Frozen tissue sectioning apparatus and method
OwnerJames B. McCormickinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is an apparatus for slicing tissue sections from a frozen specimen for microscopic analysis or the like without allowing tissue debris or dust to become airborne and thereby transport bacteria or viruses from one specimen to other specimens or to an operator. This is achieved by slicing the specimen while submersed in a subzero dielectric liquid and passing a conveyor, such as a statically charged web or film, adjacent the point of sectioning so that the tissue sections and associated tissue debris generated therewith are attracted to the web and adhere thereto. The conveyor transports the tissue sections, and associated debris adhering thereto, through a sterilizer and staining tanks whereafter the tissue is transferred to a slide for microscopic examination.
Claims25
A cryogenic microtome apparatus for sectioning frozen tissue specimens, comprising:
- container means adapted to contain a dielectric fluid;
- microtome means submersed in the dielectric fluid for sectioning a tissue section from a frozen tissue specimen;
- a conveyor means for conveying the tissue section from said container means;
- means for mounting said conveyor means immediately adjacent said microtome means;
- and
- means for causing adhesion between a tissue section and associated debris and said conveyor means.
A method for the preparation of tissue sections comprising:
- sectioning a tissue specimen at a sectioning station to provide a tissue section and associated debris;
- adhering said section and debris to the surface of a conveyor;
- conveying said section and associated debris to a mounting station remote from said sectioning station;
- removing said tissue section from said conveyor at said mounting station;
- and
- mounting said tissue to provide a microscopic slide.
A method for sectioning organic tissue under cryogenic conditions, comprising:
- submersing a frozen tissue specimen to be sectioned in a subzero dielectric liquid means;
- passing a dielectric film in proximity with said frozen tissue specimen;
- imposing an electrical surface charge to one of said dielectric film and said organic tissue such that as tissue is sectioned, the tissue section and its associated tissue particles electrostatically adhere to the dielectric film passing in proximity with the tissue;
- sectioning said tissue by sectioning means while the tissue is submersed in said dielectric liquid;
- and
- transporting the sectioned tissue and tissue particles from the dielectric liquid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.