BACKGROUND: Our objectives in this study were to (1) evaluate the possible role of p53, c-kit and CD34 proteins in sarcomas and to determine their potential relationship; (2) use a tissue microarray to compare the immunohistochemical staining results on both the tissue microarrays and the corresponding whole tissue sections. METHODS: Whole sections from 85 sarcomas were studied for the immunohistochemical expression of p53, c-kit and CD34. Tissue microarrays consisting of triplicate 2 mm cores from the corresponding blocks were constructed and stained according to the same protocols as those used for the whole sections. RESULTS: On whole section analysis, p53 protein was expressed in 25 cases (29.4%). Expression of c-kit was observed in 31 specimens (36.5%), whereas CD34 expression was noted in 11 tumors (12.9%). The overall concordance between triplicates was 96% (217/226). The consensus score from the combined triplicates agreed with the results on the whole sections at 91.4% (233/255). The correlations between p53 and CD34, and between c-kit and CD34, were statistically significant (p=.028 and p=.010 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: p53 and c-kit express relatively frequently in sarcomas. Tissue microarrays are an effective alternative to whole sections; however, the presence of triplicate punches seems to improve the yield but not the concordance of data.
Consensus ; Sarcoma* ; Tissue Array Analysis*

With scrap and easy to find material, the author had designed a tissue array machine which could make specimens as good as being made by imported machine. Method of making tissue array: making holes array on paraffin bar. Implement tissue array technique on holes array on paraffin bar. Cut, process and dye specimen normally. Because the tissue array technique gives result as accurate as the normal specimen dying technique does (the results of two method matched in 94% of specimens) it should apply the tissue array technique in studying
Tissue Array Analysis ; Equipment and Supplies

ZM-1 tissue microarrayer designed by our group is manufactured in stainless steel and brass. It features an easier and faster preparation for tissue microarrays. By means of it, a group of biopsy needles are used to punch the donor tissue specimens respectively, and all the needles with the punched specimen cylinders are arranged into the array-board, where small holes have been digged to fit the needles. All the specimen cylinders arraying and the tissue microarray block's shaping are finished simultaneously. ZM-1 tissue microarrayer with a lower cost of manufacture, is capable of preparing the tissue microarrays conveniently, efficiently and quality-controllably.
Equipment Design ; Tissue Array Analysis ; instrumentation

BACKGROUND: Self-made tissue punches can be effectively used to punch holes in blank recipient paraffin blocks and extract tissue cores from the donor paraffin blocks for the low-cost construction of tissue microarrays (TMAs). However, variable degrees of section distortion and loss of the tissue cores can occurs during cutting of the TMAs, posing technical problems for in-house manual construction of high-density TMAs. We aimed to update the method for in-house manual TMA construction to improve the quality of high-density TMAs. METHODS: Blocks of agarose gel were subjected to the standard tissue processing and embedding procedure to prepare recipient agarose-paraffin blocks. The self-made tissue punches and recipient agarose-paraffin blocks were used to construct TMAs, which were completely melted and re-embedded in paraffin to make finished TMA blocks. RESULTS: The donor tissue cores were completely integrated into the surrounding paraffin of the recipient blocks. This method enabled us to construct high-density TMAs with significantly less section distortion or loss of tissue cores during microtomy. CONCLUSIONS: Simple and inexpensive construction of high-density and high-quality TMAs can be warranted by using paraffinized agarose gels as recipient blocks.
Gels ; Humans ; Paraffin ; Sepharose ; Tissue Array Analysis ; Tissue Donors

Tissue array is a technique by taking and transfering pieces of tissue from different block paraffin to new block. After cutting the authors get a slice with a lot of different samples. This technique saves time, chemistry and work. Using this technique to study 220 Gastric cancer samples. The expression of protein P53 in Gastric cancer tissue is 52.3%. In situ hybridization was used to find the EBERs (EBV Encoded small RNAs) of EBV in Gastric cancer tissue
Tissue Array Analysis ; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ; Stomach Neoplasms

A novel automatic manufacture device for tissue micro-array is introduced in this paper. Based on the analyses of task and process, the new device prototype is researched and developed. The device consists of a paraffin positioning module and a three-manipulator module. The control system is composed of accurate navigation sub-system, digital image recognition sub-system and punching-filling operating sub-system. The results of experiment demonstrate that the device can accomplish the operations such as image automatic recognition, accurate position, auto-punching and filling. It fulfills the requirements to automatic manufacture of tissue micro-array.
Automation ; Equipment Design ; Humans ; Tissue Array Analysis ; instrumentation ; methods

Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Tissue Array Analysis ; methods

Paraffin Embedding ; methods ; Tissue Array Analysis ; instrumentation ; methods

BACKGROUND: Advances of tissue microarray (TMA) technology have enabled simultaneous in situ analysis of biomarker expression in a large number of archived pathology specimens. However, the relatively high cost of TMA construction may hamper many researchers from using this essential tool of modern pathology research. We discuss methods for making TMA kits and recipient blocks for manual construction of high-density TMAs at low cost. METHODS: Ordinary cannula piercing needles, hypodermic needles, bone marrow biopsy needles, metallic ink cartridges of ballpoint pens, and disposable skin biopsy punches were used to construct self-made manual TMA kits. The recipient blocks were manufactured by boring holes in the conventional bare paraffin blocks. A mini electric hand drill and a microcompound table assembled on a drill stand were used to maximize the capacity of the recipient blocks. RESULTS: By using TMA kits made from cannula piercing needles (16- and 18-gauge), it was possible to construct TMAs with 1 mmx140 cores, 0.6 mmx320 cores, 2 mmx70 cores, 3 mmx35 cores, and 5 mmx12 cores. The capacity of the recipient blocks could be dramatically increased by drilling holes. CONCLUSIONS: Construction of TMAs using self-made TMA kits is an inexpensive alternative to construction of TMAs using commercial devices.
Biopsy ; Bone Marrow ; Catheters ; Hand ; Ink ; Mandrillus ; Needles ; Paraffin ; Skin ; Tissue Array Analysis

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Periostin is an extracellular matrix protein and is known to be related to the metastatic potential and prognosis of cancer. However, few studies have investigated the expression level of periostin and its association with prognoses in hepatocellular carcinoma. Therefore, we analyzed periostin overexpression in hepatocellular carcinoma and its implication for prognoses. METHODS: We evaluated 149 patients who underwent surgical resection between 2006 and 2010. Tissue microarrays were constructed from hepatocellular carcinoma tissue and adjacent nontumor tissue, and immunohistochemistry was performed. RESULTS: A high periostin level was observed more frequently in cases of multiple tumors (odds ratio [OR], 2.826; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.224 to 6.527; p=0.013), positive microvascular invasion (OR, 2.974; 95% CI, 1.431 to 6.181; p=0.003), and advanced stage disease (OR, 3.032; 95% CI, 1.424 to 6.452; p=0.003). Patients with high periostin expression had significantly (p=0.002) lower overall survival rates than those with low periostin expression (90.3%, 66.1%, and 56.2% vs 97.7%, 85.1%, and 77.5% at 1, 3, and 5 years). CONCLUSIONS: We found that a combination of periostin overexpression and microvascular invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma was correlated with a poor prognosis and can be a good prognostic marker for hepatocellular carcinoma.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Extracellular Matrix ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Prognosis* ; Survival Rate ; Tissue Array Analysis