Abstract: Multi-well plates having contoured well designs allow multi-stage high throughput parallel assaying of ion channels or ion transporters. A well of a multi-well plate has a bottom region that is sized and shaped to simultaneously accommodate a sensing electrode and a pipette for delivering test compounds, wash fluid, and optionally ligands. The multi-well plates when coupled with an instrument having a pipette head and an electrode plate facilitates fluidic contact between cells and fluids delivered via a pipette for washing of wells with buffers or other wash solutions for serial exposure of test cells to various reagents or other stimuli. The control and test experiments are performed on the same cell (or cells) in a single well.

Abstract: Multi-well plates having contoured well designs allow multi-stage high throughput parallel assaying of ion channels or ion transporters. A well of a multi-well plate has a bottom region that is sized and shaped to simultaneous accommodate a sensing electrode and a pipette for delivering, e.g., test compounds, wash fluid, and optionally ligands. Such multi-well plates may be coupled with an instrument having a pipette head and an electrode plate. Such arrangement facilitates fluidic contact between cells and fluids provided via a pipette. It also facilitates washing of wells with buffers or other wash solutions to allow serial exposure of test cells to various reagents or other stimuli. Generally, the design allows control and test experiments to be performed on the same cell (or cells) in a single well.

Abstract: Multi-well plates having contoured well designs allow multi-stage high throughput parallel assaying of ion channels or ion transporters. A well of a multi-well plate has a bottom region that is sized and shaped to simultaneously accommodate a sensing electrode and a pipette for delivering test compounds, wash fluid, and optionally ligands. The multi-well plates when coupled with an instrument having a pipette head and an electrode plate facilitates fluidic contact between cells and fluids delivered via a pipette for washing of wells with buffers or other wash solutions for serial exposure of test cells to various reagents or other stimuli. The control and test experiments are performed on the same cell (or cells) in a single well.

Abstract: Multi-well plates having contoured well designs allow multi-stage high throughput parallel assaying of ion channels or ion transporters. A well of a multi-well plate has a bottom region that is sized and shaped to simultaneous accommodate a sensing electrode and a pipette for delivering, e.g., test compounds, wash fluid, and optionally ligands. Such multi-well plates may be coupled with an instrument having a pipette head and an electrode plate. Such arrangement facilitates fluidic contact between cells and fluids provided via a pipette. It also facilitates washing of wells with buffers or other wash solutions to allow serial exposure of test cells to various reagents or other stimuli. Generally, the design allows control and test experiments to be performed on the same cell (or cells) in a single well.

Abstract: Multi-well plates having contoured well designs allow multi-stage high throughput parallel assaying of ion channels or ion transporters. A well of a multi-well plate has a bottom region that is sized and shaped to simultaneous accommodate a sensing electrode and a pipette for delivering, e.g., test compounds, wash fluid, and optionally ligands. Such multi-well plates may be coupled with an instrument having a pipette head and an electrode plate. Such arrangement facilitates fluidic contact between cells and fluids provided via a pipette. It also facilitates washing of wells with buffers or other wash solutions to allow serial exposure of test cells to various reagents or other stimuli. Generally, the design allows control and test experiments to be performed on the same cell (or cells) in a single well.

Abstract: Blood samples can be collected without substantial contamination from ambient air, such that the blood sample may be analyzed accurately for gaseous components such as oxygen and carbon dioxide. An embodiment of the device has integrated actuation, lancing, and sample acquisition components, which in some embodiments are miniatuized and/or disposable.

Abstract: A biochemical assay device optically scans individual biological sample containing wells in an assay plate. The device includes an imaging system overlaying the assay plate wherein a scanning light propagates by total internal reflection within an optical waveguide. The waveguide includes a plurality of pixel locations, each aligned with a well in the assay plate, at which total internal reflection is selectively frustrated to output an incident beam of light. That light illuminates the well and causes generation of an emission beam of light that is detected by a photoreceptor. The device further includes a driver circuit that controls the selective frustration of total internal reflection at each pixel location in order to scan each well in the assay plate. A processor is also included in the device to process the detected emission beams of light generated by the scanned wells for purposes of assaying the biological sample contained in each scanned well.

Abstract: A biochemical assay device optically scans individual biological sample containing wells in an assay plate. The device includes an imaging system overlaying the assay plate wherein a scanning light propagates by total internal reflection within an optical waveguide. The waveguide includes a plurality of pixel locations, each aligned with a well in the assay plate, at which total internal reflection is selectively frustrated to output an incident beam of light. That light illuminates the well and causes generation of an emission beam of light that is detected by a photoreceptor. The device further includes a driver circuit that controls the selective frustration of total internal reflection at each pixel location in order to scan each well in the assay plate. A processor is also included in the device to process the detected emission beams of light generated by the scanned wells for purposes of assaying the biological sample contained in each scanned well.

Abstract: A device for sampling blood from the skin of a patient by puncture. The device includes one or more lancets for lancing the skin and a fluid-conducting plate unit for transporting blood from the lancing wound. The plate unit has one or more channels for conducting fluid to one or more target locations. Preferably there is a first channel for conducting away a first portion of fluid that contains more of a fluid that is emitted initially (initial fluid) from the puncture wound and a second channel for conducting a second portion of fluid that contains less of the initial fluid from the puncture wound. Blood is drawn into the channels by capillary force. The device can be used to lance the skin and obtain a representative sample of blood with relatively simple procedures.

Abstract: A device for puncturing the skin of a patient. The device includes a lancet for puncturing the skin and a skin stabilizer associated with the lancet for stabilizing the skin to reduce its freedom of movement when the lancet strikes it. The skin stabilizer has an opening through which the lancet can pass to puncture the skin. The skin stabilizer applies pressure on the skin around the opening. The application of pressure, in additional to reducing the freedom of movement of the skin directly held by the skin stabilizer, also increases the tautness of the skin in the opening prior to the lancet penetrating the skin. The opening is not substantially larger than the size of the lancet.

Abstract: A multi-shaft apparatus for incising a substrate of soft resilient material such as a body tissue. The incising apparatus includes two or more incision shafts each having a distal edge. The shafts are not affixed to each other and are allowed to slide against each other to drive the distal edges alternately against the substrate to incise the substrate. In the case of incising a body tissue, such alternate motion would result in less pain to the patient than a puncture resulting from a sharp jab by a sharp shaft of similar size to the shafts.

Abstract: A multi-shaft apparatus for incising a substrate of soft resilient material such as a body tissue. The incising apparatus includes two or more incision shafts each having a distal edge. The shafts are not affixed to each other and are allowed to slide against each other to drive the distal edges alternately against the substrate to incise the substrate. In the case of incising a body tissue, such alternate motion would result in less pain to the patient than a puncture resulting from a sharp jab by a sharp shaft of similar size to the shafts.

Abstract: A multi-shaft apparatus for incising a substrate of soft resilient material such as a body tissue. The incising apparatus includes two or more incision shafts each having a distal edge. The shafts are not affixed to each other and are allowed to slide against each other to drive the distal edges alternately against the substrate to incise the substrate. In the case of incising a body tissue, such alternate motion would result in less pain to the patient than a puncture resulting from a sharp jab by a sharp shaft of similar size to the shafts.

Abstract: A device for sampling blood from the skin of a patient by puncture. The device includes one or more lancets for lancing the skin and a fluid-conducting plate unit for transporting blood from the lancing wound. The plate unit has one or more channels for conducting fluid to one or more target locations. Preferably there is a first channel for conducting away a first portion of fluid that contains more of a fluid that is emitted initially (initial fluid) from the puncture wound and a second channel for conducting a second portion of fluid that contains less of the initial fluid from the puncture wound. Blood is drawn into the channels by capillary force. The device can be used to lance the skin and obtain a representative sample of blood with relatively simple procedures.