Patent US 4,125,828

Cells are automatically classified and analyzed by staining a measured amount of a specimen with a material which is adapted to fluoresce when illuminated; preparing a slide containing the stained specimen; illuminating the slide with light of successively changing wavelengths to measure the presence of the fluorescent response at each of the predetermined wavelengths to determine the constituents of the specimen. The detected constituents are automatically focused and scanned by a microscope having a capability of locating the constituent of interest, determining its size, shape and texture to thereby provide information as to the type, count and the like to enable a detailed analysis of the specimen.