Tissue Analytic Services Shared Resource

Equipment

Tissue Retrieval Service

The TRS has sufficient equipment to collect and distribute tissues in an optimum state of preservation and in a timely manner. In addition, the shared resource has the space and tracking systems to store, identify, and retrieve embedded tissue blocks. There is a tissue examination area at both RWJUH and CINJ used for tissue dissection and a biological hood to aid in sterile dissection. Instrumentation includes:

Sakura VIP 5 tissue processor
Tissue Tek embedding center
Sakura DRS slide stainer
Sakura SCA film coverslipper
Leica paraffin microtome
Leica cryostats
Microscope
Accumed pH meter
2 Revco -80° upright freezers
Biosafety cabinet
Deluxe electronic remote alarm system
Portable liquid nitrogen flasks
Portable dry ice coolers
Refrigerator
Paraffin block storage cabinets
Glass slide storage cabinets

Immunohistochemistry Service

Sakura VIP 5 tissue processor: To process tissues from animal or cell experiments, as well as for tissues collected by the CINJ Tissue Retrieval Service.
Sakura DRS slide stainer: For conventional histochemical staining.
Sakura SCA film coverslipper: For conventional histochemical staining.
(2) Leica Microtome: To prepare tissue sections from animal, cell, or human sources.
Shandon Finesse Digital Microtome: This is used to prepare tissue sections from animal, cell, or human sources.
(2) Leica cryostat: To prepare tissue sections from animal, cell, or human sources.
Arcturus PixCell Laser Capture Microdissection Systems: Laser capture microdissection allows individual or groups of cells to be excised from tissue sections for detailed analysis, e.g. amplification of sequences of interest by polymerase chain reaction.
Ventana Discovery automated immunostainer: This device allows testing of more antibodies and slides with greater consistency and for piloting more antigen retrieval methods than by manual techniques. The device is also capable of performing in situ hybridization.
Tissue puncher/arrayer (Beecher Instruments, Silver Spring, MD): This device is used to manually construct TMAs from human tissues collected by the CINJ Tissue Retrieval Service or animal tissues from animal experiments. The purchase of an automated arrayer from Beecher is planned.
JEOL 100S, (A JEOL 1200 and a Philips 420 electron microscope are available in the Department of Pathology): These allow for conventional transmission microscopy and electron immunohistochemistry.
Olympus microscope (BH2): This scope has fluorescent and conventional light microscopy and photographic equipment for conventional light and fluorescent microscopy, and for preparation of publication grade photographs and reproductions.
Zeiss Axioscope: This scope has five objectives from 10x to 100x with phase contrast and fluorescent capabilities. This microscope is used for FISH analysis.
Bright field/dark field Olympus CX41 research microscope: This is used to examine stained array sections.
IBM 200 MHZ computer: This computer has Zip and Jazz drives w/ Scion CG-7 capture card and Scion Image and IPLab Scientific Imaging software.
Apple G4 IMac computer with 17” digital display: This computer houses databases that contain TMA-linked information.
Dedicated high-performance server workstation consisting of a Pentium IV computer with 2 GB of RAM running a Windows 2000 operating system and high-resolution LCD monitor: Used for the image analysis service.
High-resolution digital camera with RGB liquid crystal filter (Olympus DP70): Used to digitize array specimens.