Tissue microarray (TMA) is a paraffin block constructed by removing cylindrical tissue cores of regions of interest from different paraffin donor blocks and re-embedding these into a single recipient (microarray) block at defined array coordinates. It is a high throughput application in research which allows the possibility to assemble a large number of representative tissue samples from a defined study cohort. TMA is not only a useful tool for controlling experimental conditions for a large number of samples, but it is also a cost-effective choice as it decreases assay volume and related cost when compared to running the assay on donor tissue individually. The TMA slide can be utilized for common histology assays as well as for molecular testing.
Those wishing to apply for TMA services from the UAB-TBR should complete the TMA Application Form and provide a copy of IRB approval or documentation of IRB review for the project. Services provided by the UAB-TBR include:
- TMA Block Generation
- TMA Slide Sectioning
