Tissue Collection Techniques |
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Tissue Processing and Storage |
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Shipping |
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Policy Statement |
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Tissue Collection Techniques |
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Tissue Processing and Storage |
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Shipping |
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Policy Statement |
As described previously, a detailed protocol for collection of specimens is developed in consultation with each investigator. However, the initial aspects of these protocols are usually similar. The usual protocol for collecting tissues from surgical resections is as follows: a list of tissues required by regional investigators and requests that have been networked are updated continuously. These tissue requests are matched with surgical resections so that each case provides maximal tissue resources to multiple investigators. When a potential research specimen is identified, the specimen is rapidly transferred from the operating room to the surgical pathologist who provides CHTN personnel with remnant tissues that are not necessary for diagnosis. Similarly, autopsy tissues and remnant serum/plasma specimens not required for diagnosis are transferred by the pathologists to CHTN personnel. From this point, the tissues and fluids from both surgical resections and autopsies are handled and processed according to the protocols of the individual researchers.
The processing of specimens varies according to the protocol of each individual investigator. Specimens can be snap-frozen and stored for limited periods of time at ultra-low temperatures for the investigator. Alternatively, the investigator may require fresh tissue that can be collected using aseptic technique, if necessary. Fresh tissue can be minced, placed in transfer media, and shipped to the investigator for next day arrival. Similarly, for research involving substances stable after fixation, fixed or paraffin-processed tissues can be provided. In addition, some divisions offer limited histological processing by special arrangement. This includes H&E stained sections and stained or unstained frozen sections.
The Pediatric Division of the CHTN preserves all available tumor, diseased and normal tissue specimens in several ways. Some specimens are snap-frozen, some are snap-frozen in OCT embedding compound and some are fixed and embedded in paraffin, which can be processed into stained or unstained slides. These methods allow for batch shipping to investigators. Some specimens may be preserved in media and shipped immediately. Rare tumors and frozen specimens are preserved under ultra-low temperature freezing for future requests.
The method of shipment of specimens varies with the type of tissue collected. Specimens stored at ultra-low temperatures may be batch shipped to investigators on dry ice. Fresh specimens are usually shipped out the day of collection on wet ice or at room temperature. Investigators can expect delivery of shipments by early the next morning.
The institutions and principal investigators comprising the CHTN make every effort to ensure that there is an equitable distribution of tissue into and by the CHTN. In addition, several factors act to prevent CHTN tissue resources from benefiting only a limited number of investigators. Foremost, except for rare tumors, the number of surgical specimens is usually adequate for the recovery of research material.
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For comments or concerns about this web site please contact: Steve Marroulis at marrouliss@imsweb.com |
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