Today, I will introduce common laboratory devices, including: blood cell analyzers, flow cytometers, coagulation analyzers, urine dry chemical analyzers, urine formed component analyzers, fecal analyzers, biochemical analyzers, chemiluminescence immunoassay analyzers, enzyme immunoassay analyzers, fluorescence immunoassay analyzers, nucleic acid extraction instruments, real-time fluorescence PCR instruments, gene sequencers, microbial identification and drug sensitivity analyzers, fully automated blood culture instruments, mass spectrometers, blood type identification instruments, and assembly line systems.
Whole Cell Analyzer
The blood cell analyzer can be classified based on its ability to classify white blood cells into those without white blood cell grouping function, two-part grouping blood cell analyzers, three-part grouping blood cell analyzers, and five-part blood cell analyzers.Currently, the main types used in medical institutions at all levels are the three-part and five-part blood cell analyzers.The early blood cell detection devices can be traced back to 1590, when the Dutchmen Middelburg and Jansen designed and manufactured the most primitive microscope.Later, this microscope was developed and improved, and in 1658, the Italian Malpighi first observed red blood cells under a microscope, leading to the gradual realization that the number of cells in the blood is related to the occurrence and development of diseases, prompting scientists to begin researching methods for cell counting.After more than 100 years of application, evolution, and development, in 1953, Wallace H. Coulter and his brother Joseph R. Coulter from Beckman Coulter Company in the United States proposed the famous Coulter Principle, which is the principle of electrical impedance, and obtained a U.S. patent that year, launching the first blood cell counter the following year. Thus, the Coulter Principle has become the most classic principle in blood cell counting and analysis.Here we discuss the origin of Beckman Coulter: In 1997, Beckman Company in the United States acquired Coulter Company and renamed it Beckman Coulter Company. Later, the Danaher Group also acquired Beckman Coulter, which is now Danaher Beckman.In 1974, the first leukocyte analyzer with preliminary white blood cell classification function, Hema log D, was launched. This product could initially classify white blood cells into five categories: lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, basophils, and neutrophils.In 1980, this technology matured further, leading to the launch of the H6000 blood cell analyzer, which could accurately achieve five-part classification of blood cells. Since then, various companies have continuously innovated in the five-part white blood cell classification technology, with representative products including Sysmex’s multi-channel impedance, radio frequency, and cytochemical combined detection technology, Abbott’s multi-angle polarized light (MAP) technology, and ABX’s cytochemical lipid full staining technology combined with dual sheath flow (DHSS) technology.In 2006, Shenzhen Mindray launched the first domestic five-part blood cell analyzer, the BC-5500. Subsequently, domestic five-part blood cell analyzers were successively launched, with Guilin Yuli’s URIT-5500 fully automated five-part blood cell analyzer successfully developed in 2009. In 2010, Changchun Dirui launched the BF-5180 five-part blood cell analyzer, and in 2011, Jiangxi Tekon Company launched the TEK8500 five-part blood cell analyzer, followed by products from companies such as Shenzhen Lanyun, Shenzhen Leidu, and Dimai Biological.Currently, blood cell analysis technology has matured, forming a competitive landscape dominated by Mindray and Sysmex in the blood analysis field in both domestic and international markets. Of course, there are also manufacturers like Beckman, Abbott, and ABX that perform well in the blood field.Flow CytometerHere we need to tell a little story, Mack Fulwyler is considered a pioneer of modern flow cytometry, especially for cell sorting instruments. In 1965, Fulwyler published the first article on cell sorting in Science, and he is thus regarded as the “father of droplet sorting.” Fulwyler’s sorting is a combination of the Coulter principle and inkjet printer technology. This is early research on flow cytometry.Flow cytometry (FCM) is a cell parameter analysis technology that uses flow cytometers to count and quantitatively analyze various biological and physical, biochemical characteristics of single-cell suspensions from blood, various body fluids, bone marrow, biopsies, and plant and animal tissues, including cells, platelets, organelles, sperm, microorganisms, and artificially synthesized microspheres, and can sort specific cell populations.In simple terms, flow cytometry is a powerful tool for cell analysis and sorting, allowing for rapid quantitative analysis and sorting of individual cells or other microbial particles. It can measure cell size, the shape of internal particles, and detect cell surface and plasma cell antigens, as well as intracellular DNA and RNA content, etc. It can also detect and analyze a large number of cells in a short time and classify, collect, or sort a specific subpopulation of cells with a sorting purity of over 95%.We have a general understanding of these principles, and next, we will discuss which companies have related flow cytometer products.Flow cytometers can be classified into analytical flow cytometers and sorting flow cytometers based on functional structure.Currently, the flow cytometers used in China are mainly imported:One is the American BD Company, whose flow products occupy over 40% of the global market share, offering a complete range of products including analytical flow, sorting flow, and flow liquid phase chips.The other is Beckman Company, which produces a series of research and clinical flow cytometers and develops various monoclonal antibodies and fluorescent reagents used in FCM (flow cytometry). There are also foreign giants like Thermo Fisher and Agilent with flow cytometer products.The first domestic flow cytometers were developed in the early 1980s, with domestic companies like Mindray, Aisen, Weigong Technology, Zhongsheng Beikong subsidiary (Zhongsheng Suzhou), Boao Biological, Saijing Biological, and Xatai Biological emerging as new players in the flow cytometer manufacturing industry.Coagulation AnalyzerThe coagulation analyzer is mainly used for laboratory tests of thrombosis and hemostasis, providing valuable indicators for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of hemorrhagic and thrombotic diseases, as well as monitoring and observing the efficacy of thrombolytic and anticoagulant treatments.So far, the development of coagulation analyzers has mainly gone through five stages: manual methods, current methods, double magnetic circuit bead methods, optical turbidity methods, and photoelectric magnetic bead methods.Currently, different types of coagulation analyzers on the market use different principles, with the main detection methods being: coagulation method, substrate colorimetric method, immunoassay, and latex agglutination method.In the domestic tertiary market, the coagulation instruments used are mainly imported, with most concentrated inSysmex from Japan, Stago from France, and IL from the United States (Werfen Group), as well as companies like Sekisui from Japan and BE from Germany.In the secondary and lower markets, there are mainly Shenzhen Mindray, Beijing Jiukang, Sichuan Mike, Shanghai Taiyang, Shenzhen Leidu, Zhongshan BiaoJia, Beijing Zhongchi Weiye, Beijing Beiken, Shandong Aikeda, Jiangsu Hongen, and Shaoxing PushiKang, etc. However, secondary hospitals still tend to use more imported products from the three giants.Overall, domestic coagulation products have a long way to go in terms of replacing imports. Additionally, foreign imported coagulation platforms are generally open to each other; for example, Sysmex’s coagulation analyzer can use Sekisui’s coagulation reagents. However, generally, original equipment is still more commonly used. At that time, domestic reagents could not be used on imported platforms.Urine Dry Chemical Analyzer and Urine Formed Component AnalyzerThe urine analyzer is an automated instrument for determining certain chemical components in urine,with the main functions as follows:① Mainly used for initial diagnosis of patients and health checkups with 8-11 item screening combination urine test strips.The 8 detection items include protein, glucose, pH, ketone bodies, bilirubin, urobilinogen, occult blood, and nitrite;The 9 detection items add urine white blood cell tests to the above 8 items.The 10 detection items add urine specific gravity tests to the 9 basic items. The 11 detection items further add vitamin C tests.② Mainly used for efficacy observation of diagnosed diseases, such as using pH, protein, and occult blood (red blood cells) combination test strips for kidney diseases; using pH, sugar, and ketone body combination test strips for diabetes; and using bilirubin and urobilinogen combination test strips for liver diseases.The urine formed component analyzer, also known as the urine sediment analyzer, is an indispensable part of routine urine analysis and an important project in clinical testing. Due to the wide variety of formed components in urine, their diverse shapes, and their susceptibility to damage or morphological changes, a large amount of experience accumulation is required, so it has always been primarily based on classical microscopic examination, with automation progressing relatively slowly. In recent years, the continuous development of computer technology, digital imaging technology, and neural network technology has driven the advancement and rapid development of this testing technology.Regarding the manufacturers and market conditions of urine dry chemical analyzers and urine sediment analyzers, we will introduce:High-end market: Mainly dominated by Dirui, Sysmex, and Beckman Coulter, with Sysmex being the first to enter the Chinese market, having no competition and the largest market share. As end users’ awareness of formed component analysis increases, the recognition of UF series products is gradually declining, leading to a yearly shrinkage of Sysmex’s market share. Dirui Medical’s urine series products are gradually increasing their market share in the high-end market, compressing Sysmex’s market share, while other brands occasionally appear in the high-end market.Mid-range market: Mainly dominated by Dirui, Sysmex, Awei, and Kebo, with Sysmex’s market share in this segment declining.Low-end market: Mainly dominated by Awei, Longxin, Tianhai, Huisheng, and Mindray products, characterized by simple technology and low prices, suitable for smaller sample volumes.Fecal AnalyzerFecal testing studies the changes in the appearance, morphology, and biochemical properties of feces under pathological conditions in the human body, as well as the pathogenic microorganisms in feces to identify sources of infection. The fecal analyzer is an automated device developed based on the experience and foundation of manual testing, utilizing modern technology to automate fecal testing, improve efficiency, standardize management, and improve the environment.Related manufacturers include: Xindao Biological, Wovent Biological, Awei Technology, Lanjie Biological, Xieda Biological, Zhuhai Keyu, Hailu Biological, Tekon Technology, Korye Medical, Chongqing Tianhai, Litou Biological, and Jinhuan Medical. Among them, Wovent Biological has developed well in recent years, and Litou Biological, Zhuhai Keyu, and Awei Technology also have considerable market installations.That concludes our introduction to the equipment in the clinical laboratory group; next, we will share related learning about biochemical immunoassay equipment.Biochemical AnalyzerRegarding biochemical analysis equipment, we mainly need to understand fully automated biochemical analyzers and dry biochemical analyzers, which are the most commonly used biochemical testing devices in secondary and tertiary hospitals. This classification is based on the reaction method of biochemical analyzers; generally, fully automated biochemical analyzers are liquid reaction types, while dry biochemical analyzers are dry plate reaction types.The development of biochemical analyzers has gone through three stages, from the initial spectrophotometer to semi-automated biochemical analyzers, and now to the widely used fully automated biochemical analyzers. Currently, both open and closed types coexist, but many large manufacturers are leaning towards closed types.Currently, private hospitals mostly use biochemical analyzers with speeds ranging from 400 to 1200 tests per hour, as private hospitals are relatively smaller than public hospitals.Currently, fully automated biochemical analyzers are mostly used in township hospitals with speeds of 400 tests per hour, while larger ones use 600 to 800 tests per hour. The speed refers to how many test items can be detected in one hour.Secondary hospitals mostly use analyzers with speeds above 800 tests per hour, with the highest using single-module devices with speeds of 2000 tests per hour. Tertiary hospitals often use modular assembly lines, with basic single-modules being 2000 tests per hour, although smaller volumes may also be below 2000 tests per hour.Additionally, dry biochemical analyzers are mainly used in emergency departments, although some clinical laboratories may also use them, but most are placed in emergency departments. Generally, those using dry biochemical analyzers are mainly large secondary and tertiary hospitals, where there is a high volume of specimens at night, and a separate emergency department is established to handle specimens; smaller hospitals do not require this, as they have on-call staff who handle specimens directly in the laboratory.Next, let’s discuss the main manufacturers in the biochemical analysis equipment field.Imported manufacturers include:Roche: Biochemical analyzers are mainly closed, with some open channels reserved.Abbott: Mainly promotes biochemical immunoassay cascades, assembly lines, and relatively few standalone machines, with some tertiary and secondary hospitals having installations.Beckman: Originally integrated with Olympus; in 2009, Beckman Coulter acquired Olympus’s diagnostic business for $792 million, fully taking over Olympus’s clinical biochemical diagnostic business, merging the chemical product lines of both companies into a complete chemical supply system.Siemens: Originally integrated with Bayer’s biochemical production line, Siemens mainly focuses on assembly lines in the biochemical field.Canon: Originally Toshiba Biochemical, later acquired by Canon.Hitachi: Previously focused on open models in China, now mainly promotes the 008 series, while the previous 7600 series is still classic, with many tertiary hospitals still using it.Ortho Clinical Diagnostics (formerly Johnson & Johnson’s dry biochemical) has a high market share in the dry biochemical field, with most large tertiary hospitals using Ortho’s dry biochemical analyzers.We will not list specific models here.Next, we will discuss domestic biochemical analyzers, mainly from Shenzhen Mindray, Changchun Dirui, Shanghai Kehua, Shenzhen Leidu, Guilin Yuli, Shenzhen Kuber, Nanjing Yingnuo, Shenzhen Nanyun, and Beijing Songshang.In the in vitro diagnostic market, the clinical biochemical field has gradually entered a relatively mature and stable growth period. However, in terms of technology, continuous improvement is still needed. Currently, in tertiary and secondary hospitals, most laboratories still prefer to use imported biochemical analyzers.Chemiluminescence AnalyzerChemiluminescence immunoassay technology (CLIA) began in the early 1980s and rapidly developed in the 1990s, becoming a new emerging measurement technology following fluorescence immunoassay, radioimmunoassay, and enzyme-linked immunoassay technologies.It has advantages such as high sensitivity, strong specificity, stable and long-lasting reagents, stable and rapid methods, wide detection linearity, and simple operation, making it the mainstream automated detection technology in immunoassay, widely applied in various fields of clinical testing.Electrochemiluminescence immunoassay technology (ECLIA) emerged in the 1990s, with Roche being the owner of the electrochemical patent technology and a promoter of technological development.In 2016, the patent for electrochemiluminescence expired, and in 2017, Shenzhen Pumen registered and launched the first domestic electrochemiluminescence analyzer.Chemiluminescence technology entered the Chinese market between 2003 and 2006. In 2008, the technology penetrated domestically, and a new industry launched the first fully automated direct chemiluminescence immunoassay analyzer. Between 2011 and 2013, manufacturers like Mike, Antu, and Mindray successively launched fully automated chemiluminescence analyzers. In addition to large chemiluminescence analyzers, some domestic manufacturers have also launched small, instant detection POCT chemiluminescence analyzers, such as Guosai’s enzyme-promoted chemiluminescence analyzer and Norman’s direct chemiluminescence, mainly used for rapid diagnosis of cardiac markers, procalcitonin (PCT), and other emergency projects. Chemiluminescence has now become the most widely used and advanced technology in immunoassay applications, and it is a hot field in immunodiagnostics in recent years.Regarding the mainstream manufacturers of chemiluminescence, the main imported manufacturers currently include Roche, Abbott, Beckman, Siemens, Sysmex, and Solvay.The main domestic manufacturers include Mindray, Antu, New Industry, Mike, Boao Sais, Komei, Yahui Long, Toukang, Pumen, Changguang Huayi, and Haooubo.Currently, there are hundreds of manufacturers in the entire chemiluminescence market in China. Specific information can be found through various industry media platforms, which have relevant reference materials.Enzyme Immunoassay AnalyzerEnzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is the third major labeled immunoassay technology following fluorescence immunoassay and radioimmunoassay technologies. Due to the high sensitivity, ease of operation, long reagent shelf life, and low environmental pollution of enzyme immunoassay technology (EIA), it has gradually replaced radioimmunoassay technology.In recent years, enzyme immunoassay technology has developed rapidly, and enzyme immunoassay analyzers are specialized instruments for ELISA determination. In the early 1980s, ordinary enzyme immunoassay analyzers, or enzyme markers, were commercially available. China produced its first enzyme marker (510 type enzyme marker colorimeter) in 1981.In the 1990s, enzyme markers gradually became widely used in clinical laboratories of hospitals and blood stations. With the application and development of ELISA technology, various new types of enzyme immunoassay analyzers with diverse functions have been developed abroad, transforming enzyme immunoassay analyzers from a single colorimetric reading function to fully automated enzyme immunoassay analyzers that integrate multiple functions, allowing a single machine to automatically perform all steps of the ELISA experiment from sample addition, incubation, washing, shaking, colorimetric analysis to qualitative or quantitative analysis, and finally complete report storage and printing according to user-designed programs.Based on the development process of fully automated enzyme immunoassay analyzers, they can be divided into three generations of products.The first generation of fully automated enzyme immunoassay analyzers achieved integration of single-needle and multi-needle sample addition systems with enzyme marker plate processing systems, but most microplate incubation positions require at least 4 plates.The second generation of fully automated enzyme immunoassay analyzers is single-task and single-track, but because they cannot handle two processes simultaneously (e.g., washing plates while adding reagents), the time to complete experiments is extended.The third generation of fully automated enzyme immunoassay systems is characterized by multi-tasking and multi-channel capabilities, fully achieving parallel process handling.Currently, the manufacturers of enzyme immunoassay analyzers on the market are as follows:Domestic brands include: Aikang Biological, Aidekang, Mindray, Antu, Leidu, Kehua, and Korye.Imported brands are mainly fully automated enzyme immunoassay analyzers produced by Hamilton in Switzerland, which have a high market share. In China, Yantai Ausbon is responsible for promotion and sales, such as the Fermi fully automated enzyme marker. Additionally, there are other imported brands like Italy’s DAS based on pneumatic displacement principles for enzyme immunoassay sample addition systems.Immunofluorescence AnalyzerFluorescence immunoassay technology combines the high sensitivity of fluorescence technology with the high specificity of immunological techniques, providing a unique detection technology for immunology, clinical histochemistry, and laboratory diagnostics that cannot be replaced by other methods.Currently, fluorescence immunoassay analyzers are used not only for the identification of bacteria, viruses, protozoa, worms, and fungi, but also widely used for the detection of serum antibodies (including autoantibodies), diagnosis and research of autoimmune diseases, identification and localization of pathological antigens, antibodies, and complement, pathological studies of immune complexes, research on the antigen relationships between bacteria, viruses, and hosts, and receptor and ligand studies, as well as tumor immunodiagnosis and research, and studies on cell membrane surface antigens and their receptors.The fluorescence immunoassay analyzer mainly consists of a sample addition center and a testing center. The sample addition center includes three concentric disks, namely the test tube disk, reagent kit disk, and sample disk.Domestic representative manufacturers include: Guangzhou Wanfu, Shenzhen Yahui Long, Jidan Biological, Jiangsu Liangdian, Suzhou Dingshi, Nanjing Nuowei, Hunan Litou Biological, and Ali Biological.That concludes our explanation of common laboratory equipment related to biochemical immunoassay in the clinical laboratory. Next, we will introduce common equipment in the molecular laboratory of the clinical laboratory.Nucleic Acid Extraction InstrumentWe know that most nucleic acid testing products adopt the “real-time fluorescence RT-PCR detection” method, in addition to the initial sample collection, transportation, and inactivation processing, nucleic acid testing products are mainly divided into two steps during the detection process: nucleic acid extraction and amplification detection. The amplification detection part mainly depends on the purity of the nucleic acid extracted in the previous step and the performance of the amplification instrument; therefore, the key difference in nucleic acid testing products lies in the “nucleic acid extraction” step.Regarding nucleic acid extraction platforms, in recent years, we have been continuously developing automated extraction instruments. As we mentioned earlier, nucleic acid extraction is divided into two steps: one is sample lysis, which requires adding lysis buffer to the sample and then heating it. The other step is nucleic acid purification.In recent years, the in vitro diagnostic industry has made rapid technological advancements, from PCR, translated into Chinese as polymerase chain reaction. Since the invention of PCR technology in 1985, the technology has matured significantly, and PCR instruments can be divided into three categories: conventional PCR instruments, real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR instruments, and digital PCR instruments.Today, we will mainly discuss real-time fluorescence PCR instruments.The development and innovation of PCR technology over the past 30 years has led to the most notable advancement being the real-time quantitative PCR technology (real-time quantitative PCR, or qPCR). This technology has achieved a leap from qualitative to quantitative PCR, allowing for real-time monitoring of the PCR process, enabling specific, sensitive, rapid, and reproducible precise quantification of the initial template concentration, and it has been increasingly applied in research and clinical diagnostics.The working principle of PCR involves three steps: denaturation, annealing, and extension.For the working principle of real-time fluorescence PCR instruments, it involves mixing Taqman probes labeled with fluorophores with template DNA, completing high-temperature denaturation, low-temperature annealing, and temperature-appropriate extension thermal cycling, following the rules of polymerase chain reaction. The Taqman probes that complementarily pair with the template DNA are cleaved, releasing the fluorophores into the reaction system, which emit fluorescence under specific light excitation; as the number of cycles increases, the amplified target gene fragments grow exponentially, allowing for real-time detection of the corresponding fluorescence signal intensity that changes with amplification, yielding the Ct value (cycle threshold, i.e., the number of cycles experienced when the fluorescence signal in each reaction tube reaches the set threshold), and using several known template concentrations as controls, the copy number of the target gene in the sample can be determined.This explanation may not be fully understood yet, but you can think of it this way: a real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR instrument has two key systems: an optoelectronic system and a temperature control system. The optoelectronic system is used for collecting and converting optical signals, while the temperature control system maintains the temperature conditions required for nucleic acid amplification. Finally, the computer’s built-in software system will calculate the clinical quantitative results based on relevant equations.Manufacturers of real-time fluorescence PCR instruments include:Imported manufacturers include Roche Diagnostics, Bio-Rad from the USA, and ABI (ABI has been acquired by Thermo Fisher).Domestic established manufacturers include: Shanghai Hongshi, Hangzhou Borui, and Xi’an Tianlong.Gene SequencerTo date, the development of gene sequencing technology has seen the emergence of four generations of sequencing technologies. Currently, second-generation sequencing technology is the market mainstream, with typical representatives being Illumina’s Solexa (SBS, sequencing by synthesis) technology, Roche’s 454 technology, and Life Technologies’ SOLID technology. In recent years, third-generation single-molecule sequencing technology and fourth-generation nanopore sequencing technology have emerged, marking the future direction of sequencing technology development.Currently, the global gene sequencer market is highly monopolized, with Illumina accounting for 62% of the global gene sequencer installation base and Thermo Fisher accounting for 31%, with these two giants holding 93% of the total installed gene sequencers worldwide.In the domestic market, over 70% of sequencers still come from imports, and most domestic second-generation sequencers are produced using foreign technology for OEM production, such as Berry Genomics collaborating with Illumina to produce the NextSeq CN500 and Da’an Gene collaborating with Life Technologies to produce the DA8600.That concludes our explanation of the main equipment in the molecular laboratory of the clinical laboratory.Next, we will explain common equipment in the microbiology laboratory of the clinical laboratory:Microbial Identification and Drug Sensitivity Analyzer, Fully Automated Blood Culture Instrument, Mass SpectrometerMicrobial Identification and Drug Sensitivity AnalyzerOne important role of the microbiology laboratory is to isolate, identify, and analyze pathogenic microorganisms that cause infectious diseases in humans, with its importance reflected in three aspects:① Cultivating suspected pathogenic microorganisms from patient specimens;② Isolating microorganisms and classifying and confirming their identification;③ Predicting and interpreting the sensitivity of related pathogenic microorganisms to antimicrobial drugs.The cultivation method remains the gold standard of classical microbiology, and for decades, microbial testing has evolved from manual, semi-automated to fully automated identification systems.Based on the degree of automation, identification and drug sensitivity analysis systems can be divided into semi-automated analysis systems and fully automated analysis systems.The semi-automated analysis system only has a result interpretation device, using endpoint methods to interpret and explain results.The fully automated analysis system integrates sample addition, incubation, and result interpretation, using rate methods or endpoint methods to interpret and explain results. Imported products include both semi-automated and fully automated identification and drug sensitivity analyzers, while domestic products currently only include semi-automated identification and drug sensitivity analyzers.Imported brand manufacturers include Beckman from the USA, bioMérieux from France, BD from the USA, Siemens, Thermo Fisher from the USA, and bioMérieux from France.Domestic brand manufacturers include: Zhuhai Deer Biological, Shandong Xinke Biological, and Zhuhai Meihua Medical, etc.Fully Automated Blood Culture InstrumentBlood culture testing is the gold standard for detecting bloodstream infections, through in vitro culture to detect microorganisms in human blood or other sterile body fluids under normal conditions. Relevant manufacturers can refer to the aforementioned manufacturers of microbial identification and drug sensitivity analyzers.Mass SpectrometerDeveloped countries in Europe and America were the first to introduce mass spectrometry technology into medical testing departments, and it has developed relatively maturely. Currently, there are over 400 clinical diagnostic projects served by mass spectrometry, mainly involving clinical chemistry, clinical immunology, and clinical microbial identification, and it is also used to establish reference measurement procedures for clinical chemistry testing projects and develop reference materials. With the increasing demand for personalized and precision medicine in clinical practice, research results in genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics based on mass spectrometry technology are continuously being translated into clinical practice.Currently, the domestic mass spectrometer market is basically monopolized by foreign companies such as SCIEX, Agilent, Thermo Fisher, and Bruker, with the four traditional analytical instrument manufacturing giants holding over 70% of the mass spectrometer market.From the perspective of mass spectrometer manufacturers, the main imported brands are SCIEX, Agilent, Thermo Fisher, Bruker, Shimadzu, Waters, and BD.Domestic brands include Antu Biological, Bohui Innovation, Tianrui Instruments, Dongxi Analysis, Hexin Instruments, Yingsheng Biological, BGI, etc.That concludes our introduction to common equipment in the microbiology laboratory.Blood Type Identification InstrumentSince the discovery of blood types in 1900, blood type identification has undergone two stages internationally: manual and automated.The first stage, commonly used manual methods, involved manually dropping samples and reagents onto paper or glass plates, mixing with cotton swabs, and visually judging results. This method is simple and easy to operate but inefficient, prone to errors, and lacks original results and qualitative data preservation, making traceability impossible.The second stage, began in the 1970s, applying automation technology to blood type testing, gradually achieving fully automated blood type analysis with different experimental carriers generally divided into card-type and plate-type analyzers.In 1982, the world’s first fully automated blood type identification instrument, PK7000, was born at Olympus, which is now Danaher Beckman.Currently, the best brands for fully automated blood type identification and cross-matching analysis systems on the market are Diana and Johnson & Johnson. Other manufacturers include Beckman, Bio-Rad, and Medtronic from the USA.In China, manufacturers include Aikang Biological, Shenzhen Aijie, and others.Laboratory Assembly Line Systems and Information SystemsLaboratory automation assembly line systems connect and integrate different analytical instruments through hardware and information network-related devices, achieving automation of the entire testing process from specimen loading, centrifugation, classification, uncapping, detection, and rechecking through specimen barcoding, modular testing analysis, and networked data management.Internationally, the academic full name of the assembly line is LAS, which can be divided into two categories: TLA, which is a fully automated laboratory system, and TTA, which refers to standalone pre-processing systems. Any system with two or more of the four main pre-processing functions of “centrifugation, uncapping, classification, and cup separation” can be referred to as TTA.Currently, laboratory assembly line systems in China are mainly controlled by Roche, Abbott, Beckman, and Siemens, which dominate the secondary and tertiary markets. Ortho Clinical Diagnostics mainly focuses on emergency assembly lines.Domestic companies like Mindray, Antu, and Toukang are also actively promoting assembly lines, with Antu having a good installation volume. However, in the assembly line sector, most domestic companies collaborate with foreign brands to create assembly lines, such as Antu collaborating with Toshiba, Toukang with Hitachi, New Industry with Thermo Fisher, and Mindray claiming to have developed its own assembly line, while Yahui Long is working on an open assembly line, etc.
Source: IVD Sales Practical Classroom
Editor: Qi Wanqi
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