Hematoxylin stainer system

Abstract

Methods and compositions for removing precipitates or reducing the formation of precipitates generated in hematoxylin solutions. The methods and compositions feature cleaning solutions that feature chemical compounds that initiate processes including but not limited to acidification of the waste solution, chelation of metal ions in the waste solution, reduction reactions, oxidation reactions, and metal salt addition reactions.

1 . An automated hematoxylin stainer, comprising:
 a source of a fresh hematoxylin solution;   a hematoxylin dispenser;   a staining system to receive the fresh hematoxylin solution from the hematoxylin dispenser and contact a biological sample with the fresh hematoxylin solution, wherein a hematoxylin waste solution is generated once the fresh hematoxylin solution contacts the biological sample;   a hematoxylin waste system to collect the hematoxylin waste solution;   a fluid path between the source of the fresh hematoxylin solution and the hematoxylin waste system;   a cleaning system, wherein the cleaning system includes a source of a cleaning composition and injects the cleaning composition into at least a portion of the fluid path, and wherein the cleaning composition comprises one or more of an aluminum chelator or complexing agent, an acid, an oxidizing agent, and a metal salt; and,   a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory stores computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising instructing the cleaning system to inject the cleaning composition into the at least a portion of the fluid path without the cleaning composition contacting the biological sample.   
     
     
         2 . The automated hematoxylin stainer of  claim 1 , wherein the hematoxylin waste system includes a waste container and the cleaning system further includes a separate dispenser disposed to inject the cleaning composition into the waste container. 
     
     
         3 . The automated hematoxylin stainer of  claim 1  wherein the automated hematoxylin stainer comprises a batch stainer and further includes a hematoxylin reservoir as part of its staining system. 
     
     
         4 . The automated hematoxylin stainer of  claim 1 , wherein the staining system comprises an individual sample stainer and the hematoxylin waste solution comprises hematoxylin solution that has been removed or washed off the biological sample in the staining system. 
     
     
         5 . The automated hematoxylin stainer of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning composition is injected by the cleaning system into an area of the hematoxylin stainer that accumulates a hematoxylin precipitate. 
     
     
         6 . The automated hematoxylin stainer of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning composition is injected by the cleaning system into an area of the hematoxylin stainer that comes in contact with the fresh hematoxylin solution. 
     
     
         7 . The automated hematoxylin stainer of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning composition is injected by the cleaning system into an area of the hematoxylin stainer that comes in contact with the hematoxylin waste solution. 
     
     
         8 . The automated hematoxylin stainer of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning system includes one or more separate dispensers positioned to inject the cleaning composition into or onto components of the automated hematoxylin staining system that are disposed between the hematoxylin dispenser and the hematoxylin waste system and that do not come in contact with the biological sample, and wherein the the processor executes instructions stored in the memory to inject the cleaning composition either periodically or continuously. 
     
     
         9 . The automated hematoxylin stainer of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning system dispenses the cleaning composition into a fluid path portion between the source of fresh hematoxylin and the hematoxylin dispenser, and the memory stores computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising instructing the cleaning system to inject the cleaning composition into the fluid path portion only before or after a staining cycle. 
     
     
         10 . The automated hematoxylin stainer of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning system further comprises a separate fluid path to deliver the cleaning solution into or onto the hematoxylin dispenser. 
     
     
         11 . The automated hematoxylin stainer of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning system injects the cleaning composition into or onto components of the staining system that are disposed between the hematoxylin dispenser and the hematoxylin waste system and do not come in contact with the biological sample. 
     
     
         12 . The automated hematoxylin stainer of  claim 11 , wherein the cleaning composition is injected by the cleaning system continuously. 
     
     
         13 . The automated hematoxylin stainer of  claim 1 , wherein the hematoxylin waste system include a drip tray, and the cleaning system injects the cleaning solution into the drip tray. 
     
     
         14 . The automated hematoxylin stainer of  claim 3 , wherein the waste hematoxylin solution is purged from the hematoxylin reservoir after a set number of staining cycles or a set number of samples have been stained, and wherein the cleaning solution is injected into the hematoxylin reservoir before, during or after the hematoxylin reservoir is purged. 
     
     
         15 . The automated hematoxylin stainer of  claim 3 , wherein the cleaning composition is injected into the hematoxylin reservoir every time the hematoxylin reservoir is purged. 
     
     
         16 . The automated hematoxylin stainer of  claim 3 , wherein the stainer further includes a drainage valve or a vacuum nozzle for removing waste hematoxylin from the hematoxylin reservoir. 
     
     
         17 . The automated hematoxylin stainer of  claim 4 , wherein the hematoxylin waste system includes a vacuum nozzle to remove the waste hematoxylin solution directly from the biological sample. 
     
     
         18 . The automated hematoxylin stainer of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning system injects the cleaning composition to one or more components of the waste system, wherein the one or more components of the waste system is one or more of a waste valve, a manifold, a vacuum line, a vacuum reservoir, a manifold valve, a waste tray, a tray strainer, a waste line strainer, a fitting, and a pump line.