Abstract:
A method of preparing a slide of a biological specimen, including the steps of (a) providing a slide containing a biological specimen and a cover slip, (b) placing a liquid non-evaporating sealing compound such as mineral oil at spaced locations around an area on the slide and (c) placing the cover slip over the specimen area whereby the specimen and reagent is between the slide and the cover slip and the sealing compound spreads to define a closed boundary around the specimen in the space between the slide and the cover slip. Testing of the biological specimen may then be performed automatically.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
       [0001]    Not applicable. 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not applicable. 
       REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
       [0003]    Not applicable. 
       TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0004]    The present invention is directed toward testing of biological specimens, and particularly toward preparation of slides of biological specimens for use in automatic systems. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND TECHNICAL PROBLEMS POSED BY THE PRIOR ART 
       [0005]    Biological specimens are tested for a wide variety of reasons. For example, immunohistochemical (IHC) assays and assay techniques based on in situ hybridization (ISH) and, in particular, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) are commonplace techniques used in medical diagnostics today. Biological samples such as tissue or cell samples from suspected or known diseased patients are analyzed using IHC and ISH/FISH techniques to determine or monitor the patient&#39;s status with respect to the disease under investigation. However, both IHC and ISH/FISH methods require the performance of numerous complex and time consuming steps in preparing the tissue and cell samples and then carrying out the actual IHC or hybridization assay. When performed manually, these assay methods are tedious, technically demanding and time consuming. Nevertheless, well-established protocols have been established for manual assays. FISH is also discussed in U.S. Patent Publication No. US 2007/0048770 A1, the full disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
         [0006]    According to common FISH protocols, glass slides may be pre-treated with protease in order to digest cellular proteins that could interfere with DNA hybridization, with protease treatment consisting of a series of steps followed by ethanol dehydration. Additional sample fixation is also required in most cases. 
         [0007]    Hybridization and denaturation steps are typically carried out at elevated temperatures that result in evaporation of assay reagents. To prevent excess evaporation, the sample specimens are typically covered on the slides by cover slips sealed around the edge by rubber cement. 
         [0008]    Following hybridization, nonspecifically bound probe is washed off the sample, and then DNA is counter-stained with DAPI. However, to accommodate the post-hybridization wash, the rubber cement is peeled off manually to free the cover slip from the slide. The slides can then be immersed into a wash solution to complete the wash. 
         [0009]    With the increased volume of testing, automated systems have been increasingly required, particularly for labor intensive procedures and time consuming protocols. Such systems not only increase reliability through consistent performance of required actions, but also reduce labor costs not only by freeing technicians from having to perform particular steps but also by allowing actions to be taken without requiring intervention by technicians (e.g., with time consuming protocols, actions can take place overnight without requiring that a technician be at the laboratory overnight to perform such actions). 
         [0010]    However, while various automated systems have been developed to facilitate the processing of FISH assays, not all procedures required in an assay have heretofore been capable of being performed by those automated systems. For example, specimen slides prepared with rubber glue sealing around the edge of the cover slips are not readily adaptable to use in automated systems where the required process involves removal of the cover slip. The rubber glue prevents the automated systems from being able to reliably grasp and remove the cover slip, both by potentially interfering with the necessary contact of the apparatus with the cover slip and by securing the cover slip so securely to the slide that the automated system is unable to apply a sufficient force to pull the cover slip off. 
         [0011]    The present invention is directed toward overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    A method of preparing a slide of a biological specimen is provided, including the steps of (a) providing a slide containing a biological specimen and a cover slip, (b) placing a liquid non-evaporating sealing compound around an area on the slide, and (c) placing the cover slip over the specimen whereby the specimen is between the slide and the cover slip and the sealing compound defines a closed boundary around the specimen in the space between the slide and the cover slip. 
         [0013]    In one form, the sealing compound is mineral oil. 
         [0014]    In a further form, the sealing compound is placed in spaced locations around the area on the slide, and the step of placing the cover slip over the specimen causes the sealing compound to spread to connect the spaced locations and define the closed boundary. 
         [0015]    In another form, the slide includes a flat surface with a first raised portion around the area on the slide and a second raised portion around the first raised portion wherein the closed boundary is defined between the first and second raised portions. 
         [0016]    In another aspect, a method of performing a FISH assay is provided, including the steps of (a) preparing a biological specimen on a slide, and (b) performing the process on the specimen on an apparatus. The step of preparing a biological specimen on a slide includes (i) placing the biological specimen in the area on the slide, (ii) placing a liquid non-evaporating sealing compound around an area on the slide, and (iii) placing the cover slip over the specimen whereby the specimen is between the slide and the cover slip and the sealing compound defines a closed boundary around the specimen in the space between the slide and the cover slip. The apparatus may include a movable suction member adapted to secure to the cover slip whereby the suction member is moved away from the slide to pull the cover slip off the specimen and sealing compound when access to the specimen is required in the process. The method may also include locating the slide on the apparatus to carry out the FISH process on the specimen. 
         [0017]    In one form, the sealing compound is mineral oil. 
         [0018]    In another form, the sealing compound is placed as spaced droplets around the area on the slide, and the step of placing the cover slip over the specimen causes the sealing compound to expand to connect the spaced locations and define the closed boundary. 
         [0019]    In still another form, the slide includes a flat surface with a first raised portion around the area on the slide and a second raised portion around the first raised portion wherein the closed boundary is defined between the first and second raised portions. In a further form, the sealing compound placing step locates spaced droplets of the sealing compound around the slide first raised portion and inside the slide second raised portion. 
         [0020]    In yet another form, the specimen preparing step includes (a) mounting the slide to the apparatus, (b) performing the specimen placing step and the sealing compound placing step, and (c) performing the cover slip placing step by securing the suction member to the cover slip and automatically moving the suction member wherein the suction member releases the cover slip after locating the cover slip over the specimen. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a portion of an apparatus of an automated system with which specimen slides prepared according to the present invention may be advantageously used; 
           [0022]      FIGS. 2 and 3  are plan views of various barrier slides usable in the slide preparation method of the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 4  is a plan view of a barrier slide in which the sealing compound has been first applied according to the method of the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 5  is a side cross-sectional view illustrating the application of the sealing compound and the biological specimen to the barrier slide according to the present invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 6  is a side cross-sectional view illustrating the automated application of a cover slip to a barrier slide prepared according to  FIG. 5 ; and 
           [0026]      FIG. 7  is a side cross-sectional view illustrating a cover slip applied to a barrier slide with sealing compound and a biological specimen according to the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0027]    In accordance with the present invention, slides of biological specimens are prepared, wherein the slides are readily usable in automated systems in which high temperature processing is accomplished (e.g., hybridization) while preventing undesirable evaporation. The methods of the invention are readily available for any biological assay, such as ISH/FISH and IHC assays where it is desirable to apply a cover slip to a sample slide by automation. 
         [0028]      FIG. 1  illustrates a portion of an apparatus  10  wherein a plurality of slides  14  are present on a bed or suitable conveyor  16  such as may be used in the system to automatically transport the slides  14  to different locations for the performance of different actions of a testing procedure. It should be appreciated, however, that transportation of the slides  14 , if and when required, may be accomplished in any suitable manner in accordance with the present invention. 
         [0029]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the apparatus  10  includes a controlled head  20  which includes a suitable grasping element (e.g., a suction member  24  such as a suction cup) which may be controlled to both suitably attach to a cover slip  26  whereby the cover slip  26  may be moved onto the slide  14  and released for application onto the slide  14 , or may be suitably attached to a cover slip  26  on the slide  14  (e.g., by lowering the suction member  24  to the cover slip  26  and then drawing a suction in the suction member  24 ) and raised up to remove the cover slip  26  from the slide  14 . 
         [0030]    As illustrated in  FIG. 1  and further illustrated in  FIGS. 2-3 , the slides  14  may be made of a suitable material such as glass, and include suitable identifying indicia  30 . Further, though not required in all aspects of the present invention, a hydrophobic barrier  40  may also be provided on the slides  14  to contain reagents within the sample test area. Such barrier  40  may be painted on the slides  14 , or suitably provided in some other manner such as by etching, so as to provide a raised inner portion  42  around the area  44  on the slide  14  where the specimen is to be placed and a raised outer portion  46  around the inner portion  42 . A channel  48  is therefore defined between the inner and outer portions  42 ,  46 . Gaps  50  may also be advantageously provided in the raised inner portion  42  such as may allow gas or other material to pass therethrough if necessary once the specimen and cover slip  26  are located on the slide  14 . 
         [0031]    In accordance with the present invention, the sample slide is prepared as illustrated in  FIGS. 4-7 . For example, specimens to be tested by FISH may be cellular (e.g., urine and amniotic fluid) or tissue (e.g., solid tumors). The hydrophobic barrier is advantageously chosen for compatibility with the type of sample and corresponding reagents used in the assay. For example, Teflon can be used for solid tumors while epoxy can be used for urine based assays that use Carnoy&#39;s fixative in processing the sample. The samples may first be advantageously prepared on glass slides  14  having a hydrophobic painted barrier  40 . Thereafter, reagents may be added within the area framed by the barrier  40 . 
         [0032]    Typically a drop  70  with the biological specimen to be tested may advantageously be placed on the slide  14  in the specimen area  44  prior to the drops of sealing compound  60  being placed on the slide  14 . Alternatively, it should be understood that it would be within the scope of the present invention for the specimen drop  70  to be added after the drops of sealing compound  60  are added. 
         [0033]    Thereafter, drops of sealing compound  60  are placed on the slide  14  around the specimen area  44  (i.e., in the channel  48  if the slide includes a barrier  40  as illustrated). More specifically, the sealing compound  60  can be a liquid non-evaporating sealing compound such as mineral oil. Additional non-evaporating sealing compounds include vegetable and petrochemical based oils and the like. 
         [0034]    As best seen in  FIG. 4 , the drops of sealing compound  60  may be spaced around the area  44 , with it being most advantageous that the drops be sufficient in volume and nature so that they will spread out to touch each other and thereby form a closed boundary around the specimen area  44 . 
         [0035]    With both the sealing compound  60  and the specimen drop  70  on the slide  14 , the cover slip  26  may then be lowered onto the slide as illustrated in  FIG. 6 , and in the process will cause the drops  60 ,  70  to spread out, including in particularly facilitating the spreading of the sealing compound  60  within the channel  48  all the way around the specimen area  44 , to a condition such as shown in  FIG. 7 . Advantageously, the cover slip can be applied at an angle to provide a more complete seal. It should be appreciated that the compound  60  and specimen  70  will seal with the underside of the cover slip  26  through surface tension therebetween, whereby the entire assembly of slide  14  and cover slip  26  will be held together by the surface tension with the liquids  60 ,  70  therebetween. 
         [0036]    Thereafter, the prepared slide  14  may be used in an automated system such as partially illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Testing steps which require high temperatures, such as DNA hybridization, or even procedures which require long periods of time, during which evaporation could occur, can thereafter be reliably carried out in the automated system without concern that unacceptable oxidation or evaporation from the specimen area might occur, as the closed boundary defined by the sealing compound  60  will block materials from leaving the specimen area  44  through the space between the slide  14  and cover slip  26 . 
         [0037]    Moreover, during procedures in which it is necessary to remove the cover slip  26 , the suction member  24  of the apparatus  10  may reliably grasp the top of the cover slip  26  (e.g., via suction) and be retracted up to remove the cover slip  26 . Since the cover slip  26  is secured solely by the surface tension with the sealing compound  60  and the specimen drop  70 , the problem such as would occur with such apparatuses  10  with cover slips secured by rubber glue may be avoided. The surface tension, though sufficiently strong to retain the cover slip  26 , is not so strong as to hinder the reliability of the apparatus in grasping and removing the cover slip  26  when necessary. Additionally, heat may be applied to facilitate removal of the cover slip. 
         [0038]    It should be appreciated that though the present invention may be advantageously used in conjunction with fully automated systems, the method of the preparing slides of biological specimens itself may also be advantageously carried out manually. Of course, even if the slides  14  are prepared manually, significant labor may be saved in carrying out the testing due to the fact that the slides  14 , whether manually or automatically prepared, may be then used in automated systems with minimized or altogether eliminated technician intervention required. Thus, testing procedures may be reliably carried out automatically in the system (e.g., performing FISH on the specimen on the slide  14 ), even where removal of the cover slip  26  is necessary, including allowing time consuming procedures to be accomplished overnight without the presence of technicians, all also accomplished without unacceptable oxidation or evaporation from the specimen area  44 . 
         [0039]    Still other aspects, objects, and advantages of the present invention can be obtained from a study of the specification, the drawings, and the appended claims. It should be understood, however, that the present invention could be used in alternate forms where less than all of the objects and advantages of the present invention and preferred embodiment as described above would be obtained.