organisation - the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência

HISTOPATHOLOGY
UNIT
Miguel P. Soares Head
PhD in Science, University of Louvain, Belgium, 1995
PI of Inflammation Group
Head of Facility since 2011
The Histopathology Unit provides a wide range of services related to tissue
preparation. These include collection, fixation, processing, embedding, sectioning
and staining of animal tissue samples. The unit also provides microscopy
assistance as well as training to new users in sample preparation and sectioning.
FACILITY STAFF
Ana Margarida Santos (Technician, left in October)
Joana Rodrigues (Technician)
EQUIPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE
• Tissue processor: takes the fixed tissues through a series of graded alcohol
baths, to dehydrate, then into xylene and finally paraffin will penetrate the
tissues;
• Paraffin embedding station and water bath: used to effect the paraffin
inclusion of cytological and histological samples;
• Microtome: sectioning instrument that allows for the cutting of extremely
thin slices of material. These sections are then observed under transmitted
light. Steel blades are used to prepare sections of animal or plant tissues
for light microscopy histology. Microtome sections have thickness between
0.05 and 10 µm;
• Cryostat: device used to maintain cold cryogenic temperatures of samples
and to cut histological slides from samples fixed and frozen in OCT;
• Vibratome: similar to a microtome but uses a vibrating razor blade to cut
through tissue. The vibration amplitude, the speed, and the angle of the
blade can all be controlled. Fixed or fresh tissue pieces are embedded in
low gelling temperature agarose. The resulting agarose block containing
the tissue piece is then glued to a metal block and sectioned while submerged
in a water or buffer bath. Individual sections are then collected
with a fine brush and transferred to slides or multiwell plates for staining.
Funding Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Portugal
B
HYALINE CARTILAGE.
Hyaline cartilage, mouse. Luxol fast blue (400x).
OVARIAN METASTASIS.
Ovarian mestastasis of breast cancer, mouse. Hematoxylin and eosin (200x).
IGC ANNUAL REPORT ‘11
FACILITIES AND SERVICES
94