EP4673751A1 - Appareil et procédés de cuisson de lame porte-objet de tissu biologique dans un panier de lames porte-objet - Google Patents

Appareil et procédés de cuisson de lame porte-objet de tissu biologique dans un panier de lames porte-objet

Info

Publication number
EP4673751A1
EP4673751A1 EP24764362.0A EP24764362A EP4673751A1 EP 4673751 A1 EP4673751 A1 EP 4673751A1 EP 24764362 A EP24764362 A EP 24764362A EP 4673751 A1 EP4673751 A1 EP 4673751A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
slide
baking
basket
sorbent
slides
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
EP24764362.0A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Flemming Lassen NIELSEN
Lene KOFOED
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Agilent Technologies Inc
Original Assignee
Agilent Technologies Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Agilent Technologies Inc filed Critical Agilent Technologies Inc
Publication of EP4673751A1 publication Critical patent/EP4673751A1/fr
Pending legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N1/00—Sampling; Preparing specimens for investigation
    • G01N1/28—Preparing specimens for investigation including physical details of (bio-)chemical methods covered elsewhere, e.g. G01N33/50, C12Q
    • G01N1/44—Sample treatment involving radiation, e.g. heat
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
    • B01L9/00—Supporting devices; Holding devices
    • B01L9/52—Supports specially adapted for flat sample carriers, e.g. for plates, slides, chips
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N1/00—Sampling; Preparing specimens for investigation
    • G01N1/28—Preparing specimens for investigation including physical details of (bio-)chemical methods covered elsewhere, e.g. G01N33/50, C12Q
    • G01N1/30—Staining; Impregnating ; Fixation; Dehydration; Multistep processes for preparing samples of tissue, cell or nucleic acid material and the like for analysis
    • G01N1/31—Apparatus therefor
    • G01N1/312—Apparatus therefor for samples mounted on planar substrates
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N1/00—Sampling; Preparing specimens for investigation
    • G01N1/28—Preparing specimens for investigation including physical details of (bio-)chemical methods covered elsewhere, e.g. G01N33/50, C12Q
    • G01N1/36—Embedding or analogous mounting of samples
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
    • B01L2200/00—Solutions for specific problems relating to chemical or physical laboratory apparatus
    • B01L2200/02—Adapting objects or devices to another
    • B01L2200/025—Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
    • B01L2300/00—Additional constructional details
    • B01L2300/08—Geometry, shape and general structure
    • B01L2300/0809—Geometry, shape and general structure rectangular shaped
    • B01L2300/0822—Slides

Definitions

  • the present invention generally relates to preparation of embedded specimens such as tissue section for analysis and/or storage. More particularly, the present invention relates to baking or other heating of embedded specimens so that they adhere to slides.
  • a biological specimen such as cellular tissue is collected from a human or animal and then subjected to various processing steps in preparation for being examined by an analytical instrument such as a light microscope or electron microscope.
  • a typical preparative process may include fixing, processing (dehydration and stiffener infiltration), embedding, sectioning, drying, and staining.
  • Biological specimens are frequently embedded in paraffin or another embedding medium to facilitate handling and so that they might be stored for a potentially long period of time.
  • specimens can be placed in cassettes containing the specimens are brought to an embedding station.
  • the embedding station includes a hot melt gun containing melted paraffin and a chill plate.
  • the technician opens one cassette and selects a mold that will comfortably fit the tissue inside the tissue cassette.
  • the technician places a small amount of paraffin in the base of the mold, and then arranges the tissue in the mold as the paraffin solidifies on the chill plate.
  • the technician then fills the rest of the mold with melted paraffin.
  • tissue block This produces an embedded sample, often referred to as a tissue block.
  • the tissue cassette carries barcode information and acts at a holder for the tissue block.
  • the technician then sets the mold aside until the paraffin hardens, and then removes the tissue block from the mold.
  • the resulting tissue block is often referred to as formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissue.
  • FFPE formalin fixed paraffin embedded
  • Microtomes are used to section (cut) the tissue block to obtain one or more thin slices of the embedded sample. Usually the thickness of these tissue slices is on the order of 4 to 6 micrometers (pm), although a range of 1 micrometer to 30 micrometers is not uncommon. In many staining protocols, the goal is to get a cross-section of the tissue that is approximately one cell thick. The technician cuts several sections, which tend to form a ribbon. The ribbon is carefully placed in a heated water bath to flatten both the paraffin and the tissue or other specimen. The technician then singulates the ribbon into individual tissue sections and draws up one or more tissue sections onto a slide.
  • pm micrometers
  • each slide consists of one, two, or several sections of tissue and embedding medium held onto the slide by surface tension from a very thin film of water.
  • the tissue sections need to be carefully dried on the slide, as it is critical that the sections fully adhere to the slides. Drying often entails airdrying the slides for about twenty minutes in a vertical orientation to allow the water to flow to the bottom of the section and then evaporate. This process puts the tissue into direct contact with the glass microscope slide. After drying, the slides are often baked at about 60 °C. Usually the slide is placed flat on a hot plate or in a heated chamber (e.g., an oven) for about twenty minutes to an hour.
  • a heated chamber e.g., an oven
  • the length of the drying and baking time varies depending on the subsequent staining process to be performed. For instance, the baking protocol tends to be longer for slides that will be stained for immunohistochemistry (IHC) than for the standard H&E staining because IHC is a more aggressive chemistry and hence increases the likelihood of tissue sections falling off the slides.
  • IHC immunohistochemistry
  • slide baking is usually done to ensure adhesion of the specimen on the surface of the slide.
  • Slide baking is characterized by local habits and individual preferences, but overall, it is characterized by significant manual handling.
  • Other ways to handle the process include wooden blocks with cutouts, aluminum foil trays, and flat baking plates. The above examples are intended to address the risk that paraffin melts and subsequently stiffens touching both slide and basket, which might leave the slides stuck in the basket.
  • the slides are again reloaded into the slide basket for further processing. This process demands a considerable handling time, and additionally adds significant risks of handling errors, such as sorting errors and positioning errors.
  • a method for baking a plurality of slides having embedded specimens on the slides.
  • the method comprises inserting one or more slides into a slide basket configured to hold a plurality of the slides.
  • Each of the inserted slides has an embedded specimen on a surface of the slide, and the slide basket has one or more basket supports configured to contact a slide edge of the slides while defining a basket opening that exposes the slide edge.
  • the method also comprises positioning the slide basket on a slide baking device comprising a sorbent support so that the sorbent support contacts the exposed slide edge of one or more of the slides and separates the exposed slide edges from the basket supports.
  • the method also comprises heating the slides having the embedded specimens while in the slide basket and while the slide edges are separated from the one or more basket supports, thereby reducing or preventing flow of melted embedding medium onto the slide basket.
  • a slide baking device for baking a plurality of slides having embedded specimens on the slides.
  • the slide baking device comprises a baking tray comprising a tray base, and a sorbent support.
  • the tray base is configured to hold the sorbent support.
  • a slide baking apparatus comprising a slide baking device as described herein and a heating chamber comprising a heating element to supply heat to an interior volume of the chamber.
  • the interior volume of the chamber is a size sufficient to receive the baking tray and one or more slide baskets positioned on the baking tray.
  • a method for reducing contamination of a slide basket with melted embedding medium.
  • the slide basket comprises at least one slide having a tissue section embedded in said embedding medium thereon.
  • the method comprises placing a bottom surface of at least one slide in contact with a sorbent member under conditions where the embedding medium melts and flows toward the bottom surface of the slide.
  • the melted embedding medium is sorbed by the sorbent member.
  • a slide baking tray comprises a base having at least one sorbent member thereon.
  • the slide baking tray is configured to receive melted embedded medium from a slide when said slide baking tray is placed adjacent to a slide holding device comprising said slide.
  • FIG. l is a perspective view of a slide with an embedded specimen on its surface.
  • FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an example of a slide basket according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of an example of a slide baking apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIGs. 4A and 4B are schematic views of a slide baking apparatus, illustrating an example of its operation according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • the terms “approximately” and “about” mean to within an acceptable limit or amount to one having ordinary skill in the art.
  • the term “about” generally refers to plus or minus 15% of the indicated number. For example, “about 10” may indicate a range of 8.5 to 11.5.
  • “approximately the same” means that one of ordinary skill in the art considers the items being compared to be the same.
  • FFPE formalin-fixed paraffin embedded
  • deparaffmization encompasses deliberate removal of paraffin or other embedding medium. Deparaffmization, prior to staining, is usually required to allow access to targets for antibodies or probes in a subsequent staining process. Solvents used for deparaffmization are, for example, xylene, xylene substitutes and toluene.
  • the signal paths may also include additional systems, devices, components, modules, or sub-modules between the first and second system, device, component, module, or sub-module.
  • the present disclosure provides methods and apparatus for baking an embedded specimen (e.g., a paraffin-embedded tissue section) on a slide.
  • an embedded specimen e.g., a paraffin-embedded tissue section
  • Various embodiments of the present methods and apparatus can provide one or more of the following advantages.
  • the present methods and apparatus prevent the slide basket from being contaminated with embedding medium that melts during baking or reduce the amount of contamination, by supporting the slides on a sorbent support so that the slide edges are separated from the slide basket, or by placing a bottom surface of the slide in contact with a sorbent member. This facilitates making the slides freely movable in the slide basket after the baking procedure. Additionally, residual embedding medium can be easily collected by the sorbent support or member, and thereby prevents or reduces contamination of the slide basket.
  • the sorbent support or member can be removable from the slide baking apparatus, so that it can be easily exchanged when needed or at selected intervals.
  • the present apparatus and methods can facilitate automated handling of slides in the slide basket as the slides can move freely rather than being attached to the slide basket by residual embedding medium.
  • Slide 102 has a sample region 103 and a slide information region 104, though in other embodiments, the slides may have more than two regions or only one region.
  • the slide 102 has a label 105 in slide information region 104 which can have a barcode and other information to facilitate identification of the slide by a technician or an automated system.
  • the slide 102 has an embedded specimen 106 which comprises a biological specimen 108 in an embedding medium 107.
  • the embedded specimen 106 has been mounted on slide surface 102a.
  • a plurality of slides 102 having embedded specimens 106 can be loaded into a slide basket (as shown in FIG. 2) in a manual or automated process.
  • the biological specimen 108 may be subjected to various processing steps after it is acquired initially.
  • the biological specimen 108 is a tissue from a tissue source
  • it may be subjected to processing steps such as fixing, dehydration, alcohol removal, paraffin infiltration/embedding, sectioning, or others.
  • providing the embedded specimen 106 includes positioning (placing or mounting) the embedded specimen 106 on a slide 102, such as by placing a tissue section in a water bath and drawing it onto the slide 102.
  • paraffin is frequently used as an example of an embedding medium 107.
  • Paraffin is frequently used as an embedding medium in the preparation of biological specimens, for sectioning in a microtome to produce tissue sections for histological examination. Nonetheless it is contemplated that other embedding media can be substituted for paraffin in the descriptions of the present methods and apparatus.
  • Other examples of the embedding medium 107 include, but are not limited to, waxes of various types, paramat, paraplats, peel away paraffin, tissue freezing medium, cryonic gel, optimal cutting temperature (OCT) compound, polyester wax, and mixtures thereof.
  • Wax is solid at room temperature; usually consists of a complex mixture of higher hydrocarbons often including esters of higher fatty acids and higher glycols; may be mineral, natural or synthetic in origin; is harder and more brittle than fats; is soluble in oils and fats, and can optionally contain additives that enhance its sample-embedding properties.
  • Paraffin is an example of a mineral wax most commonly used in the histochemical field. Paraffin is a hydrophobic substance typically prepared by distillation of petroleum, and is a mixture of primarily solid saturated hydrocarbons. The paraffin (wax) generally consists of higher polyolefins and often comprises polymers or dimethyl sulfoxide (“DMSO”) is added.
  • the embedding medium is an epoxy resin.
  • the epoxy resin is a glycidyl epoxy resin.
  • the epoxy resin is a non-glycidyl epoxy resin.
  • the epoxy resin is a non-glycidyl resin selected from an aliphatic and cyclo-aliphatic resin.
  • the epoxy resin is a glycidyl epoxy selected from glycidyl amine, glycidyl ester, glycidyl ether, and a combination thereof.
  • the epoxy resin is ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether.
  • the epoxy resin is Araldite, Quetol, Epon 812, Embed 812, Poly-Bed 812, or a combination thereof.
  • the epoxy resin is a glycerol -based aliphatic epoxy resin.
  • embedding a tissue in an epoxy resin provides tissue sections having improved morphology.
  • FIG. 2 shows an example of a slide basket 210 configured to hold a plurality of slides 202.
  • slide basket 210 is a 20-slide basket.
  • the slide basket 210 can have a slide basket handle 211 integral with the slide basket 210, or the slide basket handle 211 or can lock on and off the slide basket 210.
  • the slide basket handle 211 facilitates automated transport of the slide basket 210 from one station to another station.
  • the slide basket handle 211 can be engaged by a robotic arm that moves the slide basket.
  • slide basket 210 includes opposing endwalls 213, 214 and opposing sidewalls 215, 216.
  • Basket endwalls 213, 214 and basket sidewalls 215, 216 can be solid or can be formed by partial walls or frames, such as sidewall frames 215a, 215b, 215c.
  • Slide basket 210 also includes basket support 220 to which basket endwalls 213, 214 are connected. Opposing endwalls 213, 214 and sidewalls 215, 216 and basket support 220 collectively define an interior volume of the slide basket 210 into which slides 102 may be positioned vertically lengthwise therein (a standing position).
  • Basket support 220 comprises shelves 226 which support slides 202 and define a basket opening 221 through which slide edges 202b are exposed.
  • Basket opening 221 exposes short slide edges 202b, but in some embodiments, the basket opening is configured to expose long slide edges, or to expose both short slide edges and long slide edges. Basket opening 221 has a width Wi that is less than the slide width Ws. The spacing between sidewall 215 and sidewall 216 is sufficient to accommodate the width of a slide 202 therein (for example, 25 mm (one inch)) with little excess space.
  • sidewalls 215, 216 comprise top sidewall frames 215a, 216a middle sidewall frames 215b, 216b, and bottom sidewall frames 215c, 216c, though it is contemplated that a basket sidewall can comprise only top and bottom sidewall frames, or more than one middle sidewall frames.
  • sidewalls 215, 216, or one or more or all of sidewall frames 215a-216c have features configured to hold a slide in the slide basket.
  • the slides 202 are held in a vertical orientation in the slide basket 210. More particularly, the slides 202 are held such that the axis of its length LS is vertical oriented.
  • such features hold the slide in the basket such that the slide is maintained in a desired orientation (e.g., where slide surfaces are substantially vertical) and/or the slide does not contact adjacent slides in the basket, but such features do not restrain the slide from being inserted or removed from the slide basket.
  • FIG. 2 shows basket 210 including slot 222b and protrusion 223b in sidewall frame 215b.
  • Basket support 220 of the slide basket 210 includes opposing support shelves 226 along a length dimension (z-dimension) with each shelf 226 having a size sufficient to support the slide while defining an basket opening 221 (e.g., up to a few millimeters), on which a slide can contact when the slide is positioned in slide basket 210.
  • Each shelf 226 also includes slots 227 and protrusions 228 aligned with protrusions and slots in sidewall frames 215a-216c.
  • Protrusions 228 can project upward into the interior volume of slide basket 210.
  • Protrusions 223 may serve to keep the plurality of slides 202 contained in the slide basket 210 separated at a basket support 220 of slide basket 210.
  • shelf 226 comprises teeth (shown in FIGs. 4A and 4B) on a side opposite an interior volume of slide basket 210 and protrusions 228. As described below, exterior teeth can be used to interact with a track to move slide basket 210 into and out of various devices.
  • a solvent is applied to the slides 102/202 before or after baking.
  • the slides 202 in the slide basket 210 can be immersed in a solvent tank.
  • a solvent can be applied to the slides 102/202 for one or more purposes, such as removal of some or all of the embedding medium 107, or to remove a solvent from the specimen 108, or to apply a new solvent to the specimen 108.
  • the slides 202 are immersed in a solvent before and/or after the embedded specimens 106 are subjected to baking.
  • the solvent tank comprises a prewet solvent suitable as a mounting medium. After a desired period, the slide basket is removed from the solvent tank and moved to a slide baking device or station.
  • a cover (such as a cover slip or cover glass) is placed on the slides 102/202 before or after baking.
  • FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a slide baking device 330 for baking slides 302 while held in a slide basket 310.
  • the slide baking device 330 can also be referred to as a slide heating apparatus or a slide baking apparatus.
  • the slide baking device 330 is configured for heating so that the embedded specimen will adhere to the slide, which may be done in preparation for storage, removal of embedding medium, staining, applying one or more solvents or reagents, or for other desired processing or analysis.
  • the slide baking device 330 is a tray comprising a tray base 332 and tray brackets 334 to facilitate lifting and transporting the baking tray 330.
  • a slide basket 310 loaded with a plurality of slides 302 is being placed on a slide baking tray 330.
  • the slides 302 in the slide basket 310 have embedded specimens on the slide surfaces, which are vertically oriented in this embodiment.
  • the slide basket 310 has one or more basket supports configured to contact a slide edge of the slides 302 while defining a basket opening that exposes the slide edge.
  • the slide basket 310 is positioned over the slide baking device 330, more particularly by positioning the basket opening of the slide basket 310 over the sorbent support 336.
  • the slide basket 310 can be lowered so that the sorbent support contacts the exposed slide edge of the slides 302 and separates the exposed slide edges from the basket supports of slide basket 310 (as shown in FIGs. 4A and 4B).
  • the slide baking tray 330 can comprise one or more tray brackets 334 extending from the tray base 332, such as two tray brackets extending in a substantially perpendicular direction from the tray base 332.
  • the tray brackets 334 can be engaged by a user or by a robotic arm in order to move the slide baking tray 330 from a loading location to a heating location.
  • the slide baking tray 330 comprises a heating element, such as a heating element which is in or on the tray base 332.
  • the slide baking tray 330 is placed in an oven in order to bake the slides 302.
  • the slide baking device comprises the slide baking tray 330 and a heating chamber such as an oven.
  • FIG. 4A and 4B illustrate how a slide basket 410 can be positioned on a slide baking device comprising a baking tray 430 having a tray base 432 and a sorbent support 436 so that the sorbent support 436 contacts the exposed slide edges 402b of the slides 402 and separates the exposed slide edges 402b from the basket supports 420 and its shelves 426.
  • Sorbent block 436 has a width W2 that is substantially equal to or smaller than width Wi of the basket opening defined by the basket supports 420 of the slide basket 410.
  • paraffin from the tissue may be melted, causing it to flow down the slide, as illustrated by conceptual arrows 440 in FIG. 4B.
  • the slides 402 can be dried, heated and/or baked, without contaminating the slide basket 410 with residual embedding medium.
  • the embedding medium can be sorbed by the sorbent support 436.
  • capillary forces cause the embedding medium to be absorbed.
  • the surface tension of the embedding medium may help it move along the slide edge 402b, towards the absorbent block 436, as illustrated by conceptual arrows 442.
  • the tray base 432 can be configured to removably hold the sorbent support 436 but keep it from moving when the slide basket 410 is lowered onto it or while the basket is in position on it.
  • the tray base 432 defines a recess 431 configured to receive sorbent support 436.
  • the sorbent support is integral with the tray base.
  • Sorbent support 436 has a width W2.
  • the sorbent support is a sorbent block having a substantially rectangular shape with a height, length, and width.
  • the sorbent block width is less than the width of the basket opening defined by the basket supports of the slide basket. It will be appreciated that the sorbent support or member may have any dimensions consistent with its intended use.
  • the slide basket can include protrusions 428 that project upward from basket support 420 into the interior volume of slide basket.
  • the protrusions 428 can keep the slides 402 contained in the slide basket separated from each other.
  • basket support 420 comprises teeth 429 on a side opposite an interior volume of slide basket and its protrusions 428.
  • the exterior teeth 429 can interact with a track to move the slide basket into and out of various devices.
  • a slide baking apparatus comprises a chamber for receiving a slide basket and heating the slides held in the slide basket.
  • the chamber can be specific for slide baking, or it can be a general heating chamber, such as an oven.
  • the baking tray 330 may be or include a slide baking device, in which case the upper surface of the tray base 332 may serve as a heating surface.
  • the slide baking device generally may have any configuration effective for generating and transferring heat energy to the upper surface.
  • the baking tray as a slide baking device may include one or more resistive heating elements (not specifically shown) disposed in or on the base 332 in thermal contact with the upper surface, or disposed directly on upper surface or integral with the upper surface.
  • the upper surface itself may serve as the heating element.
  • the baking tray 330 may also include a heater voltage source (power supply) providing electrical current to the heating element(s).
  • the slide baking device may provide one or more radiant heating sources such as, for example, infrared (IR) lamps.
  • IR infrared
  • the slide basket may be placed in a heating chamber and a slide baking device may be configured to heat the chamber (i.e., the interior volume of the chamber), whereby the specimen and slides are heated by convection.
  • the slide baking tray 330 has an open architecture, in that the baking tray 330 may be positioned and operated in an ambient environment, for example on a bench top, tabletop, or the like.
  • the device 300 may include an enclosure or chamber (not shown). Such a chamber may be provided if it is desired to control one or more parameters of the operating environment of the baking process, such as gas composition, pressure, temperature, light intensity, etc.
  • Exemplary materials for the baking tray 330 and/or the tray base 332 include thermosetting polymers such as polyetherimide (PEI), polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) polybenzimidazole (PBI), and polydicyclopentadiene (pDCPD); and metal alloys such as high chrome nickel austenitic alloys, nickel-based alloys, cobalt chrome nickel-based alloys, and molybdenum titanium alloys.
  • PEI polyetherimide
  • PEEK polyether ether ketone
  • PTFE polytetrafluoroethylene
  • PBI polybenzimidazole
  • pDCPD polydicyclopentadiene
  • metal alloys such as high chrome nickel austenitic alloys, nickel-based alloys, cobalt chrome nickel-based alloys, and molybdenum titanium alloys.
  • a slide baking device comprises one or more recesses, to contain replaceable sorbent support or members, which fit between inside the basket supports of a slide basket, so that it can contact an edge of a slide in the slide basket.
  • the slide baking device should be formed from a heat resistant material with low heat capacity, to prevent the user from burns when removing the slide baking device from the oven. Slides mounted with tissue sections or other specimens are placed in the slide basket. The slide basket is placed on top of one of the sorbent supports causing the slides to be lifted slightly from the bracket supports of the slide basket so that the exposed slide edges of the slides do not contact the basket supports of the slide basket.
  • the sorbent support or member can be formed partially or entirely from a material that absorbs an embedding medium.
  • the sorbent support or member can collect some or all of the embedding medium that melts from the embedded specimen and travels to an edge of the slide.
  • the sorbent support or member may be movable, or its position adjustable, relative to the upper (outer) surface of the baking tray or relative to the bottom (basket supports) of the slide basket.
  • the sorbent support or member may be utilized to assist in “wi eking away” the embedding medium as it moves (either by gravity or by being pushed or pulled, or repelled or attracted) to the edge of the slide and contacts the sorbent support or member.
  • the sorbent support or member may be heated to or operate at a higher temperature than that of the (optionally heated) surface of the baking tray to cause the embedding medium to readily flow onto the sorbent support or member as the embedding medium reaches the edge of the slide.
  • the sorbent support or member may comprise a thermally conductive material and in operation may be heated to assist in removal of the embedding medium, such as by preventing it from solidifying on the slide.
  • the slide baking apparatus comprises a (main or first) slide baking device
  • the sorbent support or member may also be referred to herein as an auxiliary or second slide baking device.
  • the sorbent support or member can comprise a solid, porous material, for example a zeolite or silica aerogel that will adsorb paraffin or other waxes used as the embedding medium. Silica aerogels can have high porosities and have been used to absorb paraffin oils.
  • the sorbent support or member comprises an aluminosilicate molecular sieve or zeolite, such as a material having relatively uniform pore diameters of about 5 Angstroms (type 5A molecular sieves or 5A zeolites).
  • the sorbent support or member comprises a paraffin-sorbing material.
  • substantially all of the sorbent support or member is a paraffin-sorbing material.
  • width W2 of the sorbent support or member is 0.1 mm, 0.25 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.75 mm, 1 mm, 1.5 mm, 2 mm, or 5 mm less than width Wi; and any of the foregoing values can be combined to form a range for a maximum difference between W2 and Wi.
  • Non-limiting embodiments of a method for baking slides having embedded specimen will now be described, using as an example the device 330 described above and illustrated in Figures 3, 4A and 4B.
  • an embedded specimen is cut or sliced and placed onto a slide.
  • the slide baking apparatus further comprises a controller in signal communication with (by wired or wireless means) a slide baking apparatus or a part thereof, such as a robotic arm, a heating element, or other device.
  • the controller may be, for example, a desktop computer, laptop computer, portable computer, tablet computer, handheld computer, mobile computing device, personal digital assistant (PDA), smartphone, etc., and may include one or more types of hardware (e.g., electronicbased processors, memories, user input peripherals, user output peripherals, etc.), firmware, and/or software.
  • the slide baking apparatus may also include other electronics (not shown) configured for controlling the baking procedure.
  • the slide baking device may include an ON/OFF switch configured for controlling the ON/OFF state of the heating element.
  • the electronics of the slide baking apparatus may be arranged in a console on a chamber, or in a separate console.
  • the present methods and apparatus are employed for removing a desired amount of embedding medium from an embedded specimen or for deparaffinization. That is, the present methods and apparatus can be employed to deliberately remove some or all of the embedding medium from an embedded specimen on a slide, as opposed to removing embedded medium that incidentally melts and separates from an embedded specimen during slide baking.
  • Such methods can also comprise applying one or more solvents to the embedded specimens on the slides, such as xylene, xylene substitutes or toluene. The solvents can be applied before or after the embedded specimens are heated using the present slide baking apparatus.
  • the present methods and apparatus do not remove a significant amount of embedding medium from the embedded specimens.
  • the embedding medium may be desirable for preventing the specimen from deteriorating or being compromised during storage.
  • the embedded specimens are heated to a baking temperature.
  • Exemplary baking temperatures include temperatures of at least about 35°C, or at least about 40°C, or at least about 50°C, or at least about 60°C; exemplary baking temperatures also include temperatures of at most about 120°C, or at most about 100°C, at most about 80°C, or at most about 70°C; it is contemplated that any of the foregoing minima and maxima can be combined to form a range.
  • the embedded specimens are heated for a baking period.
  • FIGs. 3, 4A and 4B illustrate examples of utilizing a slide baking apparatus to bake embedded specimens onto slides in a vertically orientation. Orienting the embedded specimen vertically, at some other angle to the vertical, may promote removal of the embedding medium through the assistance of gravity. However, it is also contemplated that the slides and embedded specimens can be oriented horizontal (ninety degrees relative to a vertical reference plane), or at any other angle between the horizontal and vertical reference planes (e g., in a range from zero degrees to ninety degrees relative to a horizontal reference plane).
  • Various other embodiments of a slide baking apparatus encompassed by the present disclosure may include combinations of features from different embodiments described above and illustrated in the Figures.
  • Exemplary embodiments provided in accordance with the presently disclosed subject matter include, but are not limited to, the following:

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
  • Biochemistry (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
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  • Sampling And Sample Adjustment (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne des échantillons dans un milieu d'inclusion qui sont fixés sur des lames porte-objet par chauffage (p. ex., par cuisson). Des lames porte-objet avec les sections de tissu biologique ou d'autres spécimens inclus sont insérées dans un panier de lames porte-objet qui les maintient verticalement. Le panier de lames porte-objet est placé dans une chambre de chauffage qui comporte un support de sorbant.
EP24764362.0A 2023-03-02 2024-02-20 Appareil et procédés de cuisson de lame porte-objet de tissu biologique dans un panier de lames porte-objet Pending EP4673751A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US202363487908P 2023-03-02 2023-03-02
PCT/US2024/016475 WO2024182165A1 (fr) 2023-03-02 2024-02-20 Appareil et procédés de cuisson de lame porte-objet de tissu biologique dans un panier de lames porte-objet

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EP4673751A1 true EP4673751A1 (fr) 2026-01-07

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EP24764362.0A Pending EP4673751A1 (fr) 2023-03-02 2024-02-20 Appareil et procédés de cuisson de lame porte-objet de tissu biologique dans un panier de lames porte-objet

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EP (1) EP4673751A1 (fr)
AU (1) AU2024230567A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2024182165A1 (fr)

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7468161B2 (en) * 2002-04-15 2008-12-23 Ventana Medical Systems, Inc. Automated high volume slide processing system
US7867443B2 (en) * 2004-07-23 2011-01-11 Dako Denmark A/S Method and apparatus for automated pre-treatment and processing of biological samples
US8012770B2 (en) * 2009-07-31 2011-09-06 Invisible Sentinel, Inc. Device for detection of antigens and uses thereof
US9989448B2 (en) * 2012-12-26 2018-06-05 Ventana Medical Systems, Inc. Specimen processing systems and methods for holding slides
EP4421491A3 (fr) * 2021-02-19 2024-11-27 10X Genomics, Inc. Procédé d'utilisation d'un dispositif de support d'analyse modulaire

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WO2024182165A1 (fr) 2024-09-06
AU2024230567A1 (en) 2025-10-16

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