A biological-cell deposition system

The design and performance of a new device which places biological cells from a suspension onto microscope slides is described. This cell deposition system (CDS) deposits each cell onto a glass microscope glide at an X-Y location determined by the electronically generated sweep (Y) of the minute stream carrying the cells and the orthogonal motion (X) of a micropositioning mechanical stage. A typical line of deposited cells is used to describe the degree of dispersion in the X coordinates of these cells and sweep linearity. Initial results indicate that an average of 68 percent of the cells can be located within approximately ± 0.15 mm from their expected placement; 95 percent of the cells can be located within twice that distance. Sweep nonlinearity (Y) is shown to be small compared to the degree of dispenion in the X coordinates of cells. The CDS, after refinement, may facilitate both flow-system and image analysis research projects in cytology automation.