Ventana Medical Systems, Inc.

Sakura Finetek U.s.a., Inc.

Anthony L Hartman

Xuan S Bui

Yoshitada Mizusawa

Yoshitake Okabe

Toshiyuki Fujimaki

Shinji Tokudaiji

Catherine Wolf

Phillip C Miller

Robert E Evans

Gilles Lefebvre

Michael J DeGroff

Pamela S Vandivort

Michael J Gizinski

James A Rybski

Richard A Suchter

Jennifer Wong

Charles Daniel Lemme

William L Richards

Wayne A Showalter

Brian Howard Kram

Thomas M Grogan

Austin Micheil Ashby

Kimberly Christensen

Andrew Ghusson

Noemi Sebastiao

David Bryant

Ethel R Macrea

Lidija Pestic-Dragovich

Hiroaki Nitta

Janis L Klotz

Christine R Jones

Keri Hopkins

Alexis Pusch

James Pettay

Jacques Cavadenti

Angela Sattler

Thomas Grogan

An apparatus including a reagent cartridge and a reaction chamber, the reagent cartridge having a reagent capsule removably positioned therein for dispensing of a reagent onto the reaction chamber. A system including a linearly translatable mounting assembly having a plurality of mounting stations dimensioned to receive at least one fluid dispensing cartridge, a linearly translatable bulk reagent dispensing assembly having a plurality of bulk reagent dispensing nozzles coupled thereto and a receiving assembly positioned beneath the mounting assembly and the bulk reagent dispensing assembly, the receiving assembly including a plurality of reaction stations. A method including determining an inventory of an automated sample processing system, downloading a processing protocol from a central controller to the automated sample processing system, operating the automated sample processing system based on the processing protocol and independently of the central controller and dispensing a reagent from the automated sample processing system.

Automated staining system and reaction chamber

A method including automatically displaying information obtained from a first identifier associated with a slide and a second identifier associated with a reagent cartridge. The method further including generating a staining log based on the information obtained from the first identifier and the second identifier. A further method includes displaying a location of a slide within a sample processing system and information obtained from a first identifier associated with the slide in a first table and displaying a location of a reagent cartridge within a sample processing system and information obtained from a second identifier associated with the reagent cartridge in a second table. The first table is then aligned with the second table.

Traceability for automated staining system

The present invention introduces a radically different way of accelerating biomolecule conjugates into tissue, and hence towards their targets for purposes of tissue staining. The invention provides for an order of magnitude improvement over the prior art diffusion process used to stain tissue. The invention comprises a method of tissue staining by applying an electric field to a tissue sample in the presence of an electrolyte and biomolecular conjugates of interest suspended in the electrolyte. Typical staining times are reduced to seconds as opposed to 30-120 minutes common in the prior art. The invention is also directed to devices for performing the method.

Apparatus for electrophoretic in situ tissue staining

The present invention provides reagents for use in an automated environment for removing or etching embedding media by exposing a biological sample to be stained in histochemical or cytochemical procedures without the dependence on organic solvents. The reagents comprise components optimized to facilitate removal or etching of the embedding media from the biological sample. The present invention also provides reagents for use in an automated environment for cell conditioning biological samples wherein the cells are predisposed for access by reagent molecules for histochemical and cytochemical staining procedures. The reagents comprise components optimized to facilitate molecular access to cells and cell constituents within the biological sample.

Removal of embedding media from biological samples and cell conditioning on automated staining instruments

The invention provides novel reagents, reagent kits, and methods for automated hybridization. More particularly, the invention provides reagents, reagent kits, and methods for automated in situ hybridization and automated hybridization on a microarray. The use of automated instruments for in situ hybridization and microarray hybridization dramatically reduces the amount of labor and time involved and also facilitates standardization of protocols and consistency between results.

Reagents and methods for automated hybridization

The present invention provides a bisulfite-based tissue fixative that improves morphology, antigen retention, and antigenicity. The fixative is suitable for use with sections of frozen tissue, cytology preparations (including touch preparations and blood smears) and other specimens used for immunohistochemical analysis. The fixative comprises an acidic buffer and a bisulfite salt in an effective amount for tissue fixation. In a preferred embodiment, the tissue fixative comprises a bisulfite salt in a concentration of from about 0.01 to about 0.25M, preferably, 0.02 to 0.25M, in an acidic buffer having a pH of from about 2 to about 6.

Bisulfite-based tissue fixative

The present invention provides an improved method for staining slides using immunochemical reagents. The method comprises the following steps. The assay region of a slide (the region containing the tissue section)is washed with an improved rinsing solution comprising water and a detergent. An evaporation inhibitor liquid is applied to the slide to cover the assay region. For antigens requiring unmasking, the tissue section is combined with an improved, stabilized proteolytic enzyme solution. The slide is rinsed, and the evaporation inhibitor liquid is reapplied to the slide. A primary antibody in an improved diluent containing globulins from the same species as a second antibody is combined with the tissue section for a time sufficient for substantially complete antibody binding. The slide is rinsed, and the evaporation inhibitor liquid is reapplied. A labeled second antibody in the improved diluent is combined with the tissue section for a time sufficient for substantially complete antibody binding. The slide is rinsed, and the evaporation inhibitor liquid is reapplied to the slide. Color development reagents, including a stabilized peroxidase chromophore formulation, are combined with the tissue section for a time sufficient for color development. The stabilized peroxidase chromophore formulation consists essentially of a peroxidase chromophore, at a concentration in the working range of the enzyme, an acidic buffer, a reducing agent, and a glycol. Preferred chromophores include 3,3'-diaminobenzidine and tetrahydrochloride (DAB) and 3-amino-9-ethylcarbazole (AEC). After color development, the tissue section is washed and is then ready for analysis.

Immunohistochemical staining method and reagents therefor

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Tucson, AZ, United States of America

Anthony L Hartman