Some info about staining blood slides.
----- Original Message -----
*From:* Rawding, Robert S <RAWDING001@xxxxxxxxxx>
<mailto:RAWDING001@xxxxxxxxxx>
*To:* <HAPS-L@xxxxxxxxxxx> <mailto:HAPS-L@xxxxxxxxxxx>
*Cc:*
*Date:* Saturday, February 10 2007 10:15 AM
*Subject:* [HAPS-L] Req. info re: Unopettes vendor(s) + product
praise (not a paid endorsement!)
Hello, HAPSters,
I'm looking for a distributor for Becton-Dickinson Unopette System
dilution capsules / pipettors for RBC and WBC cell counting on
hemacytometers. I was on a 3-way call with a Fisher rep and a B-D
rep who informed me that they were - at least for now - being
discontinued. I have enough remaining for this semester, but will
need some for a summer A&P 2 lab that begins in late June.
If you can point me toward another vendor that may have some in
stock, I'd appreciate it.
I'm also here to extoll the Fisher PROTOCOL Hema 3 staining system
that I tried for the first time this semester, after many
frustrations with Wright's and Giemsa staining methods for blood
smears. I was completely amazed at the simplicity and excellence
with this product - although it is a little pricey (the three
500mL bottle set runs about $150). After air-drying thin blood
smears, the entire fix/stain process, except for final drying of
the slides, took about 30 seconds. And, in my humble opinion, the
leukocyte staining was far better than I have ever seen before -
with Wright's or Giemsa, even when both are made fresh / filtered
on the day they are used.
It is a 3-part stain that requires 3 to 5 one-second dips in each
of the 3 reagents, then followed with about a 10 sec rinse with
deionized water. I just poured each solution in its own coplin jar
and students did their own staining after watching me do my own
smear. The cell morphology was very good, and for differential
leukocyte counts we saw excellent results.
As we have all observed, K.I.S.S. (keep it simple, students!)
Thanks.
Bob
Robert S. Rawding, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Biology
Gannon University
109 University Square
Erie, PA 16541
Phone: (814) 871-5872
FAX: (814) 871-5757