AUTOMATED HIGH VOLUME SLIDE STAINING SYSTEM

• US 20080038836A1
• Filed: 10/22/2007
• Published: 02/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ventana Medical Systems Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Ventana Medical Systems Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Showalter, Wayne, Richards, William, Reinhardt, Kurt, Lemme, Charles, Ward, Glen
• Granted Patent: US 8,048,373 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 436/174
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0822 Slides
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/52 Supports specially adapted for flat sample carriers, e.g. for plates, slides, chips
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/312 for samples mounted on planar substrates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/36 Embedding or analogous mounting of samples
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 Automated chemical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/112499 with sample on test slide
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25 including sample preparation

Abstract

An automated slide processing apparatus includes a plurality of work stations arranged in a stack, and a transport/elevator for transporting slides between the various work stations.

Claims

1. An automated slide processing apparatus comprising:

a plurality of work stations arranged vertically in a stack;

a tray holding a plurality of slides in substantially horizontal and co-planar, spaced positions; and

a transport/elevator for transporting said tray between said work stations and for moving said tray into and out of said workstations.

2. An automated slide processing apparatus according to claim 1, and further including a computer for controlling said stations and said transport/elevator.

3. An automated slide processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said stations comprises a baking or drying station.

4. An automated slide processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said drying or baking station comprises a convection heater.

5. An automated slide processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said work stations comprises a de-waxing or de-paraffinizing station.

6. An automated slide processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said de-waxing or de-paraffinizing station includes a plurality of fluid dispensing nozzles arranged to supply a de-waxing or de-paraffinizing fluid onto said slides.

7. An automated slide processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said de-waxing or de-paraffinizing fluid comprises an aqueous-based fluid.

8. An automated slide processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said stations comprises a staining station.

9. An automated slide processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said staining station includes a plurality of nozzles for applying selected stains or rinse fluids onto said slides.

10. An automated slide processing apparatus according to claim 9, and further comprising a plurality of stain supplies selectively connected to said nozzles.

11. An automated slide processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said work station comprises a coverslipping station.

12. An automated slide processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said coverslipping station is adapted to apply a glass coverslip to said slide.

13. An automated slide processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transport/elevator comprises an X-Y-Z transport mechanism.

14. An automated slide processing apparatus according to claim 6, and further comprising a filter and recirculator for filtering and recirculating de-waxing or de-paraffinizing fluid.

15. An automated slide processing apparatus according to claim 1, and comprising a plurality of stacks of work stations operatively disposed adjacent a common transport/elevator.

16. An automated slide processing apparatus according to claim 7, and further including a heater for heating said aqueous-based fluid.

17. An automated slide processing apparatus comprising:

a plurality of work stations arranged vertically in a stack; and

a transport/elevator for transporting said slides between said work stations, wherein one of said work stations comprises a combined baking or drying and de-waxing or de-paraffinizing station.

18. An automated slide processing apparatus according to claim 17, and further including a computer for controlling said stations and said transport/elevator.

19. An automated slide processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said combined baking or drying and de-waxing or de-paraffinizing station comprises at least one radiant heater.

20. An automated slide processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said combined baking or drying and de-waxing or de-paraffinizing station includes a plurality of fluid dispensing nozzles arranged to supply a de-waxing or de-paraffinizing fluid onto pre-heated slides.

21. An automated slide processing apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said de-waxing or de-paraffinizing fluid comprises an aqueous-based fluid.

22. An automated slide processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said de-waxing or de-paraffinizing fluid comprises from about 3 to about 30 volume percent Collaterge™

.

23. An automated slide processing apparatus according to claim 17, and further comprising a staining station.

24. An automated slide processing apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said staining station includes a plurality of nozzles for applying selected stains onto said slides.

25. An automated slide processing apparatus according to claim 24, and further comprising a plurality of stain supplies selectively connected to said nozzles.

26. An automated slide processing apparatus according to claim 17, and further comprising a coverslipping station.

27. An automated slide processing apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said coverslipping station is adapted to apply a glass coverslip to said slide.

28. An automated slide processing apparatus according to claim 27, and further comprising a slide tray for supporting a plurality of slides as they are carried through said apparatus.

29. An automated slide processing apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said transport/elevator comprises an X-Y-Z transport mechanism.

30. An automated slide processing apparatus according to claim 17, and comprising a plurality of stacks of work stations operatively disposed adjacent a common transport/elevator.

31. A combined baking or drying and de-waxing or de-paraffinizing station for processing specimen slides, comprising a radiant heater for heating said slides, and a sprayer for spraying de-waxing or de-paraffinizing fluid from a reservoir onto said heated slides.

32. A combined baking or drying and de-waxing or de-paraffinizing station as claimed in claim 31, and further comprising a sprayer for spraying a rinse fluid onto said slides.

33. A combined baking or drying and de-waxing or de-paraffinizing station as claimed in claim 31, and further comprising a tray for holding a plurality of specimen slides, spaced from one another, in a substantially horizontal orientation.

34. A combined baking or drying and de-waxing or de-paraffinizing station as claimed in claim 31, and further comprising a plurality of spray nozzles for spraying said de-waxing or de-paraffinizing fluid onto said slides.

35. A combined baking or drying and de-waxing or de-paraffinizing station as claimed in claim 33, wherein said tray has a sloped bottom wall, and further including an aspirator for drawing spent de-waxing or de-paraffinizing fluid from adjacent a low point of said sloped bottom wall.

36. A combined baking or drying and de-waxing or de-paraffinizing station as claimed in claim 33, wherein said tray includes a rack for holding said plurality of slides, spaced from one another, above the bottom wall of the tray.

37. A combined baking or drying and de-waxing or de-paraffinizing station as claimed in claim 36, wherein said rack includes a plurality of supports that limit axial, lateral and vertical movement of slides in the tray.

38. A combined baking or drying and de-waxing or de-paraffinizing station as claimed in claim 36, wherein said rack is adapted to hold a plurality of slides in spaced-apart rows.

39. A method for automatically staining a plurality of biological samples adhered to microscope slides, comprising:

contacting the biological sample with a hematoxyling stain; and

contacting the biological sample with an eosin stain, wherein contacting with a hematoxylin stain and contacting with an eosin stain comprise use of fresh reagent for each slide in the plurality, and wherein the plurality is held in substantially horizontal positions in a tray configured to be moved between a plurality of work stations.

40. A method for automatically staining a plurality of biological samples, comprising in the following order:

contacting the biological sample with a hematoxylin stain;

rinsing the biological sample with a rinse liquid including a surfactant; and

contacting the biological sample with an eosin stain, wherein the hematoxylin stain, the eosin stain and the rinse liquid are freshly used on each biological sample.