Wescor Inc.

Other

Patti A Nelson

Barry O Stokes

Gary D Bradshaw

Carmelo G Quirante

Kevin M Mullen

Dennis R Briscoe

Randal P Holman

Marilyn L Grover

A cytocentrifuge sample chamber includes a sample receiving well to receive and hold a sample to be centrifuged and a sedimentation chamber adjacent a microscope slide upon which cells and/or other sediment material in the sample is to be deposited. A passage, such as a spillway, connects the sample receiving well and the sedimentation chamber, so that sample flows from the sample well under the influence of centrifugal force as centifugation begins into the sedimentation chamber where the sample is forced by centrifugal force against the microscope slide leaving a vacant space at the inner end of the sedimentation chamber. Sedimentation of the sample takes place against the microscope slide. When centrifugation ends, the liquid components of the sample flow back into the vacant space in the sedimentation chamber and can be removed from the vacant space at the inner end of the sedimentation chamber through a removal chamber. This avoids contamination of equipment and users and allows a secondary centrifugation to take place.

Large area cytocentrifuge sample chamber

Automated staining equipment that can mix reagents is used to spray a Romanowsky stain onto slide mounted specimens which are then briefly centrifuged. The centrifugation step removes excess stain leaving only a thin film. Depending on the time of the centrifugation step, most of the organic solvent and part of the water in the stain are evaporated by airflow through the equipment. This greatly accelerates the staining reaction and preserves water soluble structures such as the granules in basophilic leukocytes. For optimal performance, this staining procedure requires a thiazin-eosin stain with about 90% to about 40% organic solvent, such as methanol, and only about 10% to about 60% water. This is a unique staining reagent in Romanowsky staining.

Staining reagent for staining hematology samples in an automated staining apparatus

Method and staining reagent for staining hematology sample in an automated staining apparatus

In accordance with the apparatus of the invention, a preferably vertically upstanding housing is provided, internally thereof, with a rack structure having an upstanding series of shelves, or other microscope-slide-supporting members, spaced one above another providing multiple, substantially horizontal slots arranged alternatively with the shelves and leading into corresponding compartments between the shelves for receiving microscope slides to be heated, which preferably lie flatwise on and against the shelves so as to be heated by conduction from the shelves. The method of the invention constitutes the placing of the slides in the heating compartments, preferably with corresponding ends projecting therefrom so as to remain relatively cool for grasping during removal, and turning on the heat.

Apparatus and method for heating microscope slides

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Paradise, UT, United States of America

Patti A Nelson