Services Provided

  • Tissue Processing – Proper Fixation is Key to Good Tissue Sectioning and Staining!
    • Place harvested tissue in 4%PFA or 10% NBF for 24-36 hours then transfer to 50% ETOH for Processing
    • 4-5mm sections
    • Two automated runs that are based on tissue type
      • Short Run – Daily (2.5 hours)
      • Long Run – Overnight
  • Embedding in Paraffin Wax – Orientation Instructions Written Down on Request Form or Discussed with Histology Staff
  • Paraffin Wax Sectioning with Microtome – Instructions on number of sections per slide, thickness of section, number of slides to section, and specific landmark or area of sample collection
  • Cryosectioning with Cyrostat – Tissue is to be embedded in OCT compound and brought to histology core, section thickness is a minimum of 10µm, number of sections per slide, number of slides to section, and specific landmark or area of sample collection
  • Histological Staining Methods – Most Used
    • Hematoxylin and Eosin – automated and manual, routine stain in identifying a tissue’s morphological structures
    • Masson’s Trichrome – automated and manual, used in differentiating between smooth muscle and collagen fibers
    • Modified Russell – Movat Pentachrome Method – manual, used for visualization of tissue sections collagen, elastin, muscle, mucin, and fibrin
    • Picrosirius Red Stain – automated and manual, stains fibrillar type I and type III collagen
  • Immunohistochemistry – Most Used
    • TER119 – manual, uses selected antibodies (Erythroid Lineage) to identify certain antigens
      • HIER and Avidin-Biotin Complex Method (ABC)

Other Staining Methods May Be Discussed with Alison Rinehart (Core Manager), however extra charges may be incurred for supplies and/or time to complete based on the request.