Systems and methods of sample processing and temperature control

• US 8,298,815 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2003
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dako Denmark A/S (Agilent Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Buchanan, Kristopher, Key, Marc, Favuzzi, John, Welcher, Rosanne, Guggenheimer, Benno, Lathrop, Bob, Clark, Robert, Barber, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): BOWERS, NATHAN ANDREW
• Application Number:
  US10/539,562
• Publication Number:
  US 20060172426A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,235 Days
• Field of Search: 435/287.3, 435/303.1, 435/809, 414/273, 414/281, 414/787, 422/63, 422/64, 422/65
• US Class Current: 435/287.3
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/30 Staining; Impregnating ; Fixation; Dehydration; Multistep processes for preparing samples of tissue, cell or nucleic acid material and the like for analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/31 Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/312 for samples mounted on planar substrates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00039 Transport arrangements specific to flat sample substrates, e.g. pusher blade
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00089 Magazines
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00306 Housings, cabinets, control panels (details)
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00326 Analysers with modular structure
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00366 Several different temperatures used
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00376 Conductive heating, e.g. heated plates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00435 Refrigerated reagent storage
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00881 network configurations
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00891 Displaying information to the operator
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/009 alarms, e.g. audible
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0091 GUI [graphical user interfaces]
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00712 Automatic status testing, e.g. at start-up or periodic
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00732 Identification of carriers, materials or components in automatic analysers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00871 Communications between instruments or with remote terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/0092 Scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/0099 comprising robots or similar manipulators robots per se B25J
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 : Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/02 : Arm motion controller
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/41 : Tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 : Automated chemical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/112499 : with sample on test slide
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/113332 : with conveyance of sample along a test line in a container or rack
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/114165 : with step of insertion or removal from test line
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/114998 : with treatment or replacement of aspirator element [e.g., cleaning, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25 : including sample preparation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 : Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

Systems and methods of sample processing and temperature control are disclosed. The invention may especially relate to temperature control, and may in some embodiments be methods of temperature control of an automated sample processing system and methods of automated sample processing. Specifically, the present invention provides temperature control in relation to sample processing systems and methods of processing samples, and in some embodiments provides temperature control in relation to sample carriers and processing materials such as reagents. Corresponding systems and devices are disclosed, including sample processing systems (1), sample carrier temperature regulation systems (60), reagent temperature regulation systems, sample processing control systems, and temperature regulation devices, among other embodiments. Scientific fields to which the present invention may have particular applicability include immunohistochemistry, in-situ hybridization, fluorescent in-situ hybridization, special staining, such as special staining of histological samples, microarray sample processing, and cytology, as well as potentially other chemical and biological applications.

Claims

1. An automated sample processing system for processing at least one sample on at least one carrier according to a processing protocol, comprising:

at least one removable reagent container positioned within a reagent section;

carrier retention devices for retaining said sample during said processing, the devices being positioned within a plurality of drawers in at least one carrier section;

an active temperature regulation element to which said at least one sample is responsive, wherein said active temperature regulation element regulates the temperature of said at least one sample at a set point and to within a tolerance specified by the protocol; and

a moveable robotic member for dispensing fluid on the at least one carrier;

a sample processing control system configured to monitor the plurality of drawers and to control the moveable robotic member according to the processing protocol;

wherein the sample processing control system permits the at least one carrier and the at least one removable reagent container to be inserted or removed during the processing protocol without interrupting the fluid dispensing of the robotic member.

2. An automated sample processing system as described in claim 1 wherein said automated sample processing system comprises an automated immunohistochemistry processing system.

3. An automated sample processing system as described in claim 1 wherein said automated sample processing system comprises an automated in-situ hybridization processing system.

4. An automated sample processing system as described in claim 1 wherein said automated sample processing system comprises an automated fluorescent in-situ hybridization processing system.

5. An automated sample processing system as described in claim 1 wherein said automated sample processing system comprises an automated microarray processing system.

6. An automated sample processing system as described in claim 1 wherein said automated sample processing system comprises an automated target retrieval processing system.

7. An automated sample processing system as described in claim 1 wherein said automated sample processing system comprises an automated stainer processing system.

8. An automated sample processing system as described in claim 7 wherein said active temperature regulation element to which said at least one sample is responsive comprises a temperature reduction element.

9. An automated sample processing system as described in claim 8 wherein said temperature reduction element comprises a controlled active temperature reduction element.

10. An automated sample processing system as described in claim 8 wherein said temperature reduction element maintains said sample at less than an ambient temperature.

11. An automated sample processing system as described in claim 7 wherein said active temperature regulation element to which said at least one sample is responsive comprises a temperature ramp up element.

12. An automated sample processing system as described in claim 7 wherein said active temperature regulation element to which said at least one sample is responsive comprises a temperature ramp down element.

13. An automated sample processing system as described in claim 7 wherein said active temperature regulation element to which said sample is responsive causes both a regulated temperature increase and a regulated temperature decrease of said sample.

14. An automated sample processing system for processing at least one sample on at least one carrier according to a processing protocol, comprising:

at least one container having a reagent therein positioned in a reagent section for application to said at least one sample during said processing;

carrier retention devices for retaining said sample during said processing;

a reagent temperature control element to which said reagent in said at least one container is responsive;

a sample temperature control element to which said at least one sample is responsive, wherein said sample temperature control element regulates the temperature of said at least one sample at a set point and to within a tolerance specified by the protocol; and

a moveable robotic member for dispensing fluid on the at least one carrier;

a sample processing control system configured to monitor the at least one carrier and the at least one reagent and to control the moveable robotic member according to the processing protocol;

wherein the sample processing control system permits the at least one carrier and the at least one reagent in the at least one container to be inserted or removed during the processing protocol without interrupting the fluid dispensing of the robotic member.

15. An automated sample processing system as described in claim 14 wherein said reagent temperature control element comprises is configured to reduce a temperature of said reagent.

16. An automated sample processing system as described in claim 14 wherein said reagent temperature control element is configured to reduce a rate of temperature change of said reagent.

17. An automated sample processing system as described in claim 14 wherein said reagent temperature control element is configured to regulate temperature of a plurality of reagents, wherein each reagent of said plurality of reagents is in a respective container.

18. An automated sample processing system as described in claim 14 wherein said reagent temperature control element comprises an adaptive temperature regulation element.

19. An automated sample processing system as described in claim 14 wherein said reagent temperature control element is configured to optimize temperature of at least one reagent in said at least one container.

20. An automated sample processing system as described in claim 14 wherein said reagent temperature control element is configured to maintain temperature of at least one reagent in said at least one container at a thermal set point.

21. An automated sample processing system as described in claim 14 wherein said sample temperature control element is configured to increase temperature of said at least one sample during said processing.

22. An automated sample processing system as described in claim 14 wherein said sample temperature control element is configured to decrease temperature of said at least one sample during said processing.

23. An automated sample processing system as described in claim 14 wherein said sample temperature control element is configured to both increase and decrease temperature of said at least one sample during said processing.

24. An automated sample processing system as described in claim 14 wherein said sample temperature control element is configured to provide a controlled ramp up of temperature of said at least one sample during said processing.

25. An automated sample processing system as described in claim 14 wherein said sample temperature control element is configured to provide a controlled ramp down of temperature of said at least one sample during said processing.

26. An automated sample processing system as described in claim 14 wherein the at least one container having the reagent includes a rinse buffer.

27. An automated sample processing system as described in claim 26 wherein the rinse buffer is heated before being applied to the sample.

28. An automated sample processing system for processing at least one sample on at least one carrier according to a processing protocol, comprising:

at least one container having a reagent therein positioned in a reagent section for application to said at least one sample during said processing;

carrier retention devices for retaining said sample during said processing;

a reagent temperature control element to which said reagent in said at least one container is responsive;

a sample temperature control element to which said at least one sample is responsive, wherein said sample temperature control element regulates the temperature of said at least one sample at a set point and to within a tolerance specified by the protocol; and

a moveable robotic member for dispensing fluid on the at least one carrier;

a sample processing control system configured to monitor the at least one carrier and the at least one reagent and to control the moveable robotic member according to the processing protocol;

wherein the sample processing control system permits the carrier and the reagent to be inserted or removed during the processing protocol without interrupting the fluid dispensing of the robotic member.

29. An automated sample processing system as described in claim 28 wherein the at least one container having the reagent includes a rinse buffer.

30. An automated sample processing system as described in claim 29 wherein the rinse buffer is heated before being applied to the sample.