Tissue microarrays are ordered arrays of hundreds to thousands of tissue cores in a single paraffin block. We invented a novel
method to make a high-throughput microarray group. Conventional smaller tissue microarrays were made first and then sectioned.
Separate paraffin films were arrayed orderly onto a regular-sized glass slide to form a larger microarray group. Sections
were not floated in a water bath but, rather, were cut singly using conventional microtome, arrayed orderly onto the glass
slide with forceps instead of using a tape-based tissue transfer system, and then unfolded with warm water (46° C) using a
micropipette. This not only lowers the difficulty in sectioning but the overall tissue disks can be included in the same section.
A microarray group of 2,534 small disks (theoretically, 2,560 disks can be made; 26 fell off during the procedure), the most
up to now, was successfully made and may be used in immunohistochemistry, mRNA in situ hybridization, and flourescent in situ
hybridization.
Keywords Tissue microarray - Microarray groups - Immunohistochemistry - mRNA In situ hybridization
Editor: J. Denry Sato