, the U-formιgen capillary sample vessels 33 in several levels in a grid of here nx 8 x 12 with n = 1 according to Between the twelve juxtaposed form and position-stable basic body 34 are in each case comparatively großlumige channels 45, in which there are not shown Dialyseaußenflussigkeit or can be passed therethrough

In the following, further application examples are listed, which are intended to illustrate the use of the device according to the invention

Application Example 5

Change of medium on the example of the removal of p-Nιtrophenollosung from a solution in the capillary module

In six of the eight U-shaped capillary sample vessels 33 according to FIG. 4 a, which are obtained by milling out a shape-and position-stable basic body 34 made of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and from bonded semi-permeable membranes 42 (Spektra / Por® 1, RC, MWCO 6-8 kDa). Spectrum Labs), 200 .mu.l of a solution of 6 mM p-Nιtrophenol in 1 M diethanolamine / HCl, pH 9.8 (buffer A) are pipetted into two more capillary Probengefaße 33 a dye-free buffer A The module is at room temperature in After 30 minutes, the deionized water is exchanged for fresh. After different times, the entire contents of all capillaries are sucked out with a pipette, aliquots of which 1 to 10 to 1 to 100 in buffer A in Diluted microplate wells and measure the absorbance at 405 nm in a reader (Spectramax Plus384). The remainder is pipetted back and further dialyzed from the diagram in Fig. 5 it can be seen that after about 2 hours only 1 2%, after about 3 hours only about 7% of the original color concentration is present. On the basis of the small scattering of the individual values, the high reproducibility of the method can be seen The low color concentration in those capillaries with buffer A before changing the external fluid is due to the retrograde diffusion into the capillaries.

After the change (after 30 min) no absorbance is detectable in the chambers filled with buffer A, d. H. the capillary sample vessels 33 completed by gluing the semipermeable membrane are dense, there is no cross-contamination.

Application Example 6: Removal of NaCI by means of capillary module

190 μl of a solution of 10 mM Tris / HCl, pH 7.4 (buffer B) with 150 mM NaCl are pipetted into all eight parallel U-shaped capillary sample vessels 33 (see FIG. The module is placed at room temperature in a 150 ml buffer B (external liquid). After 30 minutes, the external fluid is replaced with fresh fluid. After various times, the entire contents of the capillaries are sucked out with a pipette. The osmolarity of the solutions is measured with an osmometer (Knauer, Semi-Microosmometer) and compared with calibration solutions. Thereafter, the solutions are pipetted back and dialyzed further. It can be seen in the diagram in FIG. 6 that only about 8% or 4% of the initial NaCl concentration is present after 120 minutes or 180 minutes. The method is well reproducible since the coefficients of variation of the respective 8-fold determinations are in the range of <1%.

Application Example 7:

Evaporation of water in the capillary module

In all eight of the U-shaped capillary sample vessels 33 (see Fig. 4a), 200 .mu.l of deionized water are pipetted into it. The module is fixed to a tripod at the usual room temperature and a fan (diffuser, Braun) directed in the air stream is switched on at the lowest level and without additional heating at a distance of approx. 30 cm. After different times, the module is weighed in each case. From the diagram in FIG. 7 it can be seen that after approximately 2 h approximately 5% and after 3 h only 0.6% of the starting liquid quantity is present, which in the presence of nonvolatile analytes has a concentration factor of more than 20 or more. would correspond to about 160.

Application Example 8:

Combined sample treatment: concentration and dialysis

In all eight of the U-shaped capillary sample tubes 33 (see Fig. 4a), 190 μl of a bovine IgG solution (Serva No. 22550, 0.3 mg / ml, 2.0 μM, in 10 mM Tris / HCl , pH 7.4, sample 1) pipetted. As in application example 7, the module is fastened to a tripod and a fan (diffuser, Braun company) is switched on at a distance of approx. 30 cm at the lowest level and without additional heating. After evaporation of the majority of liquid, the residual volumes are combined in a single U-shaped capillary sample vessels 33 and flushed the empty capillary sample vessels 33 sequentially with 100 ul 10 mM Tris / HCl, pH 7.4. The rinsing liquid obtained is added to the same capillary sample vessel 33 with the said residual volumes. It is concentrated again with the fan (sample 2). Thereafter, without further pipetting in the same module for 2 h against 10 mM Tris / HCl, pH 7.4 with 100 mM NaCl dialyzed (sample 3).

From samples 1-3, mass spectra are recorded by MALDI-MS (see A. Hörn et al .: Proteomics, 6, 2006, 559). 8a to 8c show the mass spectra of samples 1 to 3. In the table below, sample volume, concentration factor and MALDI result are compared for the three samples:

* under the conditions indicated in Fig. 8a-c. Usable mass spectra are those which have a high, for the accurate determination of the average mass sufficient signal-to-noise ratio.

Application Example 9:

Protein modification, dialysis and digestion

Sixteen samples of human serum albumin (Sigma, 3 .mu.M, each 60 .mu.l in 2O mM ammonium bicarbonate) after addition of 20 ul 8 M guanidine-HCl and denaturation in polycarbonate tubes for 20 min at 90 ° C in two sets of 8 samples divided up. One of each of these sample sets is conventionally modified and digested in eight tubes (method A) or, as proposed, as method B in the said eight U-shaped capillary sample vessels 33 (see again FIG. 4 a). The conventional method (method A) in tubes comprises the following working steps: successively pipetting of DTT and iodoacetamide solution, with respective incubation, reprecipitation in dialysis vessels, 2 h dialysis against 20 mM ammonium bicarbonate, pipetting into new tubes, addition of trypsin and incubation. In principle, the same reactions take place in the U-shaped capillary sample vessels 33 (method B), but duplicate pipetting is omitted before or after dialysis: the solutions obtained after each treatment in the eight sample vessels (tubes or U-shaped capillary sample vessels 33) Peptide mixtures were analyzed by MALDI-MS in each case as a quadruple determination per reaction vessel (Bublitz et al .: Proteomics 2006, 6, 3909). The results are summarized in the table below. It can be seen that both the number of peptides found, the normalized sums achieved, which represent a reliable quantitative mass-spectrometric measure, and the composition of the peptide mixtures found are comparable with both methods.

see. Bublitz et al .: Proteomics 2006, 6, 3909, SD: Standard Deviation

Application Example 10

Examination of metabolites of living cells

In all eight parallel U-shaped capillary sample vessels 33 (see Fig. 4a) each 170 ul of a suspension of one part cell pellet and four parts of physiological saline (NaCl) are pipetted with freshly removed and previously washed three times with NaCl washed human erythrocytes. The module is placed at room temperature in a 10.0 ml NaCI 10mM glucose (outside fluid). After approximately 60 minutes, the outside liquid is mixed and 100 μl removed, and the module is placed again in the outside liquid. In the samples taken, the lactate concentration is determined according to Bergmeyer, HU in: Methods of Enzymatic Analysis, 3rd Ed., Vol. VI, pp. 582-588. Lactate in the external fluid can only be formed from glucose, which by means of diffusion reaches the capillaries, has formed through the anaerobic glycolysis of the erythrocytes, and has diffused back into the external fluid. In the graph in Fig. 9, the lactate concentration in the outside liquid is plotted for a period of 5 hours. During this time, a linear increase in the concentration of this metabolite can be observed. Lactate production under these conditions is 0.0103 μMole / (min x ml erythrocyte sediment) or about 0.7 μMole / (min x 10 "cells).

The advantage of this method is that the packed cells can remain in the capillary without interference, supplied via diffusion, and can also be liberated from metabolic end products, such as lactate. In addition, the membrane chosen represents a microbial barrier. Since the membrane can not be passed by cells or macromolecules, lactate determination is possible without costly deproteinization.

List of used reference numbers

1 6 7 8 9 1 9,20,21,22,33 capillary sample vessel

2, 10, 11, 12/13, 29, 30, 31, 32 - cavity cross-sectional area of the capillary

sample vessel

3, 4 - shape and position stabilizing body

5, 18, 27, 28/42 semipermeable membrane

14, 15, 16, 17, 23, 24, 25, 26, 34 - shape and position stable body

35, 36, 38 capillary tubes

37 - tube end

39 - Connecting tube

40 - Opening for filling or removal

41 - Ventilation opening

43 - Connecting bar

44 - Material lip of the main body

45 - channel for dialysis fluid

Claims

claims

1. Apparatus for receiving, treating and storing small volume samples, consisting of at least one sample vessel (1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 19, 20, 21, 22, 33), which in size and shape as

Formed and Lagestabile capillary open on both sides is formed, whose longitudinal wall completely or partially from a semipermeable membrane (5, 18, 27, 28, 42).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the part of the longitudinal wall of the sample vessel (6, 7, 8, 9, 19, 20, 21, 22, 33) which is not formed from a semipermeable membrane, made of a metallic material, For example, stainless steel.

3. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the part of the longitudinal wall of the sample vessel (6, 7, 8, 9, 19, 20, 21, 22, 33), which is not formed of a semipermeable membrane, made of a non-metallic material , For example, glass, ceramic or plastic exists.

4. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the semipermeable membrane (5, 18, 27, 28, 42) consists of a dialysis membrane, for example a so-called regenerated cellulose, cellulose ester or polyvinylidene difluoride, from a filtration membrane, for example from mixed cellulose esters, polyethersulfones, frits, glass fibers or filter papers or other membrane materials such as nitrocellulose, nylon or polytetrafluoroethylene, porous polyethylene, polypropylene or fluorocarbon or composites thereof.

5. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the capillary of the sample vessel (1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 19, 20, 21, 22) is formed as a straight tube.

6. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the capillary of the sample vessel (1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 19, 20, 21, 22, 33) as a single or multiple curved or angled tube (35, 36 , 38) is formed.

7. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that the capillary of the sample vessel (33) has a substantially 360 ° curved portion (35, 36, 38), wherein both tube ends (37) of the capillary on one and the same side of the Device are located.

8. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that all the side walls of the longitudinal wall, the capillary of the

Include sample vessel (1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 19, 20, 21, 22, 33) parallel.

9. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the longitudinal wall of the capillary contains side walls or parts thereof, which are not aligned parallel to each other.

10. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the capillary of the sample vessel (1) has a round cross-section (2).

1 1. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the capillary of the sample vessel (6 to 9, 19 to 22, 33) has a polygonal cross section (10, 12, 13, 29, 30, 31, 32) with at least three corners ,

12. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the capillary of the sample vessel (7, 19, 20) has a cross section with one or more curved lines, for example, to form a convex or concave-shaped cross-section.

13. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the capillary in a ratio of its length to the inner diameter of greater than 4, preferably greater than 10, is formed.

14. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the maximum extent of the cross section of the capillaries does not exceed 5 mm.

15. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the capillary is designed in the capacity for microliter volumes, which is preferably

Does not exceed 500 μl.

16. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of capillaries in a suitable for liquid handling technology for the microplate technology grid (n x 8 x 12 or n x 8 or / and m x 12) is arranged.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, characterized in that all arranged in the grid capillaries each have the same capacity.

18. The apparatus according to claim 16, characterized in that arranged in the grid capillaries have different capacities.

19. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the capillary of the sample vessel (6 to 9, 19 to 22, 33) in or on one or more shape and position stable base bodies (14 to 17, 23 to 26, 34) is arranged ,

20. Device according to claims 16 and 19, characterized in that a plurality of 2 to 1536 capillaries as sample containers (1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 19, 20, 21, 22, 33) in or on one or more molds - And stable position basic bodies (14 to 17, 23 to 26, 34) is arranged.

21. The device according to claim 19, characterized in that the capillary of the sample vessel (6 to 9, 19 to 22, 33) in or on one or more shape and position stable basic bodies (14 to 17, 23 to 26, 34) at least in Area of one of its faces is firmly anchored.

22. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the capillary of the sample vessel (1) for the purpose of their shape and position stabilization with one or more supporting bodies (3, 4) is positively connected.

23. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the capillary of the sample vessel (6 to 9) is formed as a recess in a shape and position stable base body (14 to 17).

24. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the capillary of the sample vessel (19 to 22) as a breakthrough in the shape and position stable

Base body (23 to 26) is formed.

25. The device according to claim 22, characterized in that a plurality of 2 to 1536 capillaries as sample containers (1) for the purpose of their shape and position stabilization with one or more supporting bodies (3, 4) is positively connected.

26. The device according to claim 16, characterized in that a base plate on which the capillaries are arranged stable in shape and position, in terms of shape and size, the outer dimensions for the liquid handling technique of

Microplates has.

27. The device according to claims 20 or 25, characterized in that arranged in the grid of the liquid handling technique capillaries of the sample vessels (1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 19, 20, 21, 22, 33) respectively in the same plane of or Body (3, 4, 14 to 17, 23 to 26, 34) are formed.

28. Device according to claims 16, 20 or 25, characterized in that arranged in the grid of the liquid handling technique capillaries of the sample vessels (1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 19, 20, 21, 22, 33) each in groups in the grid nx 8 x 12, nx δ and mx 12 or nx 8 or mx 12 in different planes of the body or bodies (3, 4, 14 to 17, 23 to 26, 34) are formed.

29. Device according to one or more of claims 19 to 25 and 27, 28, characterized in that the body or bodies (3, 4, 14 to 17, 23 to 26, 34) consist essentially of metal, ceramic, plastic or glass ,

30. Device according to one or more of claims 19 to 25 and 27, 28, characterized in that the body or bodies (3, 4, 14 to 17, 23 to 26, 34) are produced by casting, pressing, deformation or machining ,

31. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the longitudinal wall of the capillary of the sample vessel (6 to 9, 19 to 22, 33) partially from the semipermeable membrane (18, 27, 28, 42) and that the semipermeable membrane (18 , 27, 28, 42) with the remaining wall of the capillary of the sample vessel (6 to 9, 19 to 22, 33) is permanently connected.

32. Device according to claims 11 and 31, characterized in that the capillary of the sample vessel (6 to 9) has a polygonal cross section (10 to 13), wherein the semipermeable membrane (18) corresponding to these polygonal surfaces of the longitudinal wall of the capillary of the sample vessel (6 to 9) forms.

33. Device according to claims 11 and 31, characterized in that the capillary of the sample vessel (19 to 22, 33) has a polygonal cross section (29 to 32), wherein the semipermeable membrane (27, 28, 42) corresponding to at least two of these polygonal lines Areas of the longitudinal wall of the capillary of the sample vessel (19 to 22, 33) forms.

34. Device according to claims 32 or 33, characterized in that the effective for the sample treatment part of the longitudinal wall of the capillary of the sample vessel (1, 6 to 9, 19 to 22, 33) through the semipermeable membrane

(18, 27, 28, 42) is formed.

35. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that an adhesive film is provided as a detachable closure for the respective end openings (40, 41) of the capillaries of the sample vessel (33) for sample loading, sampling and ventilation.

36. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that lids are provided as releasable closures for the respective end-side openings (40, 41) of the capillaries of the sample vessel (33) for sample loading, sampling and ventilation.

37. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that plug as releasable closures for the respective end openings (40, 41) of the capillaries of the sample vessel (33) for sample loading. Sampling and ventilation are provided.

38. Use of the device according to claim 1 as reaction vessels.

39. Use of the device according to claim 1 as a dialysis vessel.

40. Use of the device according to claims 1 and 39 for changing media and desalination.

41. Use of the device according to claim 1 for the storage of samples.

42. Use of the device according to claims 39 and 40, characterized in that the sample vessels (1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 19, 20, 21, 22, 33) for dialysis, for changing media and / or for desalting with a direct or moving outside liquid in direct contact, whose liquid volume is at least 30 times the total volume of all sample volumes of the device.

43. Use of the device according to claim 1 as vessels for concentration.

44. Use of the device according to claim 43, characterized in that the sample vessels (1, 6, I ₁ 8, 9, 19, 20, 21, 22, 33) are stored in a stationary or moving non-vapor-saturated environment.

45. Use of the device according to claim 43, characterized in that the sample containers (1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 19, 20, 21, 22, 33) are stored in non-vapor saturated environment with negative pressure.

46. Use of the device according to claim 38 and 41, characterized in that the sample containers (1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 19, 20, 21, 22, 33) are stored in a vapor-saturated environment.