A novel method for preparation of tissue microarray

AIM: To improve the technique of tissue microarray (tissue chip). METHODS: A new tissue microarraying method was invented with a common microscope installed with a special holing needle, a sampling needle, and a special box fixing paraffin blocks on the microscope slide carrier. With the movement of microscope tube and objective stage on vertical and cross dimensions respectively, the holing procedure on the recipient paraffin blocks and sampling procedure of core tissue biopsies taken from the donor blocks were performed with the refitted microscope on the same platform. The precise observation and localization of representative regions in the donor blocks were also performed with the microscope equipped with a stereoscope. RESULTS: Highly-qualified tissue chips of colorectal tumors were produced by a new method, which simplified the conventional microarraying procedure, and was more convenient and accurate than that employing the existing tissue microarraying instruments. CONCLUSION: Using the refitted common microscope to produce tissue microarray is a simple, reliable, cost-effective and well-applicable technique.