-----Original Message-----
From: Morken, Tim <tim9@cdc.gov>
To: histonet@pathology.swmed.edu <histonet@pathology.swmed.edu>
Date: Monday, September 11, 2000 3:00 PM
Subject: RE: patchy staining on our Labvision


>Amos,
>
>We don't see any problem with uneven staining on our dako machines. I check
>each run to see if the reagents are dispersing completely and have never
>seen a problem with that; even tissues a opposite ends of the slides stain
>fine. As you say, you do have to be sure the machine is level but even with
>slight leveling irregularities I haven't seen any problems with patchiness
>of staining. Could you be dispensing less reagent than is needed?
>
>Tim Morken, BA, EMT(MSA), HTL(ASCP)
>Infectious Disease Pathology Activity
>Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
>Ms-G32
>1600 Clifton Road
>Atlanta, GA 30333
>USA
>
>PH: 404-639-3964
>FAX: 404-639-3043
>
>email: tim9@cdc.gov
>
>
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Amos Brooks [mailto:atbrooks@snet.net]
>Sent: Sunday, September 10, 2000 10:00 AM
>To: Jakrobsmith@aol.com
>Cc: histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
>Subject: patchy staining on our Labvision
>
>
>Hi,
>    This is a notorious staining problem. I thought it might be fixation
>related so I ran two slides from the same block in different parts of the
>stainer (DAKO = LabVision right?) one slide had uneven staining the other
>didn't. The sections were treated identically. Next I thought the
instrument
>was not level so I checked that. First the instrument was not level, so I
>fixed
>it, then I noticed that depending on where on the machine you are checking
>it
>was never level. The racks were warped, DAKO was fantastic about replacing
>them. So, finally the instrument was level and the racks were even. The
>uneven
>staining still OCCASIONALLY reared its ugly head. So we tried changing the
>slides (perhaps there was an uneven coating on the slides) Even with
>uncoated
>slides it still occurred.
>    The situation is not always there. Often there is no problem at all. I
>call
>this a ghost problem. I really think the solution is occasionally not
>getting
>dispersed properly on the slide. (Yes there is Tween in the buffer) I would
>like to hear from people to see how common this situation is. Does anyone
>using
>a Biogenex Optimax see this problem? I'm sure NexEs users dont (the
>solutions
>are basically stirred).
>baffled.
>Amos Brooks
>
>Jakrobsmith@aol.com wrote:
>
>> Many thanks for all the replies regarding processing machines and the
>> autostainer. It seems that everyone loves the VIP. We do not use coated
>> slides on our staining machine for our H&Es but you may have solved
>another
>> problem for us. We are also experiencing patchy staining on our Labvision
>> immunostainer which could be down to the coated slides.
>> Many many thanks to all of you.
>> Jackie (Frustrated Histologist) England.
>
>