Abstract: A sample chamber is formed by a housing sealed against a microscope slide. The housing has fluid ports, including a well formed over at least one port. In a rinse station, rinse solution is drawn from a reservoir through the chamber to a waste reservoir. At a fill station, an aliquot of reagent already placed in the well is driven into the chamber. The reagent may be driven into the chamber by first drawing a vacuum on the chamber through the aliquot of reagent and then releasing the reagent to be drawn into the chamber by the vacuum.

Abstract: An automated slide stainer with slides mounted in a horizontal position on a rotary carousel. Reagents and rinse liquids are automatically dispensed onto tissue sections or cells mounted on slides for the purpose of performing chemical or immunohistochemical stains. The rinse liquids are removed by an aspiration head connected to a source of vacuum. Individual slides or groups of slides are supported on flat heating stations for heating to individual temperatures. Temperature control electronics on the carousel are controlled by a user interface off of the carousel.

Abstract: A method and device is described for a quality control device for immunohistochemical testing of surgical biopsies. Immunohistochemistry testing involves the use of antibodies to detect the presence of proteins that have diagnostic or prognostic importance. A cell-free moiety is covalently attached to glass microscope slides. The cell-free moiety can represent antibody contact sites to the native protein. Namely, the cell-free moiety can contain the same amino acid sequence as the epitope in the native protein to where the antibody binds. Alternatively, the cell-free moiety may not necessarily share the exact sequence as found in the native protein but they still bind to the antibody. Tissue sections derived from surgical biopsies can be mounted on the same glass slides bearing the cell-free moiety. As the immunohistochemical stain is performed on the tissue section, a similar reaction sequence occurs at the site of the glass slide where the peptide is located.

Abstract: A method and device is described for a quality control device for immunohistochemical testing of surgical biopsies. Immunohistochemistry testing involves the use of antibodies to detect the presence of proteins that have diagnostic or prognostic importance. In this invention, peptides are covalently attached to glass microscope slides. The peptides represent antibody contact sites to the native protein. Namely, the peptide contains the same amino acid sequence as the epitope in the native protein to where the antibody binds. Alternatively, peptides may not necessarily share the exact sequence as found in the native protein but they still bind to the antibody. To use this invention, tissue sections derived from surgical biopsies may be mounted on glass slides bearing the peptides. As the immunohistochemical stain is performed on the tissue section, a similar reaction sequence occurs at the site of the glass slide where the peptide is located.