A system for preparing a thrombin serum that can include a containment device, a cage received within the containment device, a cap attachable to the containment device, an inlet port configured to introduce a non-anti-coagulated autologous blood fluid into the containment device, and an outlet port. An activator, such as glass beads, can be present within the containment device.

Enclosures and corresponding magnetic joints. An apparatus includes an enclosure. The enclosure includes a magnetic panel joint formed by: an alignment bore disposed in one of the first end face and the second end face, an alignment dowel disposed in the other of the first end face and the second end face, a face magnet disposed in one of the first end face and the second end face, a face ferromagnetic segment disposed in the other of the first end face and the second end face, and a shield that extends from the second panel and is received in the first pocket, when the first panel and the second panel are removably secured to one another.

The present invention describes an integrated apparatus that enables identification of migratory cells directly from a specimen. The apparatus only requires a small number of cells to perform an assay and includes novel topographic features which can reliably differentiate between migratory and non-migratory cell populations in a sample. Both the spontaneous and chemotactic migration of cancer cells may be measured to distinguish between subpopulations within a tumor sample. The migratory cells identified using the apparatus and methods of the present invention may be separated and further analyzed to distinguish factors promoting metastasis within the population. Cells in the apparatus can be treated with chemotherapeutic or other agents to determine drug strategies to most strongly inhibit migration. The use of optically transparent materials in some embodiments allows a wide range of imaging techniques to be used for in situ imaging of migratory and non-migratory cells in the apparatus. The apparatus and methods of the present invention are useful for predicting the metastatic propensity of tumor cells and selecting optimal drugs for personalized therapies.

The present invention provides self-contained systems for performing an assay for determining a chemical state, the system including a stationary cartridge for performing the assay therein, at least one reagent adapted to react with a sample; and at least one reporter functionality adapted to report a reaction of the at least one reagent with said sample to report a result of the assay, wherein the at least one reagent, the sample and the at least one reporter functionality are contained within the cartridge.

A pipette tip system for use with a plurality of pipette tips is disclosed that includes a support card and a support card lid. The support card includes an array of pipette tip receiver openings arranged in a N×M array, wherein the N is less than M. The support card further has a short-side card rail edge on an edge of the support card along the N side of the array, and a long-side card rail edge on an edge of the support card along the M side of the array. The support card lid includes a long-side lid rail edge extending from a support card first surface, which is adapted to slidably mate with the long-side card rail edge, and a short-side lid rail edge extending from a support card second surface, which is adapted to slidably mate with the short-side card rail edge.

A stopper retainer comprises a body having an upper surface, a lower surface, and at least one fastener, and a plurality of projections extending from the lower surface of the body, each of the plurality of projections being sized to at least partially fit within a lumen of a syringe barrel.

An assembly is provided for interfacing with a microfluidic chip having at least one microscopic channel configured to receive a liquid sample for analysis. The assembly includes a chip carrier, an electronics module, an optical module, and a mechanical module. The chip carrier includes a base and a cover defining a cavity to receive the microfluidic chip. The electronics module includes a signal generator which applies at least one electrokinetic signal electrode(s) of the chip. The optical module includes an excitation radiation source which causes excitation radiation to impinge on the sample, and an emission radiation detector which detects radiation emitted from the sample. The mechanical module includes a chip-carrier receiving structure, relatable with respect to the optical module for focus and at least one degree of translational freedom.

A fluidic device holder configured to orient a fluidic device. The device holder includes a support structure configured to receive a fluidic device. The support structure includes a base surface that faces in a direction along the Z-axis and is configured to have the fluidic device positioned thereon. The device holder also includes a plurality of reference surfaces facing in respective directions along an XY-plane. The device holder also includes an alignment assembly having an actuator and a movable locator arm that is operatively coupled to the actuator. The locator arm has an engagement end. The actuator moves the locator arm between retracted and biased positions to move the engagement end away from and toward the reference surfaces. The locator arm is configured to hold the fluidic device against the reference surfaces when the locator arm is in the biased position.

Analytical assay reaction cartridges are disclosed that include a reagent tray containing a liquid reagent disposed therein and a flexible cover removably attached thereto. The flexible cover has a portion that extends beyond the reagent tray and that forms a tab portion extends through an opening in a lid member of the cartridge in order to facilitate removal of at least a portion of the cover and release of the liquid reagent. Also disclosed are analytical assay reaction kits that include the cartridges and diagnostic instruments for use with the analytical assay reaction cartridges/kits, as well as methods of making and using the cartridges/kits.

Embodiments of a platelet testing system include an analyzer console device and a blood testing cartridge configured to releasably install into the console device. The cartridge device is configured with one or more measuring chambers and one or more mixing chambers that are fluidically connected within the cartridge device that enable the mixing of saline and a blood sample to a desired dilution. Additionally, the cartridge device is further configured with a cartridge slider that provides a reagent bead to the saline and blood mixture at a desired time. As such, one or more platelet activation assays can be conducted by measuring, through cartridge electrodes of the cartridge device, the detectable changes in platelet activity within the blood and saline mixture.