SPAM-LOW: [Histonet] Best IHC Stainer

[Patsy Ruegg]

I agree with you Amos, but some instruments are more friendly to using
other's antibodies and detections than others.  In my opinion the Dako
autostainer, Leica Bond and the BC IHC autostainers are very good open
systems, and even some of them are better at supporting animal and human
research.

Patsy
  
Patsy Ruegg, HT(ASCP)QIhc
IHCtech
12635 Montview Blvd. Ste.215
Aurora, CO 80045
720-859-4060
fax 720-859-4110
www.ihctech.net 
www.ihcrg.org


-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
[mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Amos Brooks
Sent: Friday, August 28, 2009 5:49 PM
To: rahayes <@t> serha.ca; histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: SPAM-LOW: [Histonet] Best IHC Stainer

Hi Randi,
   The statement that a stainer is only as good as it's antibodies is nails
on a chalk board to me. You can get a good stainer and if the company has
bad antibodies ... *change them!* No one company can do it all. If they tell
you otherwise RUN they are lieing to you.
   The definition of a good instrument is one that allows you the
flexability to use whatever antibodies you need to use. If you need to run
an antibody that isn't offered by the company that sells your instrument,
there are thousands of other antibody companies to choose from. If the
antibody requires the use of species of secondary that is not offered by the
company and the company doesn't allow you to use something else, it is not
worth using. Instrumentation is a function of good engineering and software
programming. It has little if anything to do with the biochemistry of
antibody applications.
   I really don't mean to sound sharp here, but there are too many people
that think that the company that sells their instrument is the only company
that they can use. If this is the case with any instrument the customer got
shafted in buying the instrument.

Amos


Message: 6
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 2009 10:57:44 -0300
From: "Hayes, Randi (R1SE)" <rahayes <@t> serha.ca>
Subject: [Histonet] Best IHC Stainer
To: <histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu>
Message-ID:
       <CDF8C140352FB04A913CF61753056BD30378DD20 <@t> RHAEX1.RHA-RRS.CA>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

A stainer is only as good as its antibodies.  We've been less than
impressed with the quality of Cell Marque antibodies as well as their
customer service.  Contact me if you want specifics.  What I would
suggest is when looking for "the best", look for the antibodies that
rank the most robust on external EQA surveys (UK Nequas, NordiQC as
examples) and go with a system that gives you the flexibility (within
reasonable cost) to use the most reliable antibodies.
We are Ventana XT users and have been for over 5 years.  It provides
good staining but with little flexibility to use other vendors
antibodies unless you want to completely blow your budget.  This forces
you to use Cell Marque products and I've already shared my opinion on
that.

Randi Hayes

Histology Supervisor
The Moncton Hospital
Regional Health Authority B
Moncton, NB
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