JPH08285746A - Biological tissue processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To obtain a pathologic tissue processor excellent in disposability in which various reagents can be selected and replaced easily for each sample while decreasing the quantity of reagent required for processing a biological sample. CONSTITUTION: A sample plate 16 arranged with samples is held, while standing, in the longitudinal direction of individual containing part 18a in a plate rack 18. A specified reagent is injected through a reagent injection nozzle 14 into each micro gap between the individual containing parts 18a thus processing the samples arranged on the sample plate 16 with the reagent. Upon finishing the processing, the reagent is sucked from the individual containing parts 18a through a reagent suction nozzle 22a.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a biological tissue treating apparatus,
Especially immunostaining and ISH (In Situ Hybri-dyzation)
The present invention relates to a biological tissue processing device that performs processing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when preparing a preparation specimen such as a tissue section of an animal or a plant or a specimen of a bacterium, a sample is attached to a slide glass, and the attached sample is subjected to various kinds of dehydration and staining. Is being processed.

Usually, these treatments are carried out by vertically arranging about 20 slide glasses on a metal rack and immersing the entire rack in a glass reagent tank containing various reagents. After the processing for one reagent is completed, if necessary, the rack is dipped in a reagent tank containing the next reagent. Conventionally, a preparation specimen for a desired sample is prepared by treatment with such various reagents.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional method, firstly, there is a problem that a large amount of reagent is required.

In particular, when immunostaining or ISH is performed, the reagents used for the treatment are very expensive, and therefore it is desired to treat with the smallest possible amount of reagents in order to meet the economical conditions of the treatment. There is a request.
However, with the conventional method, it is difficult to reduce the amount of the reagent, and the demand cannot be sufficiently satisfied. In addition,
Since the amount of drainage also increases, there is a problem of environmental pollution.

[0006] Secondly, in the case where a part of the sample needs to be processed with different kinds of reagents in a series of processing steps, it is necessary to remove a part of the slide glass from the rack, resulting in extremely high work efficiency. There was a problem of being bad.

The amount of the sample to be processed has been remarkably increasing year by year due to the development of researches and tests in the field of gene diagnosis. However, the larger the amount of the sample, the greater the above problem and the fundamental solution. A measure was requested.

Incidentally, the applicant of the present application filed a prior application, Japanese Patent Application No. 6-
No. 243604 proposes a biological tissue processing apparatus and method capable of reducing the reagents to be used by using a sample plate having a plurality of wells in a shallow well shape. However, a glass plate instead of a slide glass is proposed. When forming a well, it is necessary to use a processing means such as an excimer laser or sandblast, the cost of the sample plate increases and the disposable property is poor, and it is desired to develop a biological tissue processing apparatus that can use an inexpensive sample plate. There is.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and reduces the amount of reagents for treating biological samples, and makes it possible to use a biological tissue treatment which is excellent in disposability and has a low running cost. The purpose is to provide a device. It is another object of the present invention to provide a biological tissue processing apparatus capable of easily selecting and exchanging various reagents for each sample.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is an individual storage for individually standing and holding a plurality of transparent sample plates on which samples of biological tissue are arranged in the longitudinal direction. And a plate storage rack having a minute gap at least on the sample placement surface side, reagent injection means for injecting a reagent into each of the individual storage parts, and suction of the reagent in each of the individual storage parts. And a reagent aspirating unit for performing a reagent treatment of the biological tissue by injecting and aspirating the reagent for each of the individual storage units.

The invention according to claim 2 is characterized by further comprising temperature control means for controlling the temperature of the reagent injected into the plate storage rack.

Further, the invention according to claim 3 is characterized by further comprising vibration applying means for applying vibration to the reagent injected into the plate storage rack.

[0013]

According to the present invention, the sample plate on which the sample is arranged is held in the individual storage portion of the plate storage rack in a state of standing upright in the longitudinal direction. Then, a predetermined reagent is injected by the reagent injection means into each of the minute gaps in the individual storage unit, and the sample disposed on the sample plate is treated with the reagent. When the reagent processing is completed, the reagent suction means sucks the reagent in the individual storage unit, so the amount of reagent required for each sample plate can be minimized and the type of reagent can be changed for each individual storage unit. You can

Further, by having a temperature control means for controlling the temperature of the reagent in the plate storage rack and a vibration applying means for vibrating the reagent in the reagent tank, a chemical reaction of the reagent is promoted, and an efficient biological tissue is obtained. Can be processed.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a conceptual diagram for each processing operation of the biological tissue processing apparatus according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the biological tissue processing apparatus of this embodiment has a reagent table 12 for holding a plurality of reagent tubes 10 upright, a reagent injection nozzle 14 for dispensing a reagent, and a sample. Plate storage rack 18 for individually storing a plurality of sample plates 16 made of transparent material such as glass
And a temperature control device 20 for adjusting the temperature of the reagent, a reagent suction device 22 for sucking the processed reagent, and the like. The reagent table 12 and the reagent injection nozzle 1
4, the plate storage rack 18, the temperature control device 20, the reagent suction device 22 and the like are formed into stations on a base not shown, and the reagent injection nozzle 14 and the plate storage rack 18 move between the stations to sequentially perform reagent processing work. I do.

The reagent table 12 is rotatably constructed, and a desired liquid reagent is contained in a plurality of reagent tubes 10 which are held upright. A reagent injection nozzle 14 is held above the reagent table 12 by a rail 24 so as to be movable in the vertical and horizontal directions. The reagent injection nozzle 14 sucks the reagent in the reagent tube 10 to the plate storage rack 18. A predetermined amount of reagent is injected into the provided individual storage portion 18a (15 in this embodiment). The same reagent may be injected into the individual storage portion 18a, but if necessary, different reagents in the reagent table 12 may be selected to inject different reagents into the individual storage portion 18a, or a plurality of reagents may be the same. It is also possible to mix in the individual storage section 18a,
The degree of freedom in reagent processing and preparation of preparation specimens can be improved, and automation can be easily performed.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 (a) and 3 (b), the individual storage portion 18a formed in the plate storage rack 18 has substantially the same shape as the sample plate 16.
It is desirable that the size has a minute gap, for example, 2 mm between at least the surface of the sample plate 16 on which the sample 26 is arranged and the inner wall of the individual storage portion 18a when the sample plate 16 is stored. For example, when the size of the sample plate 16 is about 26 mm width × 1 mm depth × 76 mm depth, the size of the individual storage unit 18 a is 30 mm width × 4 m depth.
It is desirable to set m × depth about 50 mm.

The plate storage rack 18 is made of a material that does not corrode or corrode the reagent, for example, hard resin or glass, and in order to secure the positional accuracy with respect to the injection position and the suction position of the reagent, It is desirable to form positioning means such as a positioning groove and a positioning boss (not shown) on the back surface. Although the amount of the reagent injected by the reagent injection nozzle 14 into the individual storage portion 18a of the plate storage rack 18 varies depending on the arrangement position of the sample 26 on the sample plate 16, as shown in FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b). It is preferable that the sample 26 be immersed in the water. In this way, by separating the individual storage portion 18a for each sample plate 16 and setting the sample plate 16 to the minimum size that allows the sample plate 16, it becomes possible to minimize the injection amount of the reagent. It is possible to significantly reduce the amount used. Moreover, since an inexpensive sample plate can be used as it is for the treatment of biological tissue, the running cost of the biological tissue processing apparatus having excellent disposable properties can be reduced. Furthermore, by holding the sample plate 16 upright on the plate storage rack 18, the sample plate 16
It becomes possible to efficiently use the space required for holding the sample, and a large number of sample plates 16 can be subjected to the batch reagent treatment. The sample 26 is a section of biological tissue, and corresponds to, for example, plants or animals. Sample 2
The thickness of 6 is, for example, 5 μm.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b), a pair of protrusions 18b for holding the sample plate 16 upright and holding it are provided on the bottom surface of the individual storage portion 18a. Further, as shown in FIG. 3B, the individual storage portion 18a
It is possible to reduce the residual suction of the reagent by forming an inclined portion 18c that inclines the bottom surface of the nozzle toward one side so that the tip portion of the suction nozzle described later is at the lowest position.

Although the pair of protrusions 18b is provided in the present embodiment, a groove may be formed directly on the bottom surface of the individual storage portion 18a. Further, the protrusion 18b and the groove may be provided with a taper so that the sample plate 16 can be easily inserted. Further, although the example in which the inclined portion 18c is formed near the protrusion 18b is shown, the entire bottom surface other than the support portion of the sample plate 16 may be the inclined portion so that the sample plate 16 can be held upright.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3A, the sample plate 16 is inserted in the central portion of the individual storage portion 18a, but the individual storage portion 18 facing the sample plate 16 is shown.
A minute gap between the inner wall surface of a and the inner wall surface (a in FIG. 3A is exaggerated) may be provided only on the arrangement side of the sample 26. By providing the minute gap only on the arrangement side of the sample 26, the amount of necessary reagent can be further reduced.

If necessary during the reagent treatment of the sample, the temperature control device 20 on which the plate storage rack 18 is mounted controls the heating and cooling temperatures of the reagent together with the plate storage rack 18, thereby chemically controlling the reagent. It is also possible to promote the reaction. Further, the temperature control device 20 has a vibration imparting means such as a vibrator built therein, and by vibrating the plate storage rack 18 minutely, the reagent is agitated to accelerate the impregnation of the reagent into the sample and the chemical reaction. can do.

Immediately after the injection of the prescribed reagent into the prescribed individual accommodating portion 18a is completed, or when the reagent treatment of the sample is completed, the plate accommodating rack 18 is moved to the temperature control device 2.
Along with 0, it is moved to the arrangement position of the reagent suction device 22 by a transport mechanism (not shown). The reagent suction device 22 has a suction nozzle 22a that can be inserted into each individual storage portion 18a. In the case of this embodiment, five individual storage units 18a are arranged in the row arrangement direction. The suction nozzle 22a is, for example, a small-diameter tube connected to a suction device (not shown), and sucks the reagent which has been inserted up to the position of the inclined portion 18c in FIG. The aspirated reagent is guided to a waste tank or a recycle tank (not shown), and a series of biological tissue treatment is completed. After that, if the next reagent treatment for the same sample plate 16 is required, the plate storage rack 18 is moved to the operating position of the reagent injection nozzle 14 to inject the reagent used for the next treatment, The processing is performed in the same procedure as described above.

Further, the sample plate 1 for which the reagent processing has been completed
6 will be extracted from the plate storage rack 18 for other processing and microscope observation.
It may be used as a transport / storage rack as it is, supplied to other processing equipment, or used for storing prepared slide specimens. Thus, by using the plate storage rack 18 as a transport / storage rack, automation can be easily performed as a processing system. Also,
If a plurality of plate storage racks 18 are prepared and sequentially supplied to the biological tissue processing apparatus, the machine tact of the biological tissue processing apparatus can be shortened and efficient biological tissue processing can be performed.

The stirring of the above-mentioned reagent may be realized by giving the suction nozzle 22a an ultrasonic vibration function. In this case, immediately after the reagent is injected into the individual storage portion 18a by the reagent injection nozzle 14, the plate storage rack 18 is moved to the operating position of the reagent suction device 22,
The suction nozzle 22a having an ultrasonic vibration function may be inserted into the individual storage portion 18a to stir the reagent before the suction operation.

[0028]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The sample plate on which the sample is placed is held in the individual storage part of the plate storage rack in a state of standing upright in the longitudinal direction, and a predetermined reagent is injected by the reagent injection means into each minute gap of the individual storage part and placed on the sample plate. The processed sample is treated with a reagent. Therefore, the amount of reagent required for each sample plate can be minimized, and the running cost of the biological tissue processing apparatus can be reduced. Further, since the reagent suction means sucks the reagent in the individual storage portion after the reagent processing is completed, it is possible to change the type of the reagent for each individual storage portion or mix the reagents in the same individual storage portion. Therefore, it is possible to improve the degree of freedom of preparation of the preparation specimen. Further, by having a temperature control means for controlling the temperature of the reagent in the plate storage rack and a vibration applying means for vibrating the reagent in the reagent tank, The chemical reaction of can be promoted and the biological tissue can be efficiently processed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing an overall configuration of a biological sample processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a plate storage rack of the biological sample processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a plate storage rack of the biological sample processing apparatus according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 reagent tube, 12 reagent table, 14 reagent injection nozzle, 16 sample plate, 18 plate storage rack, 20 temperature control device, 22 reagent suction device, 26
sample.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A rack having an individual storage part for individually standing and holding a plurality of transparent sample plates on which biological tissue samples are arranged in the longitudinal direction, the plate storage having a minute gap at least on the sample placement surface side. A rack, a reagent injecting unit for injecting a reagent into each of the individual storage units, and a reagent aspirating unit for aspirating the reagent in each of the individual storage units. A biological tissue processing apparatus which is characterized by performing aspiration and performing a reagent treatment of biological tissue. 2. The biological tissue processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising temperature control means for controlling the temperature of the reagent injected into the plate storage rack. 3. The biological tissue processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising vibration applying means for applying vibration to the reagent injected into the plate storage rack.