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" <dmcc...@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 _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet ------------------------- Statement of Confidentiality This message (including attachments) may contain confidential or privileged information intended for a specific individual or organization. If you have received this communication in error, please notify the sender immediately. If you are not the intended recipient, you are not authorized to use, disclose, distribute, copy, print or rely on this email, and should promptly delete this email from your entire computer system. _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
