Application of micromachine techniques to biotechnological research

Novel methods to construct a multianalyte biosensing chip are described. A method is two-step immobilization in which materials are not immobilized directly but indirectly via small support materials. Biomaterials are immobilized on a certain support particle in the first step. The particles are placed or stuck on a chip in the second step. The other method is random fluidic self-assembly of the microsupports for reducing the complication in the second step on the chip. The combination of the methods enables us to immobilize various kinds of biomaterials densely on a chip. The ways to avoid possible problems due to random distribution are discussed. Several examples are also described.