Sheath liquid for particle analyzer

Abstract

A sheath liquid for a particle analyzer being used to analyze particles contained in a sample is described. The sheath liquid comprises water and a refractive-index adjustment agent comprising glycerols and/or sulfate.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a flow cytometer of particle analyzer in which a sheath liquid in the embodiment is used.

FIG. 2 shows a photograph of a slide glass (slide a) after dropping a sheath liquid D and drying it, and a slide glass (slide b) after dropping a sheath liquid A and drying it.

FIG. 3 shows a photograph from the side of a medium bottle (medium bottle a) after evaporating a sheath liquid B, and a photograph from the side of a medium bottle (medium bottle b) after evaporating a sheath liquid D.

FIG. 4 shows a photograph from the side of medium bottle a in FIG. 3, and a photograph from the side of medium bottle b in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a scattering diagram used when counting mimic bacteria using the sheath liquid B.

FIG. 6 is a scattering diagram used when counting mimic white blood cells using the sheath liquid B.

FIG. 7 is a scattering diagram used when counting mimic bacteria using BACTSHEATH.

FIG. 8 is a scattering diagram used when counting mimic white blood cells using BACTSHEATH.

FIG. 9 shows a graph of correlation between the bacterial count measured using the sheath liquid B and the bacterial count measured using BACTSHEATH.

FIG. 10 shows a graph of correlation between the white blood cell count measured using the sheath liquid B and the white blood cell count measured using BACTSHEATH.

Claims

1. A sheath liquid for use with a particle analyzer which analyzes particles in a sample, comprising water and a refractive-index adjustment agent comprising glycerols and/or sulfate.

2. The sheath liquid according to claim 1, wherein the glycerols is selected from the group consisting of glycerol, thioglycerol and polyglycerol.

3. The sheath liquid according to claim 1, wherein the sample comprises urine.

4. The sheath liquid according to claim 1, having a refractive index within the range of 1.338 to 1.345 at a wavelength of sodium D line (λ=589.3 nm) at 25° C.

5. The sheath liquid according to claim 1, having an electrical conductivity of 40 mS or less at 25° C.

6. The sheath liquid according to claim 1, further comprising 20 g/L or less of sodium chloride.

7. The sheath liquid according to claim 1, further comprising a buffer agent.

8. The sheath liquid according to claim 7, wherein the buffer agent comprises tris (hydroxymethyl) aminomethane-HCl and/or tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane-maleic acid.

9. The sheath liquid according to claim 1, further comprising at least one substance selected from the group consisting of a surfactant, a chelating agent and a fungicidal agent/bactericidal agent.

10. A method for producing a sheath liquid for a particle analyzer using a flow cytometer, comprising the steps of: providing water and a refractive-index adjustment agent comprising glycerols and/or sulfate; andmixing the water and the refractive-index adjustment agent.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the glycerols is selected from the group consisting of glycerol, thioglycerol and polyglycerol.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the mixture obtained by the mixing step has a refractive index within the range of 1.338 to 1.345 at the wavelength of the sodium D line (λ=589.3 nm) at 25° C.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the mixture obtained by the mixing step has an electrical conductivity of 40 mS or less at 25° C.

14. The method-according to claim 10, providing sodium chloride in the providing step, andmixing the refractive-index adjustment agent, the water and the sodium chloride in the mixing step, wherein the obtained mixture has a sodium chloride concentration of 20 g/L or less.

15. The method according to claim 10, providing a buffer agent in the providing step, andmixing the refractive-index adjustment agent, the water and the buffer agent in the mixing step.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the buffer agent comprises tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane-HCl and/or tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane-maleic acid.

17. The method according to claim 10, providing at least one substance selected from the group consisting of a surfactant, a chelating agent and a fungicidal agent/bactericidal agent in the providing step, andmixing the refractive-index adjustment agent, the water and the substance in the mixing step.

18. A method for analyzing particles in a sample by a flow cytometer, comprising the steps of: enveloping the sample with a sheath liquid comprising water and a refractive-index adjustment agent comprising glycerols and/or sulfate; andpassing the sample enveloped by the sheath liquid through a flow cell of the flow cytometer.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising the steps of: detecting optical information from particles in the sample passing through the flow cell; andanalyzing particles based on the optical information.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the optical information comprises scattered light and/or fluorescence.