Consent Preferences
Skip to content
Back to Core Facilites Exchange

Experimental Pathology (ExPath) Core

The UAMS Experimental Pathology (ExPath) Core Laboratory provides researchers with centralized, comprehensive histological services. The laboratory can process and section tissues for use in biochemical, molecular, and pathologic studies. In addition, the laboratory works with investigators to develop immunostaining approaches to detect specific targets of interest and to identify clinical pathologists who can assist with image analysis and data interpretation. The laboratory director, consultants, and technicians have extensive experience in routine histology and immunohistochemistry involving human and animal tissues.

 

If you’re interested in accessing this facility, you may qualify for a voucher to cover facility costs. Visit Research Vouchers – Arkansas INBRE to check your project’s eligibility.

Services and Equipment

    • Tissue Processing and Embedding: The laboratory can process and paraffin embed tissues for downstream analysis. It is equipped to section both frozen and paraffin-embedded tissues, with sections prepared for slides, molecular and biochemical studies, and laser capture dissection. Equipment includes the Tissue-Tek VIP 6 AI Tissue Processor and Tissue-Tek Embedding Center for processing and paraffin embedding, the Microm HM325 Microtome for sectioning paraffin-embedded tissues, and the Leica CM3050S Cryostat for sectioning frozen tissue.

    • Tissue Staining: The laboratory provides a wide range of standard pathological stains for histochemical analysis and works with investigators to develop immunostaining approaches for detecting specific targets of interest. Available instruments include the Histo-Tek SL automated slide stainer for routine Hematoxylin and Eosin staining, and the Leica Bond-Rx Fully Automated Research Stainer, which supports automated single and multiplexed immunostaining protocols.

    • Slide Scanning and Imaging: The laboratory houses an Aperio digital slide scanner capable of capturing whole-slide images at 20x and 40x magnification for analysis and archiving, as well as an Akoya Mantra™ multispectral imaging system for capturing up to seven different colors on a single slide. Specific equipment includes the Leica (Aperio) Scanscope CS2, which can scan up to five slides at 20x or 40x magnification with images stored on a server for sharing and remote analysis, and the Mantra™ Quantitative Pathology Workstation, which uses a multispectral camera for multiplexed immunohistochemistry and inForm® Image Analysis software to unmix signals from up to nine different fluorophores.

    • Consultation: Investigators are encouraged to consult with ExPath staff prior to project submission for planning, antibody selection and optimization, protocol development, and troubleshooting. In addition, consultation with clinical pathologists is available to support data analysis and interpretation.

    • Leica Bond-Rx fully automated stainer

    Visit the iLab Core Site for complete information.