An automated device for the production of cell preparations suitable for automatic assessment.

A set of preparatory steps has been developed for the processing of clinical samples from the female genital tract onto microscopic slides suitable both for machine assessment and for regular microscopic evaluation. These steps involve the depositing of the cell sample in a collection fluid, the semi-automatic adjustment of cell concentration to about 30,000 cells per milliliter through a combination of transmittance and light scatter measurements, the dispersion of the sample by syringing, and the deposition of the cellular content onto microscope slides by centrifugation. These steps were designed so as not to allow loss of cells--except the lysis of erythrocytes--with the understanding that this condition entails the presence of 4--10 per cent cell aggregates in the final preparation.