Probe clip in situ assay apparatus

Abstract

A probe clip for in situ assay of tissue sections in the form of a plate having a first seal member mounted thereon and forming an interior cavity on the plate. In one embodiment, a second seal member is mounted interiorly of the first seal member and divides the interior cavity into first and second fluid communicatable surfaces, with a probe dryingly attached to the plate and disposed on the second mixing surface. The plate is joined to a slide carrying a tissue section and a reactant fluid such to form fluid communicatable reaction and mixing chambers. Successive rotations of the joined plate and slide causes the reactant fluid to initially flow to the mixing chamber and release the probe, before the probe flows to the reaction chamber for reaction with the tissue section. In another embodiment, a time-release material covers the probe mounted on a plate having a single chamber. The reactant fluid hydrolyzes the time-release material to release the probe for reaction with the tissue. The cassette carrying one or more plates is slidingly insertable into a semi-closed housing containing one or more tissue-carrying slides. Clamps urge the probe clip cassette and the individual plates into engagement with the slides to form the sealed chambers therebetween. Inlet and outlet wash ports communicate with the slides to wash the slides after the plates have been removed from the housing.