Is anyone else having problems with the Simmler Fetal Cell Stain kit? Are there other methods that forum readers like better?

Thanks for any input

What specifically seems to be the problem?

My lab use this company's kit and have no problems.

I did request modifications to our SOP's slide prep and once

these were implemented, the slides and results were great.

Basically, the changes consisted of using the MTS diluent to dilute

the samples (approximately 2 drops of sample to 2 drops of diluent) and adding one drop of 22% albumin to the tubes prior to

making slides.

We use PBS (buffered) saline ordinarily and it's not suitable for diluting and making slides since the phosphate acts as a surfactant.

Plain 0.9% saline is ok, but I found the MTS diluent to be superior (ortho), and since that's plentiful in our lab a few squirts of it as diluent for the samples was cost-effective. Also, adding the one drop of 22% albumin makes all the difference in the slide and the quality of the stain without effecting the uptake.

It's been my past experience that most issues are related to the slide prep itself over the kit. Let me know the specifics of your situation.

Our problem is with the negative control often appearing too pink with some cells bordering on looking "postive". What made you think to use the MTS diluent instead of saline?

Ok, see where you're coming from now...

I've used other kits and have found that leucocytes take up the stain quite well (even though the micrographs that come with the kit suggest that they don't). We take care to look for nuclear material to not confuse wbcs for fetal cells...but in your case, it sounds as though the negative control erythrocytes are actually too pink. Am assuming that you use a male patient, i.e. not a commercial control? Sorry, I don't know the answer to this...have never experienced any difficulty with the negative control overstaining.

As to the MTS diluent:

On making slides with

ordinary saline, sometimes on "pushing" the drop across

the slide, unevenness or "holes" appear on the slide. With the MTS

diluent, have never experienced problems...the drop adheres

well and is consistently smooth across the slide. This is just my experience

however...I have used saline in a pinch and often it works well.

But the 22% albumin makes all the difference.

We use commercial controls called Fetaltrol from Sure-Tech. They are expensive, but work well. There are 3 levels in the kit.

I might try the MTS "trick".

You know...just recalled something...we cut our stain time from the prescribed 3 min. to 2 min. and added three rinses with diH2O. I wonder if this isn't causing your neg. control to overstain? If this works for you, just validate it...hope this is problem.