Research Histology

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

Submission information: forms, fees, estimates, and instructions

Services:

• Fixatives- 10% neutral buffered formalin (NBF, ThermoFisher, 23-032-060)
• Cassettes (large, regular, and biopsy sizes; sponge pads) and printing
• Bone decalification
• Processing, embedding, and sectioning paraffin blocks
• OCT embedding, freezing, and sectioning frozen blocks
• Sucrose cryoprotection for fixed frozen specimens
• 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
• DNase/RNase free sectioning paraffin or OCT blocks
• Mouse, rat, and human paraffin and OCT control block archives
• Organ serial sections: mouse eyes, pancreas, others
• Whole slide digital scanning with Aperio CS Scanscope
• Tissue multiple array design, construction, and staining
• Pathology reviews
• Necropsy training and workspace (D11-32, Necropsy reservations calendar)
• Good Lab Practice (GLP) preclinical and clinical (CLIA compliant) research studies
• Consultation on project design, histology, and IHC/IF

• Microwriter I cassette printer
• Surgipath Laser slide labeler
• Sakura VIP300 and VIP6 Processors - Fixation is ended before processing with alcohols on the VIP6.
• Leica and Histocentre 3 Tissue Tek embedding stations
• Leica XL auto slide stainer
• Microm (3) and Leica (1) microtomes (Microtome reservations calendar)
• Cryostats (HM 550; HM 505E) (Cryostat reservations calendar)
• Beecher Tissue Microarrayer
• Microscopes:
  Zeiss Axioskop 2 Mot Plus with AxiocamHRc camera (Zeiss sign-up calendar)(Axiovision 4.7)
  Olympus BH-2- multi-headed
  Olympus dissection and lab models
• Image analysis workstation (dual 22" HD monitors) with Metamorph 7 Premium (IA reservations calendar) and Adobe Photoshop CS.
• Aperio CS whole slide scanning system with multiple image analysis macros (deconvolution/color colocalization, nuclear/membrane area, positive pixel count)

Useful histopathology links:

Complete mouse necropsy | Virtual Mouse Necropsy | Visible Mouse (UCDavis)
Eyes, islets, kidney (AMDCC) |Eye histology
Tissue Trimming

Current Protocols: Histology
Fixatives | Formaldehyde | 4%PAF | PLP (2% PAF) | Fixation Guidelines

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

Special stains

DNA/RNA isolation from tissue sections (Qiagen)

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

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