In situ heat induced antigen recovery and staining method

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.

1 . A method of treating a biological sample on a microscope slide for in situ antigen recovery and staining, comprising: 
 (a) providing a plurality of slide support elements and providing a plurality of microscope slides, each having a treatment sample disposed thereon;    (b) disposing each microscope slide on a separate slide support element of the plurality of slide support elements, wherein each slide support element is independently movable;    (c) providing a plurality of reagent dispensing devices, each reagent dispensing device comprising one or more individually contained reagents for treating one of said microscope slides, wherein each reagent dispensing device corresponds only to a single microscope slide;    (d) applying a first reagent from the reagent dispensing device or from a separate reagent dispensing element to each corresponding microscope slide and heating each corresponding microscope slide within an individually enclosable reaction compartment;    (e) removing the first reagent from each corresponding microscope slide thereby treated;    (f) treating each corresponding microscope slide by applying thereto a second reagent from the reagent dispensing device or from the separate reagent dispensing element and optionally heating the second reagent; and    (g) removing the second reagent from each corresponding microscope slide and wherein at least one of the first reagent and the second reagent is provided from the reagent dispensing device.    
   
   
       2 . A method of treating a biological sample on a microscope slide for in situ antigen recovery and staining, comprising: 
 (a) providing a plurality of slide support elements and providing a plurality of microscope slides, each having a treatment sample disposed thereon;    (b) disposing each microscope slide on a separate slide support element of the plurality of slide support elements, wherein each slide support element is independently movable;    (c) providing a plurality of reagent dispensing devices, each reagent dispensing device comprising one or more individually contained reagents for treating one of said microscope slides, wherein each reagent dispensing device corresponds only to a single microscope slide;    (d) independently applying a first reagent from the reagent dispensing device or from a separate reagent dispensing element to each corresponding microscope slide and independently heating each corresponding microscope slide within an individually enclosable reaction compartment;    (e) independently removing the first reagent from each corresponding microscope slide thereby treated;    (f) independently treating each corresponding microscope slide by independently applying thereto a second reagent from the reagent dispensing device or from the separate reagent dispensing element and optionally independently heating the second reagent; and    (g) independently removing the second reagent from each microscope slide and wherein at least one of the first reagent and the second reagent is provided from the reagent dispensing device.    
   
   
       3 . A method of treating a biological sample on a microscope slide for in situ antigen recovery and staining, comprising: 
 (a) providing a plurality of slide support elements and providing a plurality of microscope slides, each having a treatment sample disposed thereon;    (b) disposing each microscope slide on a separate slide support element of the plurality of slide support elements, wherein each slide support element is independently movable;    (c) providing a plurality of reagent dispensing strips, each reagent dispensing strip comprising one or more individually contained reagents for treating one of said microscope slides, wherein each reagent dispensing strip corresponds only to a single microscope slide;    (d) applying a first reagent from the reagent dispensing strip or from a separate reagent dispensing element to each corresponding microscope slide and heating each corresponding microscope slide within an individually enclosable reaction compartment;    (e) removing the first reagent from each corresponding microscope slide thereby treated;    (f) treating each corresponding microscope slide by applying thereto a second reagent from the reagent dispensing strip or from the separate reagent dispensing element and optionally heating the second reagent; and    (g) removing the second reagent from each corresponding microscope slide and wherein at least one of the first reagent and the second reagent is provided from the reagent dispensing strip.