Collecting and shaping structure for manufacturing cell wax blocks

Abstract

The utility model discloses a collecting and shaping structure for manufacturing a cell wax block, and relates to the field of pathology, the collecting and shaping structure comprises a shaping part for shaping cells and a water-permeable and cell-impermeable separating part, the shaping part is provided with an inlet end and an outlet end, the outlet end comprises a shaping section and an outlet, the shaping section is surrounded by a side wall to form a shape required to be endowed by the cells, and the separating part is provided with a water-permeable and cell-impermeable separating part. The outlet is located in the end, away from the inlet end, of the side wall, the section size of the shaping section is gradually increased or kept unchanged in the direction close to the outlet, and the separating part wraps the outlet and is detachably connected with the shaping section. By adopting the shaping component for shaping cells and the water-permeable and cell-impermeable separation component, an original sample is poured into the shaping component from the inlet end, and moisture in the original sample penetrates through the separation component through gravity, adsorption force or centrifugal force, so that the moisture is removed, and cell components are retained. In the process of removing moisture, cell components can be naturally enriched on the separation part according to the shape of the shaping section, so that shaping is synchronously completed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of pathology, and in particular to a collection and shaping structure for the preparation of cell paraffin blocks. Background Technology

[0002] Pathology is the "gold standard" for disease diagnosis. Its main method involves dehydrating the tissue or cells to be tested with ethanol, then removing the ethanol with xylene, and finally embedding them in liquid paraffin to create a "paraffin block." This block is then sliced ​​into ultrathin sections to form a translucent cross-section, and finally observed under a microscope for diagnosis. Pathological diagnostic samples are generally divided into two types: tissue and cells. Tissue samples are monolithic and therefore maintain their shape throughout the processing. Cell samples, however, are dispersed and require not only collection but also appropriate shaping to preserve their overall shape during embedding, thus facilitating focused observation under a microscope.

[0003] Among the various methods known to the applicant, cells are collected first and then transferred and deformed. This is not only inefficient but also prone to component loss during the operation. This is especially problematic for samples with very few cells, such as urine and cerebrospinal fluid, which can easily lead to false negatives. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a collection and shaping structure for the fabrication of cell wax blocks, in order to solve the problems existing in the prior art. It can realize the simultaneous and lossless collection and shaping of raw samples containing cellular components in the same instrument, which greatly improves the efficiency of cell wax block fabrication and effectively avoids component loss. It also enables samples with very low cellular component content to be successfully fabricated into cell wax blocks.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides the following solution:

[0006] A collection and shaping structure for cell wax block fabrication includes a shaping component for shaping cells and a water-permeable but cell-impermeable separation component. The shaping component has an inlet end and an outlet end. The outlet end includes a shaping segment and an outlet. The shaping segment is surrounded by sidewalls to form the shape to be given to the cells. The outlet is located at the end of the shaping segment away from the inlet end. The cross-sectional dimensions of the shaping segment gradually increase or remain constant along the direction close to the outlet. The separation component at least covers the outlet and is detachably connected to the shaping segment.

[0007] In an exemplary embodiment, the shaping component is a pipe with openings at both ends, one end of which is an inlet and the other end is an outlet. The cross-sectional dimensions of the pipe gradually increase or remain constant along the direction from the inlet to the outlet.

[0008] In one exemplary embodiment, the separating component at least covers the outlet end of the pipe fitting and is detachably fixed to the outer periphery of the outlet end of the pipe fitting.

[0009] In one exemplary embodiment, the separation component is one or more of thin cotton paper, lens paper, and cell wax embedding paper.

[0010] In one exemplary embodiment, the centrifuge is also included, and the shaping component is fixedly disposed inside the centrifuge, with the outlet end of the shaping component being away from the rotation axis of the centrifuge.

[0011] In one exemplary embodiment, the device further includes a moisture-absorbing component, the top surface of which has a vertical groove for accommodating the shaping segment and the separating component, the shape of which matches the shape-absorbing segment.

[0012] In one exemplary embodiment, the separating component completely covers the shaping segment.

[0013] In one exemplary embodiment, the end of the separating component away from the outlet protrudes from the groove.

[0014] In one exemplary embodiment, the system further includes a support for mounting the shaping component, wherein the shaping component, supported by the support, causes the outlet to point vertically downward.

[0015] In one exemplary embodiment, the bracket includes a support rod and a clamping portion, the inlet end or the shaping segment of the shaping component is fixed in the clamping portion, and the outlet is vertically downward.

[0016] The present invention achieves the following technical advantages over the prior art:

[0017] By employing a cell-shaping component and a water-permeable but cell-impermeable separation component, the shaping component has an inlet and an outlet. The outlet includes a shaping segment and an outlet. The shaping segment is formed by sidewalls surrounding the cell to achieve the desired shape. The outlet is located at the end of the sidewall furthest from the inlet. The cross-sectional dimensions of the shaping segment gradually increase or remain constant towards the outlet. The separation component covers the outlet and is detachably connected to the shaping segment. In use, the original sample is poured into the shaping component from the inlet. Water in the original sample passes through the separation component through gravity, adsorption, or centrifugal force, removing the water while retaining the cellular components. During water removal, the cellular components naturally accumulate on the separation component according to the shape of the shaping segment, completing the shaping process simultaneously. This allows for the simultaneous, lossless collection and shaping of cellular components from the original sample within the same instrument, significantly improving the efficiency of cell block production and effectively preventing component loss. Even samples with very low cellular component content can be successfully processed into cell blocks. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the collection and shaping structure for cell wax block preparation disclosed in this utility model.

[0020] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A sectional view;

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a sponge column structure;

[0022] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of the sponge column in the image;

[0023] Figure 5 To Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure after the shaping component and the separating component are installed in the groove;

[0024] Figure 6 To Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure after adding the original sample;

[0025] Figure 7 for Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure after the collection and shaping of cell components;

[0026] Among them, 1. shaping component; 2. separating component; 3. inlet end; 4. outlet end; 5. outlet; 6. side wall; 7. liquid suction component; 8. groove; 9. original sample; 10. cell component. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present utility model from the content disclosed in this specification. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0028] It should be understood that the structures, proportions, sizes, etc., depicted in the accompanying drawings are merely for illustrative purposes to aid those skilled in the art and to facilitate understanding. They are not intended to limit the implementation of this utility model and therefore have no substantial technical significance. Any modifications to the structure, changes in proportions, or adjustments to size, without affecting the effectiveness and purpose of this utility model, should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed herein. In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "longitudinal," "lateral," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings. They are merely for the convenience of describing this utility model and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. Therefore, features specified with "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of those features. In the description of this utility model, unless otherwise stated, "multiple" means two or more.

[0029] It should also be noted that in the embodiments of this application, the same reference numerals are used to denote the same component or the same part.

[0030] The purpose of this invention is to provide a collection and shaping structure for the fabrication of cell wax blocks, in order to solve the problems existing in the prior art. It can realize the simultaneous and lossless collection and shaping of raw samples containing cellular components in the same instrument, which greatly improves the efficiency of cell wax block fabrication and effectively avoids component loss. It also enables samples with very low cellular component content to be successfully fabricated into cell wax blocks.

[0031] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features and advantages of this utility model more apparent and understandable, the utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0032] Please refer to Figures 1 to 7 This embodiment provides a collection and shaping structure for cell wax block fabrication, including a shaping component 1 for shaping cells and a water-permeable but cell-impermeable separation component 2. The shaping component 1 has an inlet end 3 and an outlet end 4. The outlet end 4 includes a shaping segment and an outlet 5. The shaping segment is surrounded by a sidewall 6 to form the shape that the cell needs to be given, such as a circle, ellipse, polygon, or polygon. The outlet 5 is located at the end of the shaping segment away from the inlet end 3. The cross-sectional dimensions of the shaping segment gradually increase or remain unchanged along the direction close to the outlet 5. The separation component 2 at least covers the outlet 5 and is detachably connected to the shaping segment.

[0033] The working principle of this embodiment is as follows: During use, the original sample 9 is poured into the shaping component 1 from the inlet 3. The water in the original sample 9 passes through the separation component 2 by gravity, adsorption, or centrifugal force, removing the water while retaining the cellular component 10. During the water removal process, the cellular component 10 will naturally accumulate on the separation component 2 according to the shape of the shaping segment, completing the shaping process simultaneously. In this way, the original sample 9 containing cellular component 10 can be simultaneously and losslessly collected and shaped in the same instrument, greatly improving the efficiency of cell block production and effectively avoiding component loss. This allows even samples with very low cellular component 10 content to be successfully made into cell blocks.

[0034] Specifically, the shaping component 1 is a tube open at both ends, with one end being the inlet end 3 and the other end being the outlet end 4. The cross-sectional dimensions of the tube gradually increase or remain constant from the inlet end 3 to the outlet end 4. This design allows the cell components 10 enriched on the separating component 2 to detach completely from the shaping section after component collection and shaping, without being interfered with or trapped by the sidewall 6 of the shaping section. The separating component 2 at least covers the outlet end 4 of the tube and is detachably fixed to the outer periphery of the outlet end 4, such as by using a compression structure, strapping, or adhesive bonding. The water-permeable but cell-permeable separating component 2 is a mature technology, and commercially available finished products such as thin cotton paper, lens cleaning paper, or professional cell embedding paper used in pathology can be selected.

[0035] As a preferred embodiment, the system further includes a moisture-absorbing component 7. The top surface of the moisture-absorbing component 7 has a vertical groove 8 for accommodating the shaping section and the separating component 2. The shape of the groove 8 matches that of the shaping section. The separating component 2 completely covers the shaping section. Preferably, the separating component 2 completely covers the shaping section, and the end of the separating component 2 away from the outlet protrudes from the groove 8 to facilitate easier removal of the separating component 2 from the groove 8.

[0036] The following will provide a detailed explanation using specific examples:

[0037] Take a plastic tube with open ends, an inner diameter of 15mm and a length of 45mm as the shaping component 1, and use cell wax block embedding paper as the separation component 2. Wrap the cell wax block embedding paper around the plastic tube to form a semi-sealed component with one end closed and the other end open. The open end is the inlet end 3, and the closed end is the outlet end 4.

[0038] Take an absorbent sponge column with a cylindrical groove 8 in the middle and a diameter larger than that of the plastic sleeve as the liquid absorption component 7. The shape and size of the groove 8 match that of the plastic sleeve. Insert the end of the plastic sleeve wrapped with cell wax block embedding paper into the groove 8 of the sponge column. After it is fully inserted, a three-layer nested assembly is formed in which the surface of the plastic sleeve in contact with the sponge column is completely isolated by the cell wax block embedding paper, and the opening faces upward.

[0039] During use, place the sponge column flat on the table with the opening of the plastic sleeve facing upwards. Pour approximately 5 mL of the original sample 9 directly into the opening of the plastic sleeve. Since only the cell embedding paper at the bottom of the plastic sleeve is permeable to water, the sponge column can only absorb water through the bottom of the plastic sleeve. Simultaneously, the cell embedding paper on the side wall 6 of the plastic sleeve, also wetted by water, will be continuously absorbed by the surrounding sponge. However, cell components 10 can only be collected through the bottom of the plastic sleeve. As the liquid level decreases, cell components 10 gradually accumulate along the bottom of the plastic sleeve. Finally, the water is absorbed by the sponge column, and all cell components 10 are enriched without loss on the cell embedding paper layer at the bottom of the plastic sleeve. The overall shape of the enriched cell components 10 will inevitably be circular at the bottom of the plastic sleeve.

[0040] Thus, this embodiment has completed the collection of all cellular components 10 from the 5ml original sample 9, and simultaneously formed the cellular components 10 enriched on the cell paraffin embedding paper into a cylindrical shape with a diameter of 15mm, thus completing the shaping process.

[0041] Finally, gently remove the plastic sleeve, then gently pull out the cell paraffin block embedding paper and place it directly into the embedding cassette for the next embedding step.

[0042] As another preferred embodiment, a centrifuge is also included. The shaping component 1 is fixedly installed inside the centrifuge. The outlet end 4 of the shaping component 1 is far away from the rotation axis of the centrifuge, so that the water in the original sample 9 is thrown out by centrifugal force. At the same time, the cell components 10 in the original sample 9 are enriched on the separation component 2 of the outlet 5 section under the action of centrifugal force and are given the corresponding shape by the outlet 5 section.

[0043] As another preferred embodiment, it also includes a bracket for mounting the shaping component 1. The bracket includes a support rod and a clamping part. The inlet end 3 or shaping section of the shaping component 1 is fixed in the clamping part. The shaping component 1 is supported by the bracket so that the outlet 5 is vertically downward, thereby using gravity to allow the water in the original sample 9 to pass through the separation component 2.

[0044] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0045] If this utility model discloses or relates to mutually fixedly connected parts or structural components, then, unless otherwise stated, a fixed connection can be understood as: a detachable fixed connection (e.g., using bolts or screws), or a non-detachable fixed connection (e.g., riveting, welding). Of course, mutually fixed connections can also be replaced by an integral structure (e.g., manufactured using a casting process) (except where it is obviously impossible to use an integral forming process).

[0046] In addition, unless otherwise stated, the terms used to indicate positional relationships or shapes in any of the technical solutions disclosed in this utility model above include states or shapes that are similar to, close to, or approximate with them.

[0047] Any component provided by this utility model can be assembled from multiple individual components, or it can be a single component manufactured by a one-piece molding process.

[0048] Any adaptive changes made according to actual needs are within the protection scope of this utility model.

[0049] It should be noted that, for those skilled in the art, it is obvious that this utility model is not limited to the details of the above exemplary embodiments, and that it can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of this utility model. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered exemplary and non-limiting in all respects, and the scope of this utility model is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, it is intended that all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims be included within this utility model. No reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

[0050] This utility model uses specific examples to illustrate its principles and implementation methods. The above description of the embodiments is only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core idea of ​​this utility model. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope based on the idea of ​​this utility model. In summary, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model.

Claims

1. A collection and shaping structure for preparing cell paraffin blocks, characterized in that: The device includes a shaping component for shaping cells and a water-permeable but cell-impermeable separation component. The shaping component has an inlet end and an outlet end. The outlet end includes a shaping segment and an outlet. The shaping segment is surrounded by sidewalls to form the shape that the cell needs to be given. The outlet is located at the end of the shaping segment away from the inlet end. The cross-sectional dimensions of the shaping segment gradually increase or remain constant in the direction close to the outlet. The separation component at least covers the outlet and is detachably connected to the shaping segment.

2. The collection and shaping structure for cell paraffin block preparation according to claim 1, characterized in that: The shaping component is a pipe with openings at both ends. One end of the pipe is the inlet end, and the other end is the outlet end. The cross-sectional dimensions of the pipe gradually increase or remain constant along the direction from the inlet end to the outlet end.

3. The collection and shaping structure for cell paraffin block preparation according to claim 2, characterized in that: The separating component at least covers the outlet end of the pipe fitting and is detachably fixed to the outer periphery of the outlet end of the pipe fitting.

4. The collection and shaping structure for cell paraffin block preparation according to claim 1, characterized in that: The separation component is made of one or more of the following: thin cotton paper, lens paper, and cell wax block embedding paper.

5. The collection and shaping structure for preparing cell paraffin blocks according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that: It also includes a centrifuge, and the shaping component is fixedly disposed inside the centrifuge, with the outlet end of the shaping component being away from the rotation axis of the centrifuge.

6. The collection and shaping structure for cell paraffin block preparation according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that: It also includes a liquid-absorbing component that can absorb moisture, wherein the top surface of the liquid-absorbing component has a vertical groove for accommodating the shaping section and the separating component, and the shape of the groove matches the shaping section.

7. The collection and shaping structure for cell paraffin block preparation according to claim 6, characterized in that: The separating component completely covers the shaping segment.

8. The collection and shaping structure for cell paraffin block preparation according to claim 7, characterized in that: The end of the separating component away from the outlet protrudes from the groove.

9. The collection and shaping structure for cell paraffin block preparation according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that: It also includes a support for mounting the shaping component, which, under the support of the support, makes the outlet vertically downward.

10. The collection and shaping structure for cell paraffin block fabrication according to claim 9, characterized in that: The bracket includes a support rod and a clamping part. The inlet end or the shaping section of the shaping component is fixed in the clamping part, and the outlet is vertically downward.

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