Automated slide staining apparatus
View Patent ↗Disclosed is an automated staining apparatus (autostainer) capable of staining sample on a microscope slide. The autostainer is capable of limiting the amount of reagent used through a process including image acquisition and processing techniques, wherein an image of the slide is acquired and used to determine a region on the slide to be stained. Also disclosed are methods of using images acquired by the autostainer in sample processing. In addition, a system having the autostainer functionally linked to an imaging system is provided.
1. A method for automated staining of a biological sample on a substrate, comprising:
forming an image of an unstained biological sample on the substrate;
using a computer to analyze said image and to automatically identify and obtain coordinates representing a border of a region to be stained comprising the biological sample;
using said coordinates to control an x,y controllable tracer, which operates to automatically form an outline of the border, said outline being of a type that retains reagent therein; and
dispersing a staining reagent within said outline.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises identifying a staining characteristic of the biological sample and dispensing the reagent on to the region to be stained based upon the staining characteristic.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the staining characteristic is a type of stain to be applied to the biological sample.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the type of stain is dispensed from a reagent container.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the biological sample comprising the reagent is processed in accordance with the stain that is dispensed.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is a microscope slide.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the image is a low magnification image of the biological sample.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the region is less than the size of the substrate but larger than the biological sample.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said outline is formed of a hydrophobic medium.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the hydrophobic medium is a grease.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the grease is applied by a mechanically operated grease pencil.