| abstract |
The assay plate (100) includes a substrate (102) having an substrate surface (108) and at least one raised pad (104) extending from the substrate surface (108). The raised pad (104) includes a substantially planar sample receiving surface (200) configured for holding a sample (106) thereon for in situ experimentation. The sample receiving surface (200) preferably has at least one sharp edge (210) at the junction between a sidewall (208) coupling the sample receiving surface (200) to the substrate surface (108). The sample receiving surface (200) is preferably a circle, oval, square, rectangle, triangle, pentagon, hexagon, or octagon shape that is sized to hold a predetermined volume of the sample (106). A method of using the above described assay plate (100) is also provided. Once a raised pad (104) extending from a substrate (102) is formed, a sample (106) is deposited on the raised pad (104). Experiments are subsequently performed using the sample (106) on the raised pad (104). |