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US 7,622,077 B2Granted
In situ heat induced antigen recovery and staining apparatus and method
OwnerLee Angrosinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automated in situ heat induced antigen recovery and staining method and apparatus for treating a plurality of microscope slides. The process of heat induced antigen recovery and the process of staining the biological sample on the microscope slide are conducted in the same apparatus, wherein the microscope slides do not need to be physically removed from one apparatus to another. Each treatment step occurs within the same reaction compartment. The reaction conditions of each reaction compartment for treating a slide can preferably be controlled independently, including the individualized application of reagents to each slide and the individualized treatment of each slide. The reagents are preferably held in a reagent dispensing strip similar to a “blister pack”.
Claims87
An apparatus for treating microscope slides, comprising:
- a slide support assembly comprising a plurality of slide support elements, each of which is sized to support a single microscope slide, and wherein each slide support element can be moved independently of each other slide support element and wherein said independent movement of each slide support element is electromechanically controllable;
- a separate heating element for independently heating each microscope slide;
- and
- a plurality of independently controllable reaction compartments wherein each reaction compartment is able to separately contain or be positioned over the microscope slide corresponding thereto and wherein each slide support element can be moved into an application or treatment position adjacent or against the corresponding reaction compartment.
1 more element
An apparatus for treating microscope slides, comprising:
- a slide support assembly comprising a plurality of slide support elements, each slide support element sized to support a single microscope slide wherein each slide support element and microscope slide thereon can be moved independently of each other slide support element and microscope slide thereon to a position for placement of or removing the microscope slide while another slide support element in a position for treating the microscope slide thereon, wherein said independent movement of the slide support elements is electromechanically controllable;
- a separate heating element for independently heating each microscope slide;
- a microprocessor for controlling a treatment protocol performed on the microscope slide;
- and
- a plurality of independently controllable reaction compartments wherein each reaction compartment is able to separately contain or be positioned over the microscope slide corresponding thereto and wherein each slide support element can be moved into an application or treatment position adjacent or against the corresponding reaction compartment.
2 more elements
An apparatus for treating microscope slides, comprising:
- a slide support assembly comprising a first slide support element sized to support a single microscope slide and at least a second slide support element sized to support a single microscope slide, and wherein the first slide support element and the second slide support element can be moved independently of each other;
- a first heating element for independently heating the single microscope slide disposed on the first slide support element and a second heating element for independently heating the single microscope slide disposed on the second slide support element;
- and
- wherein the first slide support element can be moved independently to a position for placement of or removing the microscope slide on or from the first slide support element while the second slide support element is in a position for treating the microscope slide thereon and wherein said movement of each slide support element is electromechanically controllable;
- and
- a first reaction compartment and at least one second reaction compartment, wherein the first reaction compartment and the at least one second reaction compartment are independently controllable, and wherein each first and second reaction compartment is able to separately contain or be positioned over the microscope slide corresponding thereto, respectively and wherein each first and second slide support element can be moved into an application or treatment position adjacent or against the corresponding reaction compartment.
3 more elements
An apparatus for treating microscope slides, comprising:
- a slide support assembly comprising a first slide support element for supporting a first microscope slide and at least one second slide support element for supporting a second microscope slide, wherein the first slide support element and the at least one second slide support element can each be moved independently of each other such that each first slide support element and each at least one second slide support element can be moved independently to a position for placement of or removing the microscope slide thereon and can be moved independently to a position for treating the microscope slide thereon, and wherein said independent movement of each slide support element is electromechanically controllable;
- a first heating element for heating the first microscope slide on the first slide support element and a second heating element for heating the second microscope slide on the second slide support element and wherein the first heating element can heat independently of the second heating element;
- a microprocessor for controlling a treatment protocol and wherein the first slide support element can be moved to the position for placement of or removing or to the position for treating while the second slide support element is in the position for treating, and wherein the second slide support element is can be moved to the position for placement of or removing or to the position for treating while the first slide support element is in the position for treating;
- and
- a first reaction compartment and at least one second reaction compartment, wherein the first reaction compartment and the at least one second reaction compartment are independently controllable, and wherein each first and second reaction compartment is able to separately contain or be positioned over the microscope slide corresponding thereto, respectively and wherein each first and second slide support element can be moved into an application or treatment position adjacent or against the corresponding reaction compartment.
2 more elements
An apparatus for treating microscope slides, comprising:
- a slide support assembly comprising a plurality of slide support elements each for supporting a microscope slide thereon wherein each of the slide support elements can be moved independently of each other and wherein each slide support element can be moved independently to a position for placement of or removing the microscope slide thereon while another slide support element is in a position for treating the microscope slide thereon;
- a separate heating element for independently heating each microscope slide;
- a microprocessor for controlling a treatment protocol performed on at least one of said microscope slides;
- and
- a plurality of independently controllable reaction compartments wherein each reaction compartment is able to separately contain or be positioned over the microscope slide corresponding thereto and wherein each slide support element can be moved into an application or treatment position adjacent or against the corresponding reaction compartment.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.