title: An alternative high output tissue microarray technique.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tissue microarray (TMA) is a high throughput research tool, which has greatly facilitated and accelerated in situ tissue analyses. However, its productivity has been restricted due to the confined thickness of traditional donor block. Here, we introduce an improved high output TMA method that is applicable to a broader range of tissue samples.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this method, a 3.6 cm long and 2.7 cm wide recipient block with 88 square lattices (3 mm in width) was first prepared using several commercial instruments. A 2 mm wide and 6 mm long tissue rod was then prepared using a self-made blade-shaped knife from each paraffin embedded donor block of gastrointestinal stromal tumors. These rods were manually arrayed one by one into the corresponding lattices of the 60°C pre-softened recipient block with the guide of holes drilled with a steel needle. A 70-rod TMA was made to testify this method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prepared TMA had well defined array configurations, good tissue morphology and fully preserved proteins and DNA. A total of 500-1000 TMA sections could be easily obtained from a TMA block.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This low-cost and time-saving method provides an alternative sampling tool for high output TMA.
  The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/1979605867857990.
authors: Department of Pathology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Fenglin Road #180, Shanghai, P.R. China.
authors: Yuan
authors: Y
authors: Shi
authors: Deming
authors: D
authors: He
authors: Yingyong
authors: Y
authors: Hou
authors: Qin
authors: Q
authors: Hu
authors: Chen
authors: C
authors: Xu
authors: Yalan
authors: Y
authors: Liu
authors: Dongxian
authors: D
authors: Jiang
authors: Jieakesu
authors: J
authors: Su
authors: Haiying
authors: H
authors: Zeng
authors: Yunshan
authors: Y
authors: Tan
mesh_terms: D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D004867:Equipment Design; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D046152:Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D057166:High-Throughput Screening Assays / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008867:Microtomy; D009154:Mutation; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D020796:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha / Q000235:genetics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013048:Specimen Handling; D013997:Time Factors; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit; D020796:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha