an affordable, easy to use, low volume instrument
for large core biopsy arrays

Tissue micro arrays are a powerful new technology for high throughput analysis of multiple tissue samples for medical screening. The FIN-2 was developed to rapidly produce clean, precisely cut samples from original paraffin embedded histology specimens, which are then combined in the FIN-2 into precision micro arrays. These micro arrays permit simultaneous processing of multiple tissue specimens. Previous methods of preparing micro arrays were time-consuming, difficult, unreliable and did not produced the excellent, uniform results possible with the FIN-2.

 

 

• Manually operated, precision X-Y stage
• Temperature controlled warming plate
• Tissue Array Cassettes 
  - 48 x 2mm dia.
  - 24 x 3mm dia.
  - 12 x 5mm dia.
      For use with standard embedding molds, eliminating the need to core recipient paraffin blocks
• Simple to Use Punch Head
• Complete with three sizes of Cylindrical Punch Knives, each with a matching core extraction pin
  
• Quick–lock rotating work table to rapidly change from Donor block position to Array Cassette position with 90° rotation

 

Sample Preparation Procedure:

1. Donor specimen blocks are placed on the warming plate for 10 to 15 minutes at 30 to 32C to soften the paraffin and tissue
2. The recipient Tissue Array Cassette is placed in the special embedding mold and locked in position in the recess of the quick-lock rotating table
3. The warm donor block is then transferred to the quick-Lock rotating table for coring.
4. The donor block is manually positioned under the coring head and with the appropriate size cylindrical punch knife the sample core is extracted
5. The coring head is rotated 180° to the extraction position
6. The quick-lock table is rotated 90° to position the tissue array cassette beneath the coring head
7. Using the optical magnifier beneath the table ensure that the first array position is aligned with the punch head
8. Lower the punch head and using the core extraction pin push the sample core into the tissue array cassette

Using the precision X-Y stage to move the quick-lock table to the next array position and repeat the above process.
When the array is complete, transfer the tissue array cassette, in its mold, to a paraffin embedding center and fill the tissue array cassette with molten paraffin. If an embedding center is not available use the warming plate set at 58C – 60C and transfer molten paraffin in a small beaker
With practice 6 and 12 core arrays can be produced in 15 – 20 minutes and 48 core arrays in less than 1 hour

Image from FIN-2 sample courtesy of Professor Junya Fukuoka, MD. PhD.,
Laboratory of Pathology, Toyama University Hospital

Specifications

170mm x 228mm temperature controlled warming plate.

temperature range: ambient to 60C in 1C increments for pre-warming donor blocks to prevent sample damage during core extraction to re-embed tissue array block with molten paraffin using mold provided.

100mm x 47mm precision X-Y stage with 1mm travel per revolution of control knob in each direction

Quick – Lock rotating work table to rapidly change from Donor block position to Array Cassette position with 90° rotation. Array cassette position is provided with an optical magnifier underneath the table to quickly align the coring tool.

FIN-2  tissue array cassettes provide up to 3mm thickness of arrayed tissue when embedded in standard mold and are conveniently sized to fit standard microtome object holders

Overall instrument dimensions: 350mm wide x 290mm deep x 350mm high

Weight: 7kg

Power: 100/120 VAC, 200 W