Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N35/00—Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor
  • G01N35/00009—Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor provided with a sample supporting tape, e.g. with absorbent zones
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
  • C12M—APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS
  • C12M41/00—Means for regulation, monitoring, measurement or control, e.g. flow regulation
  • C12M41/30—Means for regulation, monitoring, measurement or control, e.g. flow regulation of concentration
  • C12M41/36—Means for regulation, monitoring, measurement or control, e.g. flow regulation of concentration of biomass, e.g. colony counters or by turbidity measurements

Definitions

• This invention relates to apparatus for the examination of microscopic bodies using a microscope. Particularly, but not exclusively, this invention relates to apparatus for the examination of micro- organisms in samples of, for example, food and body fluids.
• An object of this invention is to provide apparatus for use in the automated examination and, optionally, enumeration of microscopic bodies such as, but not exclusively, micro-organisms.
• apparatus for the microscopic examination of microscopic bodies comprising an elongate flexible tape, means for moving the tape through the said apparatus, means for applying to a surface of the tape a quantity of liquid sample containing microscopic bodies to be examined, means for fixing the sample to the tape, a microscope stage, means permitting travel of the sample-bearing tape over the stage, a microscope focussable on the tape and means for holding the tape on the stage and in the focal plane of the microscope.
• the apparatus of this invention includes means for treating the fixed sample on the tape with treatment liquid before microscopic examination.
• the means for treating the sample with treatment liquid may be a liquid-holding bath having therein a plurality of tape-guide rollers permitting immersion of the travelling sample-carrying tape in the liquid.
• the means may have a form substantially the same as the wash/dry unit described hereinafter.
• the means for fixing the sample to the tape may be a heating block over the surface of which the tape passes.
• the apparatus may also include means for examining the sample as it passes under the microscope.
• Such means may include a photomultiplier tube for detecting brightly illuminated fluorescing microscopic bodies.
• the elongate flexible tape is conveniently of plastics material such as a polyester.
• the tape used in this invention may be provided with a generally centrally disposed dark, preferably black, stripe to provide a dark background, the tape being other- wise transparent. It may be desirable to apply the said stripe in situ by means of an ink-applying pad, brush, roller or the like.
• the means for applying the sample to the tape may be a motor-driven syringe or micropipette having a chisel point so as to smear the sample as a band on to the moving tape.
• the apparatus may also include means for sampling sequentially a plurality of discrete specimens, for example, a turntable or travelling band arrangement which presents a plurality of specimen tubes sequentially to an automatically operating sampling device which withdraws a sample of each specimen from the specimen tube and delivers it to the syringe or micropipette sample applicator and hence to the moving tape.
• the sample is fixed to the tape preferably by the application of heat,
• a heating block having a shallow channel thereon for the tape may be provided.
• the heating block is preferably heated electrically.
• the sample is fixed to the tape by the heat with or without the addition to the sample of a quantity of fixing, agent, such as alcohol, to the sample before it is applied to the tape.
• the apparatus of this invention may therefore include one or more units for effecting these steps.
• Each such unit may be a bath having therein a series of rollers enabling the tape to travel through the bath in serpentine fashion and be immersed in and the sample treated by liquid in the bath.
• the sample may be washed and dried in a wash/dry unit, which may also, preferably, be used for the treatment steps, which includes a block having a channel with a perforate floor and a drainage channel below.
• the tape travels atop the perforate floor and jets of wash liquid or treatment liquid are delivered on to the sample.
• the final drying of the sample may be effected by delivery on to the tape of a stream of warm air or in a second heating block of the type used for fixing the sample.
• the fixed, treated dry sample-bearing tape passes across a specially adapted microscope stage which includes means for holding the sample in the plane of focus of the microscope.
• the microscopes incorporate- an automatic focussing facility.
• the microscope stage has a shallow tape-carrying channel and a pair of rows, transverse to the tape, of apertures. suction being applied to the apertures to draw the tape into tight contact with the floor of the channel on to which the microscope is focussed.
• Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of apparatus of this invention
• Fig. 2A shows the wash/dry or treatment unit shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2B is a cross-section thereof;
• Fig. 3 is a detail of the adapted microscope stage indicated in Fig. 1;
• Fig. 4 shows a cassette arrangement containing various parts of the apparatus and will be described later;
• apparatus for examining microscopic bodies 1 has a tape dispenser 2 having a dispensing reel 3, a take-up spool 4 and means, not shown, for winding a tape 5 from reel 3 to spool 4 through various intermediate stages of the apparatus 1.
• the tape 5 passes below a sample applicator 6 which is a motor or otherwise driven syringe 7 which dispenses liquid sample on to the tape 5 via a chisel-tipped needle 8 positioned so as to deliver a band or smear of sample on to the tape 5.
• the dispensing reel 3 and the applicator 6 there may be provided means (not shown) for applying a dark ink stripe on to the tape.
• the sample is then applied on to the stripe.
• the tape 5 then passes over a heating block 9 where the sample is heat-fixed to the tape 5.
• Treatment stage 10 is an immersion bath 11 for holding a liquid such as a biological staining medium, having a series of rollers 12, 12' (etc.) around which the tape 5 passes in serpentine fashion while immersed in the treatment liquid.
• the residence time of the tape in the bath 11 is determined not only by its speed but also by the number of times it folds back and forth around the rollers.
• the tape 5 is washed and dried in wash/ dry unit 13 (shown in detail in Fig. 2).
• the tape may also be washed and/or dried between baths when more than one is used.
• the treatment stage 10 described above may be re ⁇ placed by a treatment unit of generally similar construc ⁇ tion to the wash/dry unit 13 which will be described in detail later.
• the tape passes below the microscope 14 for examination and hence on to take-up spool 4.
• the tape passes below the microscope it lies in a shallow channel on the microscope stage 15 and is pulled into tight contact with the stage by means of a pair of transverse rows of apertures through which suction is applied to the tape to draw it on to the floor of the channel.
• a sub-stage 16 allows fine adjustment of the position of the tape below the lens of the microscope to centre the sample in the field of view.
• Fig. 2 shows the wash/dry unit 13, which may also be used as a treatment stage, in more detail.
• a block of plastics material 131 has a channel 132 with shoulder 133.
• a first perforate plate 134 and second perforate plate 135 locate upon the shoulder 133.
• a drainage channel 136 is formed below the perforate plates 134 and 135 and the floor of channel 132.
• a top closure device 137 of generally similar construction fits on to the block 131.
• Perforate plate 138 within the top closure 137 has a pair of side by side longitudinal protrusions 139 which, in use come into contact with the edges of the tape, leaving a central channel 140 through whichthe sample-bearing portion passes.
• Wash liquid normally water or treatment liquid such as stain or buffer solution is pumped under pressure on to the fixed sample. The used liquid is drained away via channel 136 in the base unit.
• Fig. 3 shows the microscope stage 15. It is a block of material 151 having a channel 152 for guiding the tape. A pair of rows of apertures 153 extend trans ⁇ versely across the direction of travel of the tape. Suction is applied to these two rows of apertures 153 to draw the tape flat on to the floor of channel 152. The stage 15 is located such that the area between the rows ot apertures 153 is in the field of view of the micro ⁇ scope which is then focussed on to the sample.
• Fig. 4 shows a cassette unit which is a flat plas ⁇ tics container 20 having a recess 21 for locating the sample applicator and heating block (6,9).
• the con- tainer also contains a reel of tape 22.
• the lower end of container 20 provides a treatment bath 11 with its associated rollers 12, 12' etc., the tape being threaded around these rollers.
• a wash/dry unit 13 may be provided within the cassette or an aperture in each wall may permit such unit to be inserted.
• the apparatus of this invention is intended for counting micro-organisms which have been visualised using the fluorescent staining technique which is the subject of British Patent No. 1,503,828 in which numerous examples of fluorescent staining techniques for various micro-organisms are disclosed and to which reference is directed.
• this invention is of much wider application than the counting of fluorescing micro-organisms.
• u__ing available techniques for size, shape and colour discrimination the system may be used to identify and enumerate specific micro-organisms in the presence of others, conduct particle size analysis and similar measurements.
• the bodies being examined need not be fluorescent.
• Example 1 illustrate various chemical staining procedures but many systems are available for use in respect of different microscopic bodies. Many suitable procedures are given in our British Patent No. 1,503,828. Example 1

Landscapes

• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Bioinformatics & Cheminformatics (AREA)
• Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
• Biochemistry (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Zoology (AREA)
• Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Biomedical Technology (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Biotechnology (AREA)
• Microbiology (AREA)
• Sustainable Development (AREA)
• Pathology (AREA)
• Immunology (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Genetics & Genomics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Sampling And Sample Adjustment (AREA)
• Investigating Or Analysing Biological Materials (AREA)
• Detergent Compositions (AREA)
• Glass Compositions (AREA)
• Microscoopes, Condenser (AREA)
• Investigating, Analyzing Materials By Fluorescence Or Luminescence (AREA)

Priority Applications (2)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

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Cited By (2)

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Citations (5)

• 1984
  • 1984-05-25 GB GB848413425A patent/GB8413425D0/en active Pending
• 1985
  • 1985-05-24 CA CA000482292A patent/CA1264117A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1985-05-28 WO PCT/GB1985/000227 patent/WO1985005691A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1985-05-28 AU AU44070/85A patent/AU4407085A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1985-05-28 EP EP85902595A patent/EP0185698A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 1985-05-28 JP JP60502456A patent/JPS61502279A/ja active Pending
• 1986
  • 1986-01-22 DK DK31886A patent/DK31886A/da not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1986-01-24 NO NO860266A patent/NO860266L/no unknown
  • 1986-01-24 FI FI860358A patent/FI860358A0/fi not_active Application Discontinuation

Patent Citations (5)

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