Cytospin
Pronunciation: SY-toh-spin
A centrifugation technique used to concentrate cells from liquid specimens onto a glass slide for cytological examination.
Full Definition
Cytospin (a registered trademark that has become genericised in laboratory usage) refers to the preparation of cytology slides by centrifuging a cell suspension directly onto a microscope slide using a cytocentrifuge. The technique is used for body fluids (cerebrospinal fluid, pleural effusions, bronchoalveolar lavage) and urine to concentrate sparse cellularity onto a defined area of the slide. The resulting monolayer of cells is then stained—commonly with Diff-Quik or Papanicolaou stain—for morphological assessment. Editors should note that 'Cytospin' with a capital C refers to the Thermo Fisher Scientific instrument brand, while 'cytospin' (lowercase) is used generically for the technique in many publications.
Usage
Usage note: Capitalise 'Cytospin' when referring to the Thermo Fisher Scientific instrument brand. Use lowercase 'cytospin' when referring to the generic technique. Clarify usage at first mention in any document.
In Context
- "CSF cytospin preparations were made from the unspun fluid within one hour of lumbar puncture to preserve cellular morphology." — Cytopathology laboratory protocol
- "The editor queried whether 'Cytospin' should be capitalised, as the document used the term both as a brand name and as a generic technique descriptor." — Editorial query note