title: The procurement, storage, and quality assurance of frozen blood and tissue biospecimens in pathology, biorepository, and biobank settings.
abstract: Well preserved frozen biospecimens are ideal for evaluating the genome, transcriptome, and proteome. While papers reviewing individual aspects of frozen biospecimens are available, we present a current overview of experimental data regarding procurement, storage, and quality assurance that can inform the handling of frozen biospecimens. Frozen biospecimen degradation can be influenced by factors independent of the collection methodology including tissue type, premortem agonal changes, and warm ischemia time during surgery. Rapid stabilization of tissues by snap freezing immediately can mitigate artifactually altered gene expression and, less appreciated, protein phosphorylation profiles. Collection protocols may be adjusted for specific tissue types as cellular ischemia tolerance varies widely. If data is not available for a particular tissue type, a practical goal is snap freezing within 20min. Tolerance for freeze-thaw events is also tissue type dependent. Tissue storage at -80°C can preserve DNA and protein for years but RNA can show degradation at 5years. For -80°C freezers, aliquots frozen in RNAlater or similar RNA stabilizing solutions are a consideration. It remains unresolved as to whether storage at -150°C provides significant advantages relative to that at -80°C. Histologic quality assurance of tissue biospecimens is typically performed at the time of surgery but should also be conducted on the aliquot to be distributed because of tissue heterogeneity. Biobanking protocols for blood and its components are highly dependent on intended use and multiple collection tube types may be needed. Additional quality assurance testing should be dictated by the anticipated downstream applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (Neuropathology), David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Electronic address: Mshabihkhani@mednet.ucla.edu.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shabihkhani
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (Neuropathology), David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Electronic address: GLucey@mednet.ucla.edu.
authors.forename: Gregory M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Lucey
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (Neuropathology), David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Electronic address: Bowenwei@mednet.ucla.edu.
authors.forename: Bowen
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (Neuropathology), David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Electronic address: Smareninov@mednet.ucla.edu.
authors.forename: Sergey
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mareninov
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (Neuropathology), David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Electronic address: Jlou@mednet.ucla.edu.
authors.forename: Jerry J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Lou
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (Neuropathology), David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Brain Research Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Electronic address: HVinters@mednet.ucla.edu.
authors.forename: Harry V
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: Vinters
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Brain Research Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Electronic address: ESinger@mednet.ucla.edu.
authors.forename: Elyse J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Singer
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Electronic address: TCloughesy@mednet.ucla.edu.
authors.forename: Timothy F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Cloughesy
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (Neuropathology), David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Brain Research Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Electronic address: wyong@mednet.ucla.edu.
authors.forename: William H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Yong
mesh_terms: D016477:Artifacts; D018070:Biological Specimen Banks / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000191:economics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005615:Freezing; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D055550:Protein Stability; D011786:Quality Control; D020871:RNA Stability; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Biobank; Biorepository; Biospecimen; Frozen; Procurement; Tissue