[Histonet] Ventana XT Closed System misnomer

[Gagnon, Eric]

Responding to Del who asked about pros/cons of Ventana BenchMark XT:

 

Ventana is often equated with 'closed system'.  This is a misnomer.  The
only thing I regard as closed (besides some colleagues' minds on this
issue) is the detection system kit and bulk reagents that are used on
the instrument.  While these are proprietary, they are also of extremely
high quality, resiliency, consistency, and in my opinion, dependability.
Preparing one's own reagents can lead to a lack of consistency of
staining, and we have confidence in Ventana reagents.

 

As others have correctly noted...other non-Ventana antibodies can be
used in Ventana dispensers.  We use an equal mix of ready-to-use
antibodies with our own diluted antibodies from other suppliers.  How is
this a closed system? 

 

Pre-treatments can also be used in Ventana dispensers. There is a range
of non-ab reagents such as hematoxylins and proteases.  There are a
range of detection system kits as well - at least four that I can think
of.

 

Perhaps this sounds like my personal crusade, as a Ventana user;  to try
to demolish the 'closed system' myth.  In my professional interactions
with non-Ventana users, this is often heard as a derogatory, negative
reaction to Ventana, which I certainly speak truth to at every
opportunity.

 

Del, we have found the BenchMark XT's very reliable, with good support
and service, plus excellent quality reagents including antibodies.  

 

Eric Gagnon MLT

Histology Laboratory

Kingston General Hospital,

Kingson, Ontario, Canada