Automated system for fluid transfer in clearing and immunostaining of large samples

A solution transfer system 1000 for tissue sample incubation comprising:

• a. one or more cartridges, each cartridge 10 comprising:
• i. a sample chamber 12,
• ii. a first opening 14 disposed on a surface of the sample chamber 12, and
• iii. a second opening 16 disposed on the surface of the sample chamber 12,
• wherein the sample chamber 12 holds a tissue sample,
• b. a flow plate assembly 800 comprising:
• i. a main channel 810,
• ii. a main inlet 802 fluidly coupled to the main channel 810, configured to accept air and a solution,
• iii. a main outlet 804 fluidly coupled to the main channel 810, configured to direct the air and the solution to a waste reservoir,
• iv. one or more hollow bodies, each hollow body 820 configured to removably contain a cartridge 10 of the one or more cartridges, each hollow body 820 comprising:
• A. an inlet interface 822 fluidly coupled to the first opening 14 of the cartridge 10 and the main channel 810, configured to accept the air and the solution from the main channel 810,
• B. an outlet interface fluidly coupled to the second opening 16 of the cartridge 10 and the main channel 810, configured to direct the air and the solution from within the cartridge 10 to the main channel 810,
• C. an inlet valve 826 fluidly coupled to the inlet interface 822, configured to open and close to allow the air and the solution to enter the cartridge 10 through the inlet interface 822, and
• D. an outlet valve 828 fluidly coupled to the outlet interface, configured to open and close to allow the air and the solution to exit the cartridge 10 through the outlet interface, and
• v. a main valve 840 disposed in the main channel 810 downstream of the one or more inlet interfaces of the one or more hollow bodies and upstream of the one or more outlet interfaces of the one or more hollow bodies,
• c. a control mechanism 850 operatively coupled to the one or more inlet valves of the one or more hollow bodies, the one or more outlet valves of the one or more hollow bodies, and the main valve 840, configured to actuate each valve individually, and
• d. a rotating assembly 860 operatively coupled to the flow plate assembly 800, configured to rotate the one or more hollow bodies from an upright position to an inverted position and to rotate the one or more hollow bodies from the inverted position to the upright position.

A method for tissue sample incubation comprising:

• a. providing one or more cartridges, each cartridge 10 comprising:
• i. a sample chamber 12,
• ii. a first opening 14 disposed on a surface of the sample chamber 12,
• iii. a second opening 16 disposed on the surface of the sample chamber 12, and
• iv. a solution disposed within the sample chamber 12,
• wherein each sample chamber 12 holds a tissue sample, and
• b. providing a flow plate assembly 800 comprising:
• i. a main channel 810,
• ii. a main inlet 802 fluidly coupled to the main channel,
• iii. a main outlet 804 fluidly coupled to the main channel, and
• iv. one or more hollow bodies, each hollow body 820 comprising:
• A. an inlet interface 822 fluidly coupled to the main channel,
• B. an outlet interface fluidly coupled to the main channel,
• C. an inlet valve 826 fluidly coupled to the inlet interface 822, and
• D. an outlet valve 828 fluidly coupled to the outlet interface,
• c. providing a rotating assembly 860 operatively coupled to the flow plate assembly 800,
• d. inserting the one or more cartridges into the one or more hollow bodies such that the first opening 14 of each cartridge 10 fluidly couples to the inlet interface 822 and the second opening 16 of each cartridge 10 fluidly coupled to the outlet interface,
• e. rotating, by the rotating assembly 860, a cartridge 10 of the one or more cartridges into an inverted position,
• f. actuating the inlet valve 826 and the outlet valve 828 of the hollow body 820 containing the cartridge 10 such that the solution is drained from the cartridge 10 through the second opening 16 into the main channel, and air enters the cartridge 10 through the first port,
• g. directing the solution from the main channel to the main outlet 804,
• h. rotating, by the rotating assembly 860, the flow plate assembly 800 such that the cartridge 10 is rotated into the upright position,
• i. directing a fresh solution through the main channel 810,
• j. actuating the inlet valve 826 and the outlet valve 828 of the hollow body 820 containing the cartridge 10 such that the fresh solution enters the cartridge 10 through the first opening 14, and air exits the cartridge 10 through the second opening 16, and
• k. directing the air from the main channel to the main outlet 804.