Biological Specimen Staining with Spectral Separation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for staining biological specimens with conventional dyes and labeling biomarkers require separate tissue sections, leading to challenges in cell-to-cell and feature-to-feature correlation, increased time, and effort in alignment and evaluation.
Innovation Solution
A method where a biological specimen is stained with conventional dyes and labeled with detectable moieties having peak absorbance wavelengths outside the visible spectrum, allowing for simultaneous staining and labeling on a single tissue section without the need for stripping or re-alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If separate tissue sections are used for conventional dye staining and biomarker labeling, then the integrity of conventional dye interpretation is maintained, but cell-to-cell and feature-to-feature correlation becomes difficult and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines conventional dye staining and biomarker labeling with detectable moieties onto a single tissue section, eliminating the need for separate sections. This merging allows direct cell-to-cell and feature-to-feature correlation without time-consuming alignment procedures, while maintaining the integrity of conventional dye interpretation through spectral separation.
2Measurement precision
If detectable moieties with absorbance in the visible spectrum are used, then biomarker detection is achieved, but interference with conventional dye interpretation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by selecting detectable moieties with peak absorbance wavelengths outside the visible spectrum (UV or IR), allowing conventional dyes to maintain their visible spectrum absorbance properties without interference. This spectral separation ensures that each staining method operates in its own optical domain, preserving the integrity of conventional dye interpretation while enabling biomarker detection.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple tissue sections are processed separately, then each staining method can be optimized independently, but the complexity and effort of alignment and correlation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple staining methods onto a single tissue section, allowing independent optimization of conventional dye and biomarker labeling protocols while eliminating the complexity of aligning multiple sections. The unified approach maintains methodological versatility while simplifying the overall evaluation process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a spatial separation approach (multiple tissue sections) to a spectral separation approach (different absorbance wavelengths). By moving the differentiation dimension from physical space to optical spectrum, the method maintains the ability to distinguish between different staining methods while eliminating alignment complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables more accurate evaluation of stained specimens by maintaining the integrity of conventional dye interpretation while allowing for the detection of labeled biomarkers without interference, reducing the complexity and time required for analysis.
Implementation Method 1
labeled with detectable moieties having peak absorbance wavelengths outside the visible spectrum
Implementation Method 2
stained with conventional dyes
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is directed to a method of staining a biological specimen (e.g. a single serial tissue section derived from a biological sample) with one or more routine and/or special statins while concomitantly labeling the same biological specimen with one or more detectable moieties without the need for stripping any stain or evaluating different images of stained serial tissue sections of a biological specimen. In some embodiments, the present disclosure is directed to a biological specimen stained with one or more conventional dyes, and where the biological specimen further includes one or more biomarkers labeled with one or more detectable moieties.