Multi-array, multi-specific electrochemiluminescence testing

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the invention includes in a broad aspect cassettes for conducting a plurality of electrochemiluminescence assays.
The cassettes are formed of supports having thereon a plurality of binding domains able to specifically bind one or more analytes of interest.
The binding domains are prepared as patterned, multi-array multi-specific surfaces ("PMAMS") on the support.
The PMAMS offer a significant improvement from ECL assay methods previously known by, e.
g.
, greatly increasing the density of assays that can be performed and allowing for a plurality of different assays that may be rapidly or simultaneously performed.
The cassette may include a plurality of electrodes able to selectively trigger ECL emission of light from ECL labeled reagents bound to the binding domains.
FIG.
47 shows a multiarray ECL apparatus having electrodes 4700, 4704, a matrix 4702 with binding domains 4706 and a microprocessor containing controller 4720 means for generating and analyzing an ECL signal connected via leads 4710-4716.
In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG.
1, a cassette comprises two supports 10, 12 wherein a plurality of binding domains 14 are present on a surface of a first support 10 and a plurality of electrode/counterelectrode pairs 16 are present on a surface of second support 12.
The binding domains and electrode/counterelectrode pairs are aligned so that each of the plurality of electrode/counterelectrode pairs 16 is placed adjacent to a different one of the plurality of binding domains 14 when the first and second supports 10, 12 are brought together.
First support 10 underlaying binding domains 14 is preferably a PMAMS with a gold film surface and transparent binding domains.
Second support 12 is preferably a transparent flat plastic sheet having transparent electrode/counterelectrode pairs 16 thereon.
Binding domains 14 are preferably prepared by micro stamping an organic self assembled monolayer (composed of individual monomers) pattern on the support surface, where the monomer has a biotin or linking moiety