[Histonet] negative controls on immunos

[Greg Dobbin]

Yes, it is always best to run every conceivable control available. Then you can be really, really, really sure. However, if you have practical issues that come into play such as cost of reagents, or extra controls taking up valuable space on the stainer then you might have to think about what you are trying to accomplish with each control and balance the cost vs benefit. 
 
So what are we checking with the negative control? We are checking the reagents to ensure that there is no non-specific reaction arising from the detection kit or the buffers, etc. If you are running the same block tomorrow with the same detection kit (ie same lot) it is not necessary (in my humble opinion) to check it again with another negative control. 
 
I suppose if you are worried that someone could be trying to sabotage your work by sneaking into your lab at night and contaminating your detection kit...then the simplest way to detect this sinister activity would be to run a negative control every time. Otherwise, I think one negative control slide per block per detection kit will be adequate.
 
Disclaimer: Please know that I have just tried to inject a little humor into this response. I am really not trying to be sarcastic in anyway.
Cheers!
Greg 
 
Greg Dobbin, R.T.
Chief Technologist, Anatomic Pathology
Dept. of Laboratory Medicine,
Queen Elizabeth Hospital,
P.O. Box 6600
Charlottetown, PE    C1A 8T5
Phone: (902) 894-2337
Fax: (902) 894-2385
 
"I find that the harder I work, the 
more luck I seem to have."
- Thomas Jefferson


>>> "Diana McCaig" <dmccaig <@t> ckha.on.ca> 3/1/2011 2:07 PM >>>
If you do a run of several immunos today and you run a negative control,
and there is a request for additional immunos tomorrow, would you run
another negative control with the additional slides.  They are being
stained on a stainer and not manually,



diana

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