Author: xiaoyang wang

FFPE, Frozen, and LCM Sample Analysis Services: DNA, RNA, Protein Extraction & More

At VitroVivo, a leading histology and molecular histopathology company, we offer comprehensive FFPE (Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded), Frozen, and Laser Capture Microdissection (LCM) sample analysis services. Our expert team of biomedical scientists provides high-quality services to accelerate your research, including:

• DNA, RNA/miRNA, and Protein Extraction: Efficient isolation from FFPE tissues, frozen tissues, and LCM samples.
• PCR and RT-PCR: Reliable amplification and analysis for gene expression and genetic studies.

Our services are designed to streamline your research projects and enhance the accuracy of your molecular studies. For more information or to request services, please contact us at service@vitrovivo.com.

Histopathological Interpretation and Reporting by Board-Certified Pathologists

At VitroVivo, we provide expert histopathological interpretation and microscopic analysis by Board-Certified Pathologists. Our services include:

• Detailed Histopathological Interpretation and Description: Expert analysis of tissue samples under the microscope.
• General Experimental Pathology: Comprehensive reporting and description of pathology findings.
• Slide Review for FISH, IHC/IF, and Histochemistry: In-depth examination and interpretation of molecular and histochemical assays.
• Histo/Pathological Descriptions for Publication: High-quality, publication-ready descriptions tailored for research and academic purposes.

Our pathologists deliver precise and reliable histopathological interpretations to support your research, diagnostics, and publication needs. Contact us for professional and accurate pathological analysis services.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) 

FAQ 1. What kind of samples or material should I prepare for slide review?

VitroVivo acceptes wet tissue, frozen samples, FFPE blocks, OCT blocks, unstained slides, stained slides for histology and pathology review or  microscopic description. We also accept high quality whole slide microscope images. If necessary, we can perform the rest of the  experiment for histopathology review.

FAQ 2. Do you review animal slides or human tissue slides?

Our pathologists review both human and animal tissue slides.

Histopathology Imaging and Analysis Services: High-Quality Slide Scanning & Visual Scoring

At VitroVivo, we offer comprehensive Histopathology Image and Analysis Services, including:

• High-Quality Whole Slide Scanning: Digital images of tissue samples for precise analysis.
• Histology and Molecular Histopathology Analysis: Visual scoring for IHC (Immunohistochemistry), IF (Immunofluorescence), FISH/ISH (Fluorescence/In Situ Hybridization), and TUNEL assays.
• Delineation of Tissue Regions of Interest: Accurate identification and analysis of key tissue areas for targeted research.

Our advanced services provide reliable and detailed histopathology data to support your biomedical research and diagnostic needs. Contact us today to learn more about our high-quality imaging and analysis solutions.

 

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) 

FAQ 1. What are serial sections and why are they important?

Any of several microscopic sections made and arranged in consecutive order are called serial section. A continuous series of sections reveal structures in three dimensions (3D).

FAQ 2. What is step sectioning?

Step sectioning means taking a section and putting it on a slide, then shaving into the tissue a set distance, perhaps 100 microns or 500 microns, before taking the next section, and repeating this process. The result is a series of slides that show sections in “steps” or increments through the tissue.

FAQ 3. How do I prepare bone samples for tissue processing?

1. fixation ( see “Routine FFPE Histology Services”, FAQ 1)
2. After fixation, you can perform decalcification or you can send to VitroVivo for decalcification
3. Method of decalcificationa:

a. Quick decalcification for H&E staing or histology special staining: Immerse tissue cassette in 11% formic acid with a stir bar overnight in a fume hood, Rinse in running water for 30- 60 minutes (the smell should be gone).
b. Slow EDTA decalcification for Immumostaining:  Fixed specimens are rinsed in old EDTA decal solution before placing in Decal Bath. Solution must be stirred continuously. Decal time for mouse bone samples are as follows: Calvaria: 7 days; Arm or legs: 14 days.

FAQ 4. How do I make EDTA decalcification Solution?

Make Solution Recipe (4 Liter):  Distilled Water  3 L; Hydroxide, concentrated 280 ml; EDTA (FW 292.2) 400 gm
Dilute 280 ml of concentrated Ammonium Hydroxide in 3L of distilled water. Add 400gm of EDTA and stir till dissolved. Add more concentrated ammonium hydroxide until pH is 7.2. Add more water to make the final volume 4L.

FAQ 5. How do I prepare 2D culture cell samples for making FFPE blocks?

1. The volume of the packed cell pellet ideally needs to be approximately 0.5 mL. This requires approximately four 75 cm2 sized flasks, or two 150 cm2 flasks of near-confluent cell culture. Less material will result in a size-limited preparation, but this may be sufficient of only a few procedures are expected to be run.
2. Scrape the cells: For adherent monolayer cells, do not trypsinize, as this may destroy cell-surface protein markers. Working quickly, pull the flasks from the incubator, and scrape the cells into the media. Transfer to a sterile 50 mL polypropylene centrifuge tube. Spin at room temperature for five minutes in swinging bucket centrifuge (setting 3 for 5 minutes in a standard clinical centrifuge, or approximately 200 x g).
3. If using suspension cells, pellet 50 ml of cell culture supernatant in 50 ml conical tubes at 500xg for 10 min.
4. Fixation: Aspirate media off cell pellet. Very slowly, add 20 ml neutral buffered formalin or zinc formalin (4º C) (contact the VitroVivo Biotech if you require this reagent), letting it flow gently down the side of the tube, in order not to disturb the pellet. You may re-centrifuge if the cell pellet is disturbed. The cells need to fix overnight at 4º C in formalin. You may bring the cell preparation the day of preparation, or after overnight incubation.
5. If delivery of the preparation cannot be made within 24 hours of the start of fixation, remove the formalin and replace with 20 ml of 70% EtOH WITHOUT re-suspending the pellet. This will act as a non-crosslinking preservative, and the cells can be kept this way indefinitely at 4 º C. Do NOT freeze the cells.

FAQ 6. How do I prepare 3D culture cell samples for making FFPE blocks?

1. If the 3D culture cells are suspension sphere cells, the cell preparation is same as 2D culture cell (see  FAQ3).
2. If the 3 D culture cells grow on membrane ( such as PET membrane), cells should be fixed with 10% neutral buffered formalin for 30 min, then remove the formalin and replace with 70% EtOH.
3. We will cut the membrane into 2-4 pieces and embed them in agarose gel for routine tissue processing.

Flow Chat: From 3D Culture Cells to Digital Images

VitroVivo Molecular Histopathology Services – Advanced Tissue Analysis for Biomedical Research

VitroVivo Biotech offers cutting-edge molecular histopathology services, providing comprehensive technical and professional support for biomedical research, pathology, and molecular investigations. Our specialized services enable precise protein, RNA, and DNA analysis within tissue samples, supporting cancer research, neuroscience, developmental biology, and more.

Our Molecular Histopathology Services

🔬 Immunohistochemistry (IHC) – High-sensitivity protein detection in tissue sections.
🧪 Immunofluorescence (IF) Staining – Single or double antibody staining for cellular and molecular imaging.
🧬 Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) – DNA probe-based detection for gene amplification, deletion, or chromosomal abnormalities.
📌 In Situ RNA Hybridization (ISH) – Detection of mRNA, lncRNA, or microRNA, including RNAscope® ISH assays for high-resolution gene expression analysis.
💀 In Situ Apoptosis Detection (TUNEL Assay) – Identification of cell death in tissue samples.
🧩 In Situ BrdU or EdU Cell Proliferation Assay – Visualization of actively dividing cells.
🔄 In Situ Autophagy Detection Assay – Analysis of autophagy-related cellular processes.

Why Choose VitroVivo for Molecular Histopathology?

✅ State-of-the-Art Techniques – Advanced methodologies for high-quality, reproducible results.
✅ Customizable Solutions – Tailored services to meet specific research and diagnostic needs.
✅ Expert Support – Experienced histopathology specialists ensuring precision and reliability.

📩 Contact VitroVivo Biotech today to discuss your molecular histopathology service needs and receive expert support for your research!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

FAQ 1 How do you design molecular histopathology experiment?

All of the molecular histopathology experiment will include positive control, negative control, and experiment samples. VitroVivo guarantees positive control works well to the intended standard.

FAQ 2. Should I send primary antibody to VitroVivo for IHC or IF services?

In general, we prefer that customers provide primary antibodies for IHC and IF services. VitroVivo will provide other reagents for IHC and IF experiments. If the primary antibodies have been validated by VitroVivo, we are happy to use our antibodies.

FAQ 3. Do I need to prepare probes for  in situ hybridization services?

Yes, you need to prepare probes. VitroVivo provides other reagents.

FAQ 4. What do I need to prepare for TUNEL, In Situ BrdU or EdU cell proliferation assay and  In Situ autophagy detection assay​​?

You only need to send the samples to us.

FAQ 5, Does VitroVivo also provide human or animal samples?

Yes, We have customized sample collection services available.

IHC & ISH Images

VitroVivo Special Staining Services – Expert Tissue Staining for Research & Diagnostics

VitroVivo Biotech provides special staining services designed to enhance tissue visualization beyond standard Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) staining. Special stains help identify specific tissue structures, cellular components, microorganisms, metals, salts, and more that are not easily detected by routine staining.

What Are Special Stains?

🔬 Beyond H&E Staining – Special stains use advanced techniques to differentiate specific tissue components.
🧪 Precision & Customization – Essential for research, pathology, and clinical diagnostics.
🧬 Diverse Applications – Supports studies in histology, microbiology, and molecular biology.

Types of Special Stains

Special stains can be categorized into different groups based on their application:
✔ Histological Stains – Identify structural components within tissue.
✔ Microbial Stains – Detect bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms.
✔ Histochemical Stains – Highlight specific biomolecules, metals, and deposits.
✔ Advanced Stains – Includes immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in situ hybridization (ISH) for protein and DNA/RNA analysis.

VitroVivo Special Staining Services

We offer a range of high-quality special stains using standardized protocols:

✅ Mammary Gland Whole Mount Staining
✅ Alcian Blue Hematoxylin/Orange G Staining
✅ Oil Red O Staining (for lipid detection)
✅ Modified Gomori’s Trichrome Staining (for muscle and connective tissues)
✅ Bielschowsky’s Silver Staining (for neural structures)
✅ Masson’s Trichrome Staining (for collagen fibers)
✅ Picro-Sirius Red Staining (for collagen analysis)
✅ Reticulum Staining (for reticular fibers)
✅ Custom Special Stains – Available upon request.

DIY Special Staining Kits

Prefer to perform staining in your own lab? VitroVivo offers special stain kits for self-use, ensuring high-quality and reproducible results.

📩 Contact us at service@vitrovivo.com for inquiries, pricing, or custom staining solutions tailored to your research needs!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

FAQ 1. What is a special stain?

Any stain, other than an H&E stain, is classified as a special stain. The common special stains include mammary gland whole mount stain, alcian blue hematoxylin-orange G stain, alcian blue stain, alcian blue – PAS stain, oil red O stain, Nissl stain, Bielschowsky’s silver stain and Masson’s trichrome stain, etc. For more information, please visit our website page of Histochemical Stain Kits and Image Gallery.

FAQ 2. How do I choose VitroVivo special staining services?

This table gives you a guidance of the choice of special staining methods or kits (if you want to perform staining by your self). If you can not find the staining methods from this table, please send your email to  service@vitrovivo.com for inquiry, our service team will get back to you as soon as possible.

Product Name	SKU#	Visualization for	Typical Results
Hematoxylin and Eosin Kit	VB-3000	General morphology of tissue and cell	Sharp blue nucleus and red cytoplasm staining
Mammary Gland Whole Mount Stain Kit	VB-3001	Wholemount staining of mouse mammary glands	Mouse mammary glands stain red
Alcian Blue Hematoxylin-Orange G Stain Kit	VB-3002	Differentiate cartilage, mature bone, and immature bone found in various stages of endochondral ossification and fracture callus​	Bone:  orange to red Activated osteocytes:  bright blue pericellular ring Growth plate:  pale blue to blue Cartilage:  blue/purple (GAG/proteoglycan) Erythrocytes: bright pink Soft tissues (muscle, tendon, membranes):  pink to red Bone marrow:  dark blue
Alcian Blue Stain Kit	VB-3003	Tisssue mucosubstances	Strongly acidic sulfated mucosubstances: blue Nuclei: pink to red Cytoplasm: pale pink
PAS Stain Kit	VB-3004	Glycogen, mucin, and fungi	Glycogen, mucin and some basement membranes: red/purple Fungi: red/purple Background: blue
Alcian Blue – PAS Stain Kit	VB-3005	Acidic and neutral mucins as well as mixtures of acidic and neutral mucins	Acidic mucins: blue Neutral mucins: magenta mixtures of above:blue/purple nuclei: deep blue
Luxol Fast Blue Stain Kit	VB-3006	Myelin including phospholipids and neurons	Myelin including phospholipids: blue to green Neuron: pink to violet
Oil Red O Stain Kit	VB-3007	lipid and fat staining on formalin fixed frozen sections	Lipid: red Nuclei:blue
Alizarin Red Stain Kit	VB-3008	Calcium on tissue sections	Calcium deposits: orange-red
Prussian Blue Stain Kit	VB-3009	Ferric iron on tissue sections	Iron (hemosiderin): blue Nuclei: red Background: pink
Nissl Stain Kit	VB-3010	Neuron Nissl body	Neuron (Nissl body):pink-violet
Congo Red Amyloid Stain Kit	VB-3011	Amyloid deposits	Amyloid, elastic fibers, eosinophil granules: red Nuclei: blue
Sudan Black B Lipid Stain Kit	VB-3012	Lipid and fat	Fat: blue or black Nuclei: red
Toluidine Blue Stain Kit	VB-3013	Mast cells	Mast cells: violet/red purple Background: blue
Modified Gomori’s Trichrome Stain Kit	VB-3014	Connective fiber	Nuclei: dark blue Muscle myofibrils: green-blue Mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum stain: red Connective tissue stains: pale green-blue Myelin stains: purple red Type 1 fibers stain: darker blue/green as compared to type 2 fibers
Bielschowsky’s Silver Stain Kit	VB-3015	Axons, neurofibrillary tangles and senile plaques	Axons, neurofibrillary tangles and senile plaques: black Background: yellow to brown
Masson’s Trichrome Stain Kit	VB-3016	Collagen and mucus	Cytoplasm, keratin, muscle fibers, Erythrocytes:red Nuclei: black Collagen and mucus: blue
Picro-Sirius Red Stain Kit	VB-3017	Collagen fibers	Collagen: red Muscle Fibers: yellow Cytoplasm: yellow
Reticulum Stain Kit	VB-3018	Reticular fibers	Reticular fibers:black Nuclei: red
Verhoeff Van Gieson Elastin Stain Kit	VB-3019	Elastic fibers	Elastic fibers: blue-black to black Nuclei: blue to black Collagen: red Other tissue elements: yellow
Fontana-Masson Stain Kit	VB-3020	Melanin pigment and argentaffin granules	Melanin and argentaffin granules: Brown to black. Nuclei: Pink