Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota

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Masonic Cancer Center of the University of Minnesota

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Comparative Pathology Shared Resource

Watch a video about the Comparative Pathology Shared Resource and its services.

The Comparative Pathology Shared Resource, led by Cathy Carlson, D.V.M., Ph.D., provides pathology support and expertise to Masonic Cancer Center members who use laboratory animals in their research.

On this page:

Services

Histology

Production of high quality tissue sections from frozen and fixed tissues.

  • Fixed tissue processing, embedding in paraffin, sectioning and staining
  • Frozen tissue sectioning and staining (with or without cryoprotection in sucrose gradient)
  • Decalcification, processing and sectioning of bones
    • VB-2093-A-proximal-cor

    Coronal section of a normal mouse head; H&E stain

  • Stains available
    • Hematoxylin and eosin (HE)
    • Periodic Acid-Schiff (PAS)
    • Grocott's methamine silver (GMS)
    • Toluidine blue
    • Gomori trichrome
    • Alcian blue
    • Giemsa
    • Tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)
    • Congo red

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Immunohistochemistry (IHC)

Detection of cell antigens in frozen and fixed animal tissue sections. More than 50 protocols have been developed to work in mouse, rat, rabbit, monkey, and human tissues. Click here to view the most current list (PDF). The number of available IHC stains is continually increasing. . Please contact us for the most current list, and prior to requesting a specific antigen immunostain.

Generic Picture Box Project

Mll expression (red) in nuclei (blue) of myeloid blast cells

  • Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining for antigens in fixed and frozen tissues
  • Immunofluorescent (IF) staining for antigens in fixed and frozen tissues
  • Proliferating cell detection with BRDU labeling and Ki-67 staining
  • Apoptotic cell detection with TUNEL, cleaved caspase 3 staining, and In Situ cell death detection using TMR red fluorescence stain.
  • Development of new IHC protocols for detection of antigens in frozen or formalin fixed tissues.
    • One trial run includes 3 different types of antigen retrieval (for formalin fixed tissues) or 3 different fixatives (for frozen tissues) and 3 different concentrations of antibody.

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Pathology

Pancreas BRDU insulin stain

Pancreatic islet with double stain for BRDU (nuclear) and insulin (cytoplasmic).

  • Description and interpretation of gross and microscopic lesions
  • Gross and microscopic imaging
  • Assistance with necropsies
  • Phenotypic characterization of transgenic mice
  • Semi quantitative lesion analysis
  • Evaluation of blood smears, tissue impression smears, and interpretation of CBC
  • Consultations on experimental design, sample collection, fixation, stains, and immunohistochemistry
  • Assistance or collaboration in manuscript preparation (lesion description, data summary and interpretation, publication quality image production)

Dr. Gerry O'Sullivan, board certified veterinary pathologist, is available for consultations and review of microscopic lesions and immunohistochemical stain results by appointment in MCRB 560E. To schedule a specific time, please contact Dr. O'Sullivan (gos@umn.edu; 612-625-3254).

To ensure timely completion of large projects (those involving analyses from >30 animals), please contact Dr. O'Sullivan approximately 3 months prior to sample submission to discuss the goals of pathologic analysis, research questions posed and types of analyses anticipated.

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Acknowledgement

A pathologist whose input directly contributes to a scientific publication should be included as a co-author and laboratory support contributing to a scientific publication should be included in the acknowledgements section of the manuscript.

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Publications

View a list of manuscripts (PDF) prepared with technical and pathology assistance of CPSR.

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