Tissue Microarray Mold Kit

Tissue Microarray Construction Molds

Each kit includes:

  • 1 Mold
  • 4 Tissue Punches

Product Options:

15 cores, 4mm:
Part # 6894A kit $615.00
24 cores, 2mm:
Part # 6894B kit $615.00
36 cores, 3mm:
Part # 6894C kit $615.00
60 cores, 2mm:
Part # 6894D kit $615.00
72 cores, 1.5mm:
Part # 6894E kit $615.00
150 cores, 1.5mm:
Part # 6894F kit $615.00
170 cores, 1mm:
Part # 6894G kit $615.00

 

Tissue Microarray (TMA) is a technique enabling tissues from many donor blocks to be arrayed on a single slide.  The array mold is specifically designed to be simple, easy to use and inexpensive.  Tissues can be analyzed in the same conditions enhancing the efficiency of the research.

The mold kit will allow you to perform TMAs faster while giving excellent results.  By using array molds, you can process up to 170 specimens onto one single slide in very little time.

BENEFITS OF THE TISSUE MICROARRAY MOLDS:

  • Mold made of silicone
  • 45° cut corner on one corner for sample orientation
  • View many different samples on the same slide
  • Process up to 170 specimens onto one slide
  • Easily stored in a drawer
  • Can be reused hundreds of times without losing its flexibility
  • Withstands temperatures from -100°C to +250°C

Printable pdf version

INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE:                                      

1 Place the mold in an oven for 30 minutes at 70°C to 80°C.
2 Slowly dispense liquid paraffin (60°C to 65°C) until the top of core rods are fully submerged.  If bubbles are formed, remove them with a pair of heated forceps.
3 Position a cassette on the mold.
4 Fill embedding cassette with paraffin.
5 Cool at room temperature or at about 4°C for 30 to 60 minutes.  Warning:  At lower temperatures, cracks may appear in the block.
6 Slowly separate the mold from the embedding cassette.
7 Trim paraffin around the edges of the recipient block.
8 Extract the marked tissue from the donor block by using the appropriate tissue punch.

a.  Place the donor block on a horizontal and flat surface.

b.  Hold the tissue punch in your hand perpendicularly to the marked position of the donor block.

c.  Slowly insert the tissue punch into the donor block at the proper depth of 5mm.  Don’t insert it too quickly and too deep to prevent damaging the donor block and the tissue punch.

9 By slowly pushing on the tissue punch plunger, deliver the extracted tissue into the corresponding hole of the recipient block.  Then, gently push in all the tissue cores to ensure evenness for microtomy.
10 Place the recipient block on a glass slide (facing down) and incubate the block at 37°C to 45°C for 3 hours up to overnight.  The delivered cores will adhere to their respective holes in the recipient block.  Do not pull the slide from the TMA block.
11 With the recipient block still warm and tacky, heat another slide in an oven to around 70°C for approximately 10 minutes.  Then, place it under the slide that is already stuck to the Array block.  The Array block surface should quickly turn to liquid.  Move the two slides around on the Array block to push any surface air bubbles away and to flatten the Array block surface.
12 Now, remove second slide and place Array block with original slide (slide down) on counter for 10 minutes in order to cool down.  Once Array block is at room temperature, place it with the slide on an ice tray (no water) to cool for 20 minutes.  Slide should remove easily from Array block which will now be ready for cutting.

 

Notes:

  1. The tissue punches are not intended for use directly on patients.  For lab/research purposes only.
  2. If some of the mold cores are not needed, simply fill unwanted holes in the paraffin Array block with blank paraffin cores.
  3. If the Array mold has cracked or split, you can still use it by placing a rubber band or tape around it.  This will keep the Array mold together when paraffin is poured into it.