An automated system for processing a sample contained in a liquid sample container includes an automated tool head configured to rotate about a first axis, and to translate along a second axis different than the first axis, an analytic element positioner having an analytic element holder configured to releasably grip an analytic element, and a specimen transfer device carried by the tool head, wherein the tool head is configured to automatically position a working end of the specimen transfer device to obtain a specimen from a sample container held in the sample container holder, and to transfer the obtained specimen to an analytic element held by the analytic element holder, respectively, through one or both of rotation of the tool head about the first axis and translation of the tool head along the second axis.

A tissue processing system for processing a laboratory slide includes a slide holder for holding the slide, an outlet port positioned to direct a fluid stream onto the slide, and a device for moving the slide holder relative to the outlet port, or vice versa, to adjust a point on the slide at which the fluid stream is delivered onto the laboratory slide. The slide holder includes an absorbent pad configured to be positioned between one wall of the plurality of walls and a free edge of the slide for absorbing fluid travelling along the slide. A manifold of the system includes a first outlet port that directs a first fluid stream from a first fluid passageway onto the slide, and a second outlet port that directs a second fluid stream from a second fluid passageway onto a location of the slide that differs from the first fluid stream.

An integrated pathology system includes a tissue embedding module configured to embed a tissue sample into an embedding material to prepare a tissue block, a sectioning and slide creating module configured to remove one or more tissue sections from the tissue block and place the one or more tissue sections onto one or more slides, a staining module configured to stain the one or more tissue sections on the slides, and a cover-slipper module configured to place a cover onto the one or more stained tissue sections. The system further includes one or more transfer devices configured to integrate the modules and a processor in communication with the modules for controlling one or more processes performed by the modules and the one or more transfer devices for controlling the integration of the modules.

This disclosure pertains to methods and apparatus for drying bio-specimens.

A method and apparatus for preparing samples for imaging under cryogenic conditions or diffraction experiments under cryogenic conditions in an electron microscope. One version of the method involves: partially submerging a flat sample carrier with sample material vertically into a reservoir containing a cryogenic liquid until all areas with sample material are positioned below the surface of the cryogenic liquid; vitrifying the sample material at least one stream of cryogenic liquid to each considerable side of the sample material on the flat sample carrier at or directly below the surface of the cryogenic liquid in the reservoir; and fully submerging the flat sample carrier with the vitrified sample material into the cryogenic liquid to cool the flat sample carrier to a temperature below about 136 K. Variations of the method and various features of the apparatus are described.

A sample staining device, comprising a staining platform provided with a staining solution and cleaning solution supply part; glass slide support structures located on either side of the staining platform and forming a certain clearance between a glass slide and the staining platform; and a glass slide driving mechanism that enables the glass slide to move while maintaining a certain clearance from the staining platform. When said device works, a staining solution is supplied to the staining platform, and a convex liquid surface is formed due to surface tension; when the glass slide moves to the convex liquid surface of the staining solution, the staining solution infiltrates and diffuses in the clearance formed between the staining platform and the glass slide to cover the glass slide so as to stain a sample; and after the glass slide is stained, a cleaning solution is supplied to clean the residual staining solution.

Systems and methods for recovering content of a sample from a microcapillary array are provided. The microcapillary array includes a plurality of microcapillary wells. A laser is positioned to target a first microcapillary well in the plurality of microcap-wells. The laser pulses at least one time at the first microcapillary well. The content from the first microcapillary well is extracted, recovering the content of the first microcapillary well.

An assembly for forming a microchamber for an inverted substrate is disclosed. The assembly can include a body having a chamber formed therein. A dispensing cavity can be provided to supply a reagent to the chamber. A slide support structure can be configured to support the slide such that the tissue sample faces the chamber when the slide is mounted to the slide support structure. The chamber and the slide support structure can be dimensioned such that, when the reagent is supplied to the dispensing cavity, the reagent is drawn to the chamber by way of capillary forces acting on the reagent.

An automated tape transfer apparatus including a tape feed mechanism feeding a continuous length of an adhesive tape through the automated tape transfer apparatus and a tape applicator applying the adhesive tape to a cutting face of a sample block, wherein a section of the sample block is adhered to the adhesive tape after cutting of the section from the sample block. A slide station transfers the cut section from the adhesive tape to a slide.

A smear system includes smear preparing apparatus that prepares a smear slide and a smear transporting apparatus that transports the smear slide to a smear-image capture apparatus. The smear preparing apparatus includes: a smear preparation part that smeares a sample on a slide; and a smear arrangement part that places smear slides in a smear container. The smear transporting apparatus includes: a smear-container transport part that transports the smear container with the smear slides; an identification-information acquisition part that acquires identification information on whether image capturing by the smear-image capture apparatus is necessary, from each of the smear slides accommodated in the smear container positioned on a transport path of the smear-container transport part; and a smear transfer part that transfers the smear slide whose image is to be captured to the smear-image capture apparatus on the basis of the identification information acquired by the identification-information acquisition part.