Shandon Scientific Limited

Shandon Southern Products Limited

David J Bowman

Alan J Gordon

Robert Evans

Donald G Billington

Raymond F Cosgrove

Terence P Male

Michael Murry

Jeffrey E Lockett

A tissue or like processing method involving application of liquids to carrier-mounted material, e.g. a thin tissue section mounted on a microscope slide (10), is characterized by disposing a channel-defining element (1) adjacent to the carrier (10) to form an assembly providing an enclosure (11) for the material on the carrier. The enclosure (11) has an inlet (13) and an outlet (14) and has capillary dimensions. The assembly is disposed with the inlet (13) above the outlet (14) and liquid introduced into the inlet fills the enclosure and is retained in contact with the material on the carrier by surface tension effect. Further liquid introduced to the inlet (13) displaces the first liquid progressively to the outlet (14). A sequence of liquids can thus be brought successively into contact with the material with minimum wastage, by feeding the liquids successively to the inlet (13) of an assembly. A support for a plurality of assemblies to permit concurrent operations upon a set of material samples is disclosed, and a machine for automated processing, e.g. immunostaining, of a batch of tissue samples is also disclosed.

Tissue processing apparatus

Tissue specimen treatment apparatus of the multi-chamber type having a plurality of containers, for instance arranged in a circle, and means for transporting a specimen for treatment to selected such chambers in a prescribed sequence, is characterized by a containment vessel disposed about at least the open tops of the containers and by cover means movable with the transporting means and evelosing the interior of the containment vessel so as to separate the specimen from the ambient atmosphere. The cover means preferably closely overlies the open tops of the containers to minimize the volume of the containment vessel, and is formed with a small volume transfer enclosure to receive a specimen during transport. The cover may have a close fit to the containment vessel, sufficient to restrict exchange of gases etc. between the external atmosphere and the containment vessel, or more positive sealing arrangements may be provided--e.g. labyrinth, flexible or liquid seals--to prevent flows between the vessel and the environment. Additionally or alternatively, positive venting of the containment vessel by withdrawal of its atmosphere may ensure that all leakages are into the vessel.

Tissue specimen treatment apparatus

Centrifugation apparatus characterized by a carrier including both a bucket to accommodate a sample chamber and means for supporting a specimen container adjacent to the sample chamber so that material in the specimen container can be pre-centrifuged and then transferred to the sample chamber for centrifugation therein, using automated transfer means. The apparatus may include a disaggregator cooperable with the specimen container to disperse the contents of the latter prior to pre-centrifugation. The transfer means may be a pipette with arrangements for both external and internal flushing and measured dilution of a transferred sample. There may also be means for supplying treatment fluid to a reservoir of the sample chamber.

Centrifugation

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Manchester, United Kingdom

David J Bowman