Research Histology

The major goal of this facility is to function as a collaborative service center for quality research histology to UF research investigators and clinicians as well as research investigators at other institutions. New projects can be discussed during the planning stage for advice on tissue harvesting, fixation, processing, orientation during embedding, staining, appropriate controls, and several other factors that can influence outcome.


Submission forms and instructions

Turnaround time for completion depends on current workload and the complexity of your service request. Routine paraffin processing and embedding submissions are returned same day as processing.

Please indicate when your histology services are needed at submission. You will be contacted if the Core is unable to meet your request date due to other prioriities.

Location

Dental Tower, 11th floor, room 41 (D11-41)
Hours: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Monday - Friday, closed all UF holidays
P: (352) 273-7749
F: (352) 273-7753
E: molecular@pathology.ufl.edu

Services:

• Fixatives- 10% neutral buffered formalin (NBF; Fisher, 23-032-060), 4% PAF
• Bone decalification and sucrose cryoprotection for fixed frozens
• Cassettes (large, regular, and biopsy sizes; sponge pads) for Core users. Cassette printing
• Processing, embedding, and sectioning paraffin blocks
• OCT embedding, freezing, and sectioning frozen blocks
• Stains: H&E, Aldehyde Fuschin-H&E, Pas/PasD (glycogen, carbohydrates), Oil red O (frozen only, lipid), Van Gieson's (elastin), Congo Red (amyloid), Cresyl Violet, Giemsa, Mallory Iron, Masson's Trichrome (collagen), and several others
• Cytocentrifugation
• DNase/RNase sectioning
• Mouse, rat, and human paraffin and frozen block archives for control materials
• Whole organ serial section: mouse eyes, others
• Whole slide scanning using the Aperio CS Scanscope
• Tissue multiple array design, construction, and staining
• Pathology reviews
• Necropsy instruction and workspace (add D11-32 to IACUC application)(room reservations)
• Good Lab Practice preclinical studies and clinical research studies- contact Amy Wright, MS
• Consultation on project design and histology and IHC methodologies- contact Ann Fu, MD PhD .

• Microwriter I cassette printer
• Surgipath Laser slide labeler
• Sakura Tissue Tek VIP 300e Processor - Fixation is ended before placement in processor so that all fixatives are supported. The first station on the processor is 70% Ethanol and 190 and 200 proof ethanols are used for dehydration.
• Leica and Tissue Tek embedding stations
• Leica XL auto slide stainer
• Microm and Leica microtomes (4)
• Cryostats (2)(HM505 EVP)
• Zeiss Axioskop Plus with Axiocam HR color camera (sign-up calendar)
• Metamorph image analysis station (dual 22" monitors) (ia sign-up calendar)
• Aperio CS slide scanning system
• Beecher Tissue Microarrayer
• Olympus microscopes: 5-headed BH-2, dissection, and bench-top lab models

Useful histopathology links:

Complete mouse necropsy | Virtual Mouse Necropsy | Visible Mouse (UCDavis)
Eyes, islets, kidney (AMDCC) |Eye histology
Tissue Trimming
BrdU-injection and IHC
Protocols on line: Histology
Fixative recipes | Formaldehyde | 4%PAF | PLP (2% PAF) |

Frozens: How to freeze | Freezing and IHC protocols (BD) |Direct GFP in fixed frozen sections | Freezing and Cryostat sectioning

Special stains

Microscopy Primer (Duke LMCF) |Use of the light microscope | Digital Microscopy (Aperio ScanScope)

Other sites with great mouse links:
Mouse anatomy (M.J. Cook)
Comparative Pathology Lab (UAB)
Mouse Histology- Necropsy, Fixation, Processing, etc., Fero lab
Histology and IHC- UCSD
Mouse Research Pathology - Yale
Mouse Pathology- UCSF
Histology and IHC/ISH- UPenn
Histology and IHC- UCSF