Cytocentrifuge

A cytocentrifuge, sometimes referred to as a cytospin,[1] is a specialized centrifuge used to concentrate cells in fluid specimens onto a microscope slide so that they can be stained and examined.

The surface of the funnel assembly that is in contact with the slide is lined with filter paper to absorb excess fluid.

[4] Centrifugal force pushes the fluid through the funnel's opening and concentrates the cells in a small area of the slide.

The centrifugation process concentrates cells by about twenty-fold[5] and creates a one-cell-thick monolayer, allowing for assessment of cellular morphology.

[10] In a 1966 paper, Watson P. described the first cytocentrifuge, calling it "an apparatus for concentrating cells in suspension onto a microscope slide".