Abstract: A coating apparatus for coating a rollable device including a device rotator having a pair of rollers and spray nozzle is described. The spray nozzle produces a spray of coating material that is directed towards a gap that is between the rollers of the pair. The majority of any spray not deposited on the rollable device during a coating process passes through the gap between the rollers.

Abstract: The invention provides a device for holding a substrate during deposition processes that includes a rotation member rotatable about a first, central axis, and a plurality of substrate holders positioned on the rotation member, the substrate holders being rotatable about second axes. In another aspect, the invention provides a method of applying a substantially uniform coating on a substrate including the steps of providing a device of the invention; mounting a substrate onto the substrate mounts; providing at least one substrate coating station in spaced relation to the substrate mounts; rotating the rotation member about a central axis to position one or more of the substrate mounts at the substrate coating station; supplying the coating through the nozzle; moving the nozzle of the coating station in a direction parallel to the substrate at a predetermined rate to apply a uniform coating on the substrate; and rotating the substrate mounts about the second axes during the coating process.

Abstract: An inorganic substrate with two or more coating layers is provided. The first coating layer is attached to the inorganic substrate and includes the polymeric reaction product formed upon hydrolysis of a silane compound having at least two tri(C1-C3)alkoxysilyl groups. The second and subsequent coating layers include at least one hydrophilic polymer and at least one photoactivatable cross-linking agent. The inorganic substrate can be a medical device suitable for insertion into the body of a mammal. The coatings are tenacious and not easily removed from the inorganic substrate by abrasion.

Abstract: A surface coating composition for providing a self-assembling monolayer, in stable form, on a material surface or at a suitable interface, as well as a method of preparing such a composition and a method of using such a composition to coat a surface, such as the surface of an implantable medical device, in order to provide the surface with desirable properties. The method provides the covalent attachment of a SAM to a surface in a manner that substantially retains or improves the characteristics and/or performance of both the SAM and the surface itself. Covalent attachment is accomplished by the use of one or more latent reactive groups, e.g., provided by either the surface and/or by the SAM-forming molecules themselves.

Abstract: A method of forming a polymer layer on a support surface by the use of a coating agent and polymerizable compounds. The coating agent provides photoreactive groups adapted to attach the agent to the surface, as well as photoreactive groups adapted to remain unattached to the surface, and thus serve as photoinitiators for the activation of polymerizable compounds in order to form a polymer layer thereon. Also provided are coating agents, per se, as well as a method of using such agents and the resultant surfaces and devices fabricated therefrom.

Abstract: An inorganic substrate with two or more coating layers is provided. The first coating layer is attached to the inorganic substrate and includes the polymeric reaction product formed upon hydrolysis of a silane compound having at least two tri(C1-C3)alkoxysilyl groups. The second and subsequent coating layers include at least one hydrophilic polymer and at least one photoactivatable cross-linking agent. The inorganic substrate can be a medical device suitable for insertion into the body of a mammal. The coatings are tenacious and not easily removed from the inorganic substrate by abrasion.

Abstract: A reagent and related method for use in passivating a biomaterial surface, the reagent including a latent reactive group and a bifunctional aliphatic acid (e.g., fatty acid), in combination with a spacer group linking the latent reactive group to the aliphatic acid in a manner that preserves the desired function of each group. Once bound to the surface, via the latent reactive group, the reagent presents the aliphatic acid to the physiological environment, in vivo, in a manner (e.g., concentration and orientation) sufficient to hold and orient albumin.

Abstract: The invention provides a device for holding a substrate during deposition processes that includes a rotation member rotatable about a first, central axis, and a plurality of substrate holders positioned on the rotation member, the substrate holders being rotatable about second axes. In another aspect, the invention provides a method of applying a substantially uniform coating on a substrate including the steps of providing a device of the invention; mounting a substrate onto the substrate mounts; providing at least one substrate coating station in spaced relation to the substrate mounts; rotating the rotation member about a central axis to position one or more of the substrate mounts at the substrate coating station; supplying the coating through the nozzle; moving the nozzle of the coating station in a direction parallel to the substrate at a predetermined rate to apply a uniform coating on the substrate; and rotating the substrate mounts about the second axes during the coating process.

Abstract: A system for producing substantially identical specific binding ligand (e.g., nucleic acid) probe arrays, for instance, by preparing and replicating an original master array and/or by providing a reusable assay array that is capable of being regenerated. In one embodiment the system includes the preparation and use of a) a master array surface having address sequences immobilized in the form of a patterned, and optionally random, array, b) a multi-ligand conjugate having a binding domain complementary to an address sequence, a binding domain complementary to a target sequence, and a third ligand for use in forming (e.g., by binding or polymerization) the conjugates into or onto the surface of assay array, which can be used with or upon disassociation of the address and its complementary sequences.

Abstract: A system for producing substantially identical specific binding ligand probe arrays, for instance, by preparing and replicating an original master array and/or by providing a reusable assay array that is capable of being regenerated. In one embodiment the system includes the preparation and use of a) a master array surface having address ligands immobilized thereon, b) a multi-ligand conjugate having a binding domain complementary to an address ligand, a binding domain complementary to a target ligand, and a third ligand for use in transferring the conjugates into or onto the surface of assay array, which can be used with or upon disassociation of the address and its complementary ligands.

Abstract: Method and reagent composition for covalent attachment of target molecules, such as nucleic acids, onto the surface of a substrate. The reagent composition includes groups capable of covalently binding to the target molecule. Optionally, the composition can contain photoreactive groups for use in attaching the reagent composition to the surface. The reagent composition can be used to provide activated slides for use in preparing microarrays of nucleic acids.

Abstract: Compounds useful as surface coating agents, including compounds of the formula: wherein X1 comprises a first photoreactive species; X2 comprises a second photoreactive species; Y comprises a nonpolymeric core molecule comprising an aromatic group; and Z comprises at least one charged group. The Y core can include an aromatic group such as a benzene radical, the charged groups Z can be independently selected from the organic acids that include sulfonic acid, carboxylic acid, and phosphoric acid, and the photoreactive species of X1 and X2 can independently be aryl ketones, such as those selected from the group acetophenone, benzophenone, anthraquinone, anthrone, and anthrone-like heterocycles, and their substituted derivatives.

Abstract: Surface coatings including microparticles immobilized in a matrix of polymeric material on a substrate are described. The microparticles can also include an agent which can be useful for various applications, such as medical applications.

Abstract: Arrays including microparticles having probe moieties are used for the detection of a target in a sample. Microparticles are immobilized in clustered arrangements on at least a portion of a substrate. A detection scheme is performed to detect a marker associated with the target which can be bound to a probe of a clustered arrangement.

Abstract: The invention provides a device for holding a substrate during deposition processes that includes a rotation member rotatable about a first, central axis, and a plurality of substrate holders positioned on the rotation member, the substrate holders being rotatable about second axes. In another aspect, the invention provides a method of applying a substantially uniform coating on a substrate including the steps of providing a device of the invention; mounting a substrate onto the substrate mounts; providing at least one substrate coating station in spaced relation to the substrate mounts; rotating the rotation member about a central axis to position one or more of the substrate mounts at the substrate coating station; supplying the coating through the nozzle; moving the nozzle of the coating station in a direction parallel to the substrate at a predetermined rate to apply a uniform coating on the substrate; and rotating the substrate mounts about the second axes during the coating process.

Abstract: A reagent and related method for use in passivating a biomaterial surface, the reagent including a latent reactive group and a bifunctional aliphatic acid (e.g., fatty acid), in combination with a spacer group linking the latent reactive group to the aliphatic acid in a manner that preserves the desired function of each group. Once bound to the surface, via the latent reactive group, the reagent presents the aliphatic acid to the physiological environment, in vivo, in a manner (e.g., concentration and orientation) sufficient to hold and orient albumin.

Abstract: Arrays including microparticles having probe and marker moieties are used for the detection of a target in a sample. Microparticles are randomly immobilized on at least a portion of a substrate. A detection scheme is performed to detect the marker associated with the microparticle and the identity of the probe, and any target bound to the probe.

Abstract: A polybifunctional reagent is provided having a polymeric backbone, one or more pendent latent reactive (preferably photoreactive) moieties, and two or more pendent bioactive groups. The reagent can be activated to form a bulk material or can be brought into contact with the surface of a previously formed biomaterial and activated to form a coating. The pendent bioactive groups function by promoting the attachment of specific molecules or cells to the bulk material or coated surface. Bioactive groups can include proteins, peptides, carbohydrates, nucleic acids and other molecules that are capable of binding noncovalently to specific and complimentary portions of molecules or cells.

Abstract: A system for producing substantially identical specific binding ligand (e.g., nucleic acid) probe arrays, for instance, by preparing and replicating an original master array and/or by providing a reusable assay array that is capable of being regenerated. In one embodiment the system includes the preparation and use of a) a master array surface having address sequences immobilized in the form of a patterned, and optionally random, array, b) a multi-ligand conjugate having a binding domain complementary to an address sequence, a binding domain complementary to a target sequence, and a third ligand for use in forming (e.g., by binding or polymerization) the conjugates into or onto the surface of assay array, which can be used with or upon disassociation of the address and its complementary sequences.

Abstract: A photoactivatable nucleic acid derivative composition in which one or more photoreactive group(s) are bound to a natural or synthetic nucleic acid. The photoreactive groups can be bound to the nucleic acid before, during or after its formation, and can thereafter be activated in order to attach the nucleic acid to another molecule, e.g., to the surface of a solid support. Also described is a method of preparing such a composition, and a method of using such a composition to attach the nucleic acid to a another molecule, such as that provided by the surface of a substrate used to prepare a nucleic acid chip by photolithographic techniques.