Why People Choose FUKOKU’s Urethane Products

Microchannel chips

Functions such as mixing, reaction, separation, and analysis are integrated into a chip small enough to fit into the palm of your hand, making it possible to conduct highly efficient experiments and inspections of all kinds

Microchannel chips are containers that contain a microscopic space measured in micrometers (1/1000 of 1 mm). Functions and operations such as multi-sample mixing/response and mixed sample detachment/analysis, that once required a certain amount of space and time, large equipment, and power, can now be done with a single chip that fits in the palm of your hand. Miniaturization has made functions and operations more efficient. In addition to saving space, these products can help to save time, reduce costs, and save energy, and their use holds great promise in the bio and medical fields.
We have incorporated microscopic, clean, and trace amount elements into the rubber molding, bonding, and evaluation technologies we have developed over many years in manufacturing rubber components, and have applied our knowledge toward rubber micro-molding technology, ultra-transparent molding technology, and adhesive-free direct bonding, in order to provide microchannel chips of even higher quality.

RaST-TAS® Series bacterial infection β-lactamase/screening kits

Jointly developed by Osaka University and FUKOKU, RaST-TAS (Rapid Susceptibility Testing - Total Analysis System) is the world’s first bacteria testing system that takes advantage of the features of microchannel chips.

RaST-TAS features

Testing that once took approximately 18 hours can now be completed within three hours

Conventional testing methods require target bacteria to proliferate to a level that can be detected by equipment, which can require a culture time of at least 18 hours. The basic concept underlying RaST-TAS is that bacterial morphology will change if an anti-microbial agent is effective against target bacteria when the bacteria responds with the anti-microbial agent. This change in morphology can be observed within several hours, and this principle can therefore be used to conduct testing in just three hours by directly observing changes using a microchannel chip and microscope.

No longer any need for large and expensive facilities or complicated operations

Conventional bacteria testing involves testing in large, expensive facilities or requires a certain level of skill necessary for operation. In contrast, RaST-TAS requires only a small microchannel chip, FP-01 (our original easy-to-use pipette), FS-01 (our original intuitive microscope), and FR-01 (our original analysis software to support decision-making), helping to save space, reduce costs, and simplify operations.

RaST-TAS
β-lactamase/screening reagent chips

β-Lactamases hydrolyze and inactivate β-lactam antibiotics, making producers problematic drug-resistant bacteria in chemotherapy. These microfluidic chips can detect producibility of β-lactamases in various Enterobacteriaceae in less than three hours. The β-lactamases that can be detected are as follows.