Human Semen Analysis

 General product information

Intended use

Leja® slides are designed for microscopic quantitative and qualitative evaluation of biological cells in suspension. For example, sperm cells. Leja slides are manufactured from high optical quality glass and within strict tolerances for fixed and uniform chamber height for the purpose of accurate and precise cell counting, motility and morphology analyses.

Leja slides are single-use devices to be used by a person trained in their use. Please read this instruction manual prior to using Leja slides.

General description

The Leja slide is a high optical quality microscope slide (75 x 25 x 1 mm) with sawed, blunt edges to prevent injury to the user.

On top of the slide is a fixed cover glass of 0.7 mm in thickness. The two glass plates of the Leja slide are at a fixed and controlled distance by means of a non-toxic resin pattern to form uniform chambers with 10, 12, 20 or 100 microns of height. Leja slides may contain 2 to 8 independent chambers.

Leja slides should be used with a microscope or other optical system with 10X, 20X or 40X magnification. Leja slides are compatible with most Computer Assisted Semen Analysis (CASA) systems. Leja slides with chamber heights of 10, 12 and 20 microns are suitable for the analysis of motile spermatozoa in combination with 10x or 20x magnification. The Leja slides with chamber height of 100 microns are designed for the analysis of small numbers of cells. For advice on which type of Leja slide and chamber height to use, please contact your local distributor or Leja directly.

As clean glass can be a reactive surface, Leja slides are coated. The coating prevents the sticking of the cells to the glass surface and prevents the formation of air bubbles during the filling process.

Leja slides are produced in a controlled environment to reduce the presence of dust particles inside the chambers during the production process.

The pertinent details of each Leja slide are printed on the left and right margins of the slide.

Handling of the slides

Leja slides are single use devices. They cannot be washed and re-used.

To handle the slides, use only the coloured sides; avoid touching the base or cover of the chambers with fingers or other objects. Eliminate dust from stage heaters or heating plates before placing Leja slides on them.

Warming the slides before use may be recommended when working with certain cells such as sperm cells. Only slides that are to be used for evaluation within a period of 30 minutes should be pre-warmed. Repetitive warming and cooling of a box of slides is not recommended.

Product testing, customer feedback, and history of similar products, support a customer performance expectation of at least 1 year from the date of receipt for this product if this product is stored in its original packaging in an environment below 27°C (80 degrees F) and protected from light sources. We are confident that our product will perform well beyond this timeframe. However, it remains the responsibility of the user to assess the risk of using such product. In storage, a slight haze may form inside the counting chamber. Filling will wash this haze away without affecting the functionality of the chamber.

Handle Leja slides carefully as they are made of glass, which can break and create sharp edges.

Follow your local legislation and laboratory protocols for save working and guidelines for the handling of waste.

Loading of Leja® slides

Load the sample into the chamber using a positive displacement pipette. Homogenize the sample before pipetting slowly from the centre of the tube.

Hold the pipette at an approximate angle of 45 and slowly deposit the indicated volume in the entry port depicted A, B, .. etc..

Allow the sample to fill the chamber by capillarity – do not push liquid in the chamber with the pipette. Remove excess fluid from the entry port with a cotton swab. Do not overfill the counting chamber as this will yield in false results.