Tissue processing method

DETAILED DESCRIPTION I claim: 1.
A method of processing a tissue specimen, comprising the steps of suspending the specimen in condensing vapours of a volatile dehydrating agent, condensing the vapours on the specimen, and permitting the condensed vapours of the dehydrating agent to penetrate throughout the specimen and to be absorbed thereby until the moisture therein has been completely displaced.
2.
The method of claim 1, wherein the dehydrated specimen is suspended in condensing vapours of a clearing agent and the condensed vapours of the clearing agent are permitted to penetrate through the dehydrated specimen until the dehydrating agent has been displaced.
3.
The method of claim 2, wherein the specimen is successively suspended in the vapours of the dehydrating agent and of the clearing agent boiling at the same temperature to produce the respective vapours.
4.
The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of adjusting the atmospheric pressure wherein the specimen is suspended to cause the agent to vapourize at a selected temperature.




Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention concerns processing of histological and like tissue specimens by suspending them in the condensing vapours of a volatile processing fluid .
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In my parent U.
S.
Pat.
No.
4,099,483, I have disclosed tissue processing apparatus which comprises a vessel defining a vapour space above a receptacle for volatile processing liquid, heating means for vaporising the volatile processing liquid in the receptacle and, near the upper end of the vapour space, means for effecting condensation of vapour in the upper part of the vapour space and for returning condensate to the receptacle.
The apparatus preferably includes at least two receptacles for different volatile liquids and means for bringing a selected receptacle into position for cooperation with the heating means; thus the vapour space may be selectively charged with the vapour of two or more different fluids.
This invention is particularly applicable to the treatment of tissue specimens sequentially with dehydrating and clearing agents (for instance with alcohol and xylene, respectively) in the stages preceding wax impregnation in the preparation of such specimens for sectioning, for example