# US 2025/0085202 A1 · Device, system, and method for rapid fixation and embedding of biological specimens > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2025/0085202 A1 - Document ID: US20250085202A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/955,850 - Filed: 2024-11-21 - Published: 2025-03-13 - Earliest claimed: 2018-12-26 - Assignees: University of Cincinnati - Applicants: University of Cincinnati - Inventors: Paul Lee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20250085202A1 ## CPC - G01N 1/31: Apparatus therefor - G01N 1/30: Staining; Impregnating {; Fixation; Dehydration; Multistep processes for preparing samples of tissue, cell or nucleic acid material and the like for analysis} - G01N 1/36: Embedding or analogous mounting of samples - G01N 2001/366: {Moulds; Demoulding} - G02B 21/34: Microscope slides, e.g. mounting specimens on microscope slides - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract Provided herein is a device for rapid fixation and embedding of a biological specimen, the device including a barrel having a first end and a second end, the first end receiving a plunger and the second end opening to a compartment defining a block mold; and a plunger for inserting in the barrel, the plunger having a first end, a second end, and an interior conduit connecting the first and second ends, wherein the first end of the plunger connects to a vacuum source and the second end of the plunger includes a filter barrier between the interior conduit of the plunger and a receptacle for receiving, fixing, and embedding the specimen, the receptacle defined inside the barrel when the plunger is disposed in the barrel. Also provided are a system and method for rapid fixation and embedding of a biological specimen. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for rapid fixation and embedding of a biological specimen, the method comprising: providing a system comprising: a vacuum source; a device comprising: a barrel comprising a first end and a second end, the first end of the barrel receiving a plunger, and the second end of the barrel opening to a compartment defining a block mold; a plunger for inserting into the barrel, the plunger comprising a first end, a second end, and an interior conduit connecting the first end and the second end, wherein: the first end of the plunger is operably connected to the vacuum source; and the second end of the plunger comprises a filter, the filter providing a semi-permeable barrier between the interior conduit of the plunger and a receptacle for receiving, fixing, and embedding the biological specimen in the embedding matrix, said receptacle defined inside the barrel when the plunger is inserted in the barrel; and a heat source in thermal communication with the receptacle, wherein the plunger is disposed inside the barrel to define the receptacle for receiving the biological specimen; orienting the biological specimen in the receptacle; fixing the biological specimen in the receptacle; dehydrating the biological specimen in the receptacle; and embedding the specimen in an embedding matrix in the receptacle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein fixing the biological specimen in the receptacle comprises: adding a fixative to the receptacle and heating the receptacle; incubating the specimen for a predetermined period of time; and activating the vacuum to evacuate the fixative from the receptacle through the filter. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the fixative is selected from the group consisting of buffered formalin, acetone, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein dehydrating the biological specimen in the receptacle comprises: adding alcohol to the receptacle and heating the receptacle; incubating the specimen for a predetermined period of time; and activating the vacuum to evacuate the alcohol from the receptacle through the filter. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the alcohol is ethanol. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising clearing the alcohol from the biological specimen, said clearing comprising: adding a clearing solvent to the receptacle and heating the receptacle; incubating the specimen for a predetermined period of time; and activating the vacuum to evacuate the clearing solvent from the receptacle through the filter. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the clearing solvent is xylene. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein embedding the specimen comprises: adding molten embedding matrix to the receptacle; actuating the plunger so that a top surface of the filter is horizontally in plane with a bottom surface of the compartment defining the block mold; and cooling the embedding matrix to provide a fixed and embedded biological specimen block. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the embedding matrix is paraffin. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein orienting comprises orienting the biological specimen in a gel matrix disposed on a top surface of the filter. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the gel matrix is selected from the group consisting of agar gel, thrombin, plasmin, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the biological specimen is a tissue biopsy or cellular specimen obtained from a patient. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the biological specimen is a cellular specimen. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein orienting comprises adding the cellular specimen to a gel matrix disposed on a top surface of the filter and adjusting a distribution of cells within the gel matrix to provide a homogeneous distribution of cells in the gel matrix. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein adjusting the distribution of cells is accomplished by stirring, sonicating, or oscillating the plunger to distribute the cells in the gel matrix. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the method is automated. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the method is completed in less than about 4 hours. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the method is completed in less than about 3 hours. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein antigenicity of the biological specimen is preserved. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein morphology of cells in the biological specimen fixed and embedded is substantially equivalent to morphology of equivalent cells fixed and embedded by conventional techniques.