Research at Fox Chase »Research Facilities »Cell Biology

Andres J.P. Klein-Szanto, MD Director Catherine F. Renner, HT-ASCP Scientific Technician Fangping Chen, H.T. 215-728-2464 Histotechnician Huafen Li, H.T. 215-728-2464 Histotechnician

Center Building, Room C416 215-728-3154 215-728-2464 Andres.Klein-Szanto@fccc.edu

Function

The primary function of the Histopathology Facility is to serve as a research resource, which processes and evaluates tissues derived from experimental protocols developed by staff investigators. Many of these projects involve experimental tumor models that require histological and/or cytological processing. Frequently, additional special techniques and procedures are requested. These include special stains, enzyme histochemistry, immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, autoradiography, and both traditional and digital microphotography. The Histopathology Facility also provides support to the Laboratory Animal Health Facility in the quality control and animal health monitoring activities as well as processing support to the Tumor Bank Facility.

Most of the activities of the facility are responses to requests for sections, special stains, and microscopic interpretation for the cancer research projects of Fox Chase investigators. This accounts for more than 90% of the processed material and slides read by Dr. Klein-Szanto. An additional group of slides involve tissues derived from animals submitted by the Laboratory Animal Health Facility as part of a health monitoring program. The services provided for both these activities can be summarized as follows:

• Preparation of tissues for histopathological or cytological evaluation that involves embedding in paraffin, preparation of tissues sections, routine staining of tissues (hematoxylin-eosin), special staining of tissue sections (PAS, trichromes, etc.), and other cytological techniques (PAP, hematological, etc.).
• Preparation of tissues for special histological or histopathological evaluation such as embedding in plastics, frozen sections, enzyme histochemistry, immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, and autoradiography. Histopathological evaluation of cell or tissue preparations when requested. Microphotography, using either 35 mm film (black and white, and color) or digital photography. Digital photography was introduced in 1998, and has enhanced our photographic services by digitizing and storing images that can be accessible to each investigator in his or her own computer. Producing images for publications and presentations is an important function of the HF and has been used by more than a dozen investigators per year.

Description

The equipment in the Histopathology Facility consists of one Nikon microscope equipped for standard and digital photomicrography and fluorescent micrography, one AO microscope, two Fisher histomatic tissue processors, one Fisher embedding center, two regular microtomes (2 Leitz) and a Hacker Bright cryomicrotome, an automatic immunostainer, as well as auxiliary equipment such as waterbaths, ovens, etc.