Tissue microarray

In 1998, J. Kononen and collaborators developed the current technique, which uses a novel sampling approach to produce tissues of regular size and shape that can be more densely and precisely arrayed.

These tissue cores are then inserted in a recipient paraffin block in a precisely spaced, array pattern.

Sections from this block are cut using a microtome, mounted on a microscope slide and then analyzed by any method of standard histological analysis.

Tests commonly employed in tissue microarray include immunohistochemistry, and fluorescent in situ hybridization.

Since patient samples are assembled into the same block, sections can be stained with the same protocol to avoid experimental variability and technical artefacts.