Cytocentrifugation device, apparatus, and method

For use in a cyatocentrifuge equipped with centrifuging means, a cyatocentrifuge device for receiving a plurality of different liquids including a cell-carrying liquid whose cells are to be deposited on a microscope slide under centrifugal force, comprising holding means for a filter pad having a liquid flow opening therethrough;

• a liquid-receiving chamber;
• a conduit extending from communication with and laterally of said chamber to said holding means for discharging liquid from said chamber against a confronting face of a microscope slide upon the application of centrifugal force to said device, said chamber having depth below said communication with the conduit such as to define well that dams discharge of liquid from said chamber except by the action of centrifugal force on the liquid within said chamber;
• and at least one other liquid-receiving chamber positioned substantially in line with the first-mentioned chamber and above said conduit with its bottom end open and opening into said conduit, said chambers being serially related along said conduit for sequentially discharging liquid into said conduit.

A cytocentrifugation method of depositing and adhering cells onto a microscope slide, comprising the steps of placing a cell-carrying liquid sample in a chamber of an in-line series of chambers extending along and opening into a conduit, in a cytocentrifugation device of cytocentrifuging apparatus, that leads to and terminates at filter-pad-holding means in which a filter pad is held circumferentially and marginally of an opening in said filter pad, through which opening said liquid sample is passed under centrifuging conditions;

• placing a filter-pad-prewetting liquid in a chamber of said series of chambers that is first in line toward said filter-pad-holding means and that precedes in line said chamber in which said cell-carrying liquid sample is placed;
• and operating said cytocentrifuging apparatus.