diff --git a/openbis/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/generic/client/web/client/application/ui/field/MultilineVarcharField.java b/openbis/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/generic/client/web/client/application/ui/field/MultilineVarcharField.java
index 219f2165144e55e16ae03df464fb49f50c1ec0b2..6f9b702ea2f60a4cdb1ee4a97d37361c48cd4f8b 100644
--- a/openbis/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/generic/client/web/client/application/ui/field/MultilineVarcharField.java
+++ b/openbis/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/generic/client/web/client/application/ui/field/MultilineVarcharField.java
@@ -27,13 +27,12 @@ import ch.systemsx.cisd.openbis.generic.client.web.client.application.ui.widget.
  */
 public class MultilineVarcharField extends TextArea
 {
+    private static final double DEFAULT_LINE_HEIGHT = 1.6; // in em
 
-    private static final double DEFAULT_LINE_HEIGHT = 1.6;
+    private static final int EM_TO_PIXEL = 10;
 
     private static final int DEFAULT_LINES = 5;
 
-    private static final int EM_TO_PIXEL = 16;
-
     /** Constructor for default sized field (5 lines). */
     public MultilineVarcharField(final String label, final boolean mandatory)
     {
@@ -47,11 +46,10 @@ public class MultilineVarcharField extends TextArea
         this.setValidateOnBlur(true);
         this.setAutoValidate(true);
         FieldUtil.setMandatoryFlag(this, mandatory);
-
-        this.setHeightInLines(lines);
+        setHeightInLines(lines);
     }
 
-    public void setHeightInLines(int lines)
+    private void setHeightInLines(int lines)
     {
         // WORKAROUND: GXT does not correctly interpret heights set in em's. Switch to pixels.
         // setHeight(lines * DEFAULT_LINE_HEIGHT + "em");
diff --git a/openbis/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/plugin/generic/client/web/client/application/experiment/ExperimentSamplesArea.java b/openbis/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/plugin/generic/client/web/client/application/experiment/ExperimentSamplesArea.java
index f1e9c959ebb254677794d491c1ac5d599079156d..9463046063d51c82d80f44a94ed0f8648530ee8e 100644
--- a/openbis/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/plugin/generic/client/web/client/application/experiment/ExperimentSamplesArea.java
+++ b/openbis/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/plugin/generic/client/web/client/application/experiment/ExperimentSamplesArea.java
@@ -18,10 +18,9 @@ package ch.systemsx.cisd.openbis.plugin.generic.client.web.client.application.ex
 
 import java.util.List;
 
-import com.extjs.gxt.ui.client.widget.form.TextArea;
-
 import ch.systemsx.cisd.openbis.generic.client.web.client.application.Dict;
 import ch.systemsx.cisd.openbis.generic.client.web.client.application.GenericConstants;
+import ch.systemsx.cisd.openbis.generic.client.web.client.application.ui.field.MultilineVarcharField;
 import ch.systemsx.cisd.openbis.generic.client.web.client.application.util.IMessageProvider;
 import ch.systemsx.cisd.openbis.generic.client.web.client.application.util.StringUtils;
 import ch.systemsx.cisd.openbis.generic.shared.basic.dto.Sample;
@@ -32,15 +31,14 @@ import ch.systemsx.cisd.openbis.generic.shared.basic.dto.Sample;
  * 
  * @author Tomasz Pylak
  */
-final class ExperimentSamplesArea extends TextArea
+final class ExperimentSamplesArea extends MultilineVarcharField
 {
 
     public static final String ID_SUFFIX_SAMPLES = "_samples";
 
     public ExperimentSamplesArea(IMessageProvider messageProvider, String idPrefix)
     {
-        super();
-        setHeight("10em");
+        super("", false);
         setLabelSeparator("");
         setEmptyText(messageProvider.getMessage(Dict.SAMPLES_LIST));
         setId(createId(idPrefix));