Molecular pathology

• Microtome sectioning of paraffin-embedded tissue 
• Cryostat sectioning of fresh or compound OCT tissue 

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• Staining with haematoxylin and eosin (H&E)
• Immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence staining with the Roche Ventana automat
• High-throughput cyclic immunofluorescence staining using Lunaphore's COMET instrument 

Whether or not combined with tissue sectioning, H&E staining is used to identify the different parts of the tissue (e.g. stroma, epithelium) and is carried out automatically by the staining machine. 

We use a Ventana automated preparator/stainer for immunofluorescence or immunohistochemistry staining of slides. Automation greatly increases the reproducibility and reliability of immunohistochemistry results. 

The COMET device enables sequential labeling using microfluidic technology to hybridize up to 40 markers on a single immunofluorescence slide.

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• Analysis of digital images of slides using Visiopharm’s VIS software.

This platform is equipped with two licences of the VIS software, a powerful tool for analyzing immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence images. 

• Fresh frozen tissue (with or without OCT)  
• Paraffin-embedded tissue 
• Blood or cells 

• Determination and quality control of DNA (DIN) and RNA (RIN) samples with just 1 µL of sample at the TapeStation

• Inclusion of tissues in paraffin blocks 
• Creation of blocks of cell pellets 
  
  
  
  Cultured cells can be fixed with formalin and embedded in a histogel pellet, which is then embedded in paraffin (in pathology) to form a block. This allows the cells to be analyzed by TMA or directly labelled by immunohistochemistry.

• Human or murine tissues 
• Cell packs 
• Cores with a diameter of 0.6 mm, 1.0 mm or 1.5 mm 
  
  
  
  The cores are removed from a paraffin block using the tissue arrayer and inserted into a tube for subsequent RNAseq or other analyses. 

TMAs make it possible to group together a large cohort of patients on a single paraffin block, by taking cores of tissue of interest and assembling them on a new paraffin block in an orderly fashion.

The platform prepares TMAs from a wide variety of tissues. Cores can be 0.6 mm, 1.0 mm or 1.5 mm in diameter. This approach facilitates cohort immunohistochemical studies by reducing the number of slides to be labelled, antibody costs, labelling time, and analysis time. 

The platform staff offer consultancy on the specificity of antibodies, the quality of labelling or the analysis of tissue microarrays.

• Reading of human and animal histopathological slides 
• Interpretation, consultancy, and orientation in immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence 
• Practical advice on human and animal macroscopy 
• Writing paragraphs for funding applications and articles 
• Training and supervision of histology students 
• Access to histological expertise