Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods for carrying out Romanowsky-type stains, specifically Wright-Giemsa and May-Grünwald stains, quickly and efficiently. The methods greatly reduce the overall amount of time required to complete a Wright-Giemsa stain or a May-Grünwald stain of sufficient quality on a biological sample. The subject methods can be applied to both manual and automated staining procedures.

Abstract: An automated smear making apparatus used to prepare and smear samples on glass slides. In one embodiment, there is provided a smearing subsystem that generally includes a smear cartridge having: an input reel; at least one roll bar; a take-up reel; and a smearing tape. The smearing tape is initially wound within the input reel and coupled to the take-up reel such that the smearing tape can be drawn from the input reel and into the take-up reel. The smearing tape may include a plurality of perforations formed therein. The smearing tape may then be wrapped around the roll bar such that each of the plurality of perforations forms a blade that extends from the smearing tape to expose a smear surface as the smearing tape is drawn into the take-up reel. Alternatively, the smearing tape may be bent such that an edge of the smearing tape forms a smear surface between two roll bars. A slide transport surface is also provided to move a slide across the smear surface.

Abstract: A 4-methylumbelliferyl phosphate substrate for use in conducting an immunoassay is disclosed. The substrate contains 0.1 gram mole per liter 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol, 0.01 to 0.05 gram mole per liter EDTA, added as trisodium EDTA, 1 gram per liter sodium azide, 1.2 milligram mole per liter 4-methylumbelliferyl phosphate and 4 milligram moles per liter tetramisole. The pH of the substrate disclosed is 10.3.