Histology
Histology – the power to reveal unexpected connections
The Histology Facility offers versatile equipment and expert knowledge that allow researchers to preserve and visualize microanatomy of their samples and prepare them for multimodal and -omics pipelines.
Our services encompass tissue processing, routine histological stains, a growing array of immunostaining techniques and in situ hybridization methods. We are dedicated to developing highly individualized approaches for each project.
Do you work with tissue systems or animal models? Do you study disease processes? Are you interested in our services?
Contact us or visit our Info Hub
Experimental design and protocol planning
Assisting with study design, and development and implementation of protocols for standard as well as customized experimental studies.
Preanalytical procedures
Providing services and support for:
- Sample collection, fixation, and processing
- Cryo- and paraffin embedding and sectioning
- Staining
We have experience working with several types of samples including whole organisms, isolated organs, slices or groups of tissues, cell cultures (2D and 3D), fluids, and inorganic materials.
We perform routine and special histochemical stains along with immunostainings (immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, and multiplex stains). We have experience with background reduction in problematic “mouse on mouse” stainings as well as cross-reactivity avoidance during multiplex stainings. We also offer RNA in situ hybridization with basic protocols and RNAscope hybridization.
Cross-facility workflows
Inter-facility support includes coordinated processing services (e.g., perfusion and dissection after in vivo phenotyping) offered with other facilities for multimodal projects.
Histology staff also works collaboratively with the VBCF NGS facility offering spatial transcriptomics services.
Auxiliary services
Support during self-service is offered exclusively to IMP/IMBA/GMI members. It includes training in the use of all the sectioning equipment available in the facility and troubleshooting support.
LabSat® is an automated stainer utilizing a microfluidic technology called FFeX and a pressurized system. It is capable of carrying out IHC/IF staining cycles within a few minutes, in a highly precise and reproducible manner. This highly open system allows for testing many types of reagents and conditions. This system accelerates the optimization times of antibodies and allows for automated multiplexing immunostaining.
A fully open immunostaining system with the capacity for 60 slides per run. It can perform immunochemistry staining with either DAB or AP-red detection systems using customized protocols.
If you are interested in having immunostains done on your samples with the i6000, please contact us.
This instrument performs automatic tissue dehydration, clearing, and paraffin infiltration of up to 360 tissue cassettes in one run.
If you are interested in using the Donatello, please contact us.
Microtome to section frozen or cryo-embedded tissues. Open-top cryostat with ergonomic design for working while standing or sitting. This cryostat allows a section thickness range from 0.5 to 100 µm. The temperature for the specimen clumper is controlled and ranges from 10°C to -35°C. There is a separate temperature control for the knife carrier down to -35°C.
Heavy duty microtomes used for paraffin sectioning, allowing a section thickness range from 0.5 to 100 µm. The sections can then be transferred onto a glass slide and used for a wide variety of staining protocols (basic staining, immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, or immunofluorescence).
Please click here for more equipment.
VBCF HISTOLOGY TEAM
SCIENTIFIC CONTRIBUTIONS
Human Papillomavirus 42 Drives Digital Papillary Adenocarcinoma and Elicits a Germ Cell-like Program Conserved in HPV-Positive Cancers. Leiendecker L, Neumann T, Jung PS, Cronin SM, Steinacker TL, Schleiffer A, Schutzbier M, Mechtler K, Kervarrec T, Laurent E, Bachiri K, Coyaud E, Murali R, Busam KJ, Itzinger-Monshi B, Kirnbauer R, Cerroni L, Calonje E, Rütten A, Stubenrauch F, Griewank KG, Wiesner T, Obenauf AC. Cancer Discov. 2023 13(1):70-84
Dissociation of impulsive traits by subthalamic metabotropic glutamate receptor 4. Piszczek L, Constantinescu A, Kargl D, Lazovic J, Pekcec A, Nicholson JR, Haubensak W. Elife. 2022 11:e62123.
Amplification of human interneuron progenitors promotes brain tumors and neurological defects. Eichmüller OL, Corsini NS, Vértesy Á, Morassut I, Scholl T, Gruber VE, Peer AM, Chu J, Novatchkova M, Hainfellner JA, Paredes MF, Feucht M, Knoblich JA. Science. 2022 375(6579):eabf5546
Hybrid spheroid microscaffolds as modular tissue units to build macro-tissue assemblies for tissue engineering. Guillaume O, Kopinski-Grünwald O, Weisgrab G, Baumgartner T, Arslan A, Whitmore K, Van Vlierberghe S, Ovsianikov A. Acta Biomater. 2022 S1742-7061(22)00141-6.
p57Kip2 imposes the reserve stem cell state of gastric chief cells. Lee JH, Kim S, Han S, Min J, Caldwell B, Bamford AD, Rocha ASB, Park J, Lee S, Wu SS, Lee H, Fink J, Pilat-Carotta S, Kim J, Josserand M, Szep-Bakonyi R, An Y, Ju YS, Philpott A, Simons BD, Stange DE, Choi E, Koo BK, Kim JK. Cell Stem Cell. 2022 29(5):826-839.e9.
Transcription factor mesenchyme homeobox protein 2 (MEOX2) modulates nociceptor function. Kokotović T, Lenartowicz EM, Langeslag M, Ciotu CI, Fell CW, Scaramuzza A, Fischer MJM, Kress M, Penninger JM, Nagy V. FEBS J. 2022 289(12):3457-3476
Adult T-cells impair neonatal cardiac regeneration. Dolejsi T, Delgobo M, Schuetz T, Tortola L, Heinze KG, Hofmann U, Frantz S, Bauer A, Ruschitzka F, Penninger JM, Campos Ramos G, Haubner BJ. Eur Heart J. 2022 43(28):2698-2709
Polycomb-mediated repression of paternal chromosomes maintains haploid dosage in diploid embryos of Marchantia. Montgomery SA, Hisanaga T, Wang N, Axelsson E, Akimcheva S, Sramek M, Liu C, Berger F. Elife. 2022 11:e79258.
Biallelic PAX5 mutations cause hypogammaglobulinemia, sensorimotor deficits, and autism spectrum disorder. Kaiser FMP, Gruenbacher S, Oyaga MR, Nio E, Jaritz M, Sun Q, van der Zwaag W, Kreidl E, Zopf LM, Dalm VASH, Pel J, Gaiser C, van der Vliet R, Wahl L, Rietman A, Hill L, Leca I, Driessen G, Laffeber C, Brooks A, Katsikis PD, Lebbink JHG, Tachibana K, van der Burg M, De Zeeuw CI, Badura A, Busslinger M. J Exp Med. 2022 219(9):e20220498
FIBCD1 is an endocytic GAG receptor associated with a novel neurodevelopmental disorder. Fell CW, Hagelkruys A, Cicvaric A, Horrer M, Liu L, Li JSS, Stadlmann J, Polyansky AA, Mereiter S, Tejada MA, Kokotović T, Achuta VS, Scaramuzza A, Twyman KA, Morrow MM, Juusola J, Yan H, Wang J, Burmeister M, Choudhury B, Andersen TL, Wirnsberger G, Holmskov U, Perrimon N, Žagrović B, Monje FJ, Moeller JB, Penninger JM, Nagy V. EMBO Mol Med. 2022 14(9):e15829
The HUSH complex controls brain architecture and protocadherin fidelity. Hagelkruys A, Horrer M, Taubenschmid-Stowers J, Kavirayani A, Novatchkova M, Orthofer M, Pai TP, Cikes D, Zhuk S, Balmaña M, Esk C, Koglgruber R, Moeseneder P, Lazovic J, Zopf LM, Cronin SJF, Elling U, Knoblich JA, Penninger JM. Sci Adv. 2022 8(44):eabo7247.
PRDM12 Is Transcriptionally Active and Required for Nociceptor Function Throughout Life. Kokotović T, Langeslag M, Lenartowicz EM, Manion J, Fell CW, Alehabib E, Tafakhori A, Darvish H, Bellefroid EJ, Neely GG, Kress M, Penninger JM, Nagy V. Front Mol Neurosci. 2021 14:720973.
Dorsal Bed Nucleus of the Stria Terminalis-Subcortical Output Circuits Encode Positive Bias in Pavlovian Fear and Reward. Kaouane N, Ada S, Hausleitner M, Haubensak W. Front Neural Circuits. 2021 15:772512.
Ovulation suppression protects against chromosomal abnormalities in mouse eggs at advanced maternal age. Chatzidaki EE, Powell S, Dequeker BJH, Gassler J, Silva MCC, Tachibana K. Curr Biol. 2021 31(18):4038-4051.e7.
The ubiquitin ligase HOIL-1L regulates immune responses by interacting with linear ubiquitin chains. Gomez-Diaz C, Jonsson G, Schodl K, Deszcz L, Bestehorn A, Eislmayr K, Almagro J, Kavirayani A, Seida M, Fennell LM, Hagelkruys A, Kovarik P, Penninger JM, Ikeda F. iScience. 2021 24(11):103241.
Neurotransmitter signaling regulates distinct phases of multimodal human interneuron migration. Bajaj S, Bagley JA, Sommer C, Vertesy A, Nagumo Wong S, Krenn V, Lévi-Strauss J, Knoblich JA. EMBO J. 2021 40(23):e108714.
RIF1 and KAP1 differentially regulate the choice of inactive versus active X chromosomes. Enervald E, Powell LM, Boteva L, Foti R, Blanes Ruiz N, Kibar G, Piszczek A, Cavaleri F, Vingron M, Cerase A, Buonomo SBC. EMBO J. 2021 40(24):e105862.
Global biogeography of chemosynthetic symbionts reveals both localized and globally distributed symbiont groups. Osvatic JT, Wilkins LGE, Leibrecht L, Leray M, Zauner S, Polzin J, Camacho Y, Gros O, van Gils JA, Eisen JA, Petersen JM, Yuen B. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2021 118(29):e2104378118
Central amygdala circuitry modulates nociceptive processing through differential hierarchical interaction with affective network dynamics. Wank, I., Pliota, P., Badurek, S., Kraitsy, K., Kaczanowska J., Griessner J., Kreitz S., Hess A., Haubensak W. Commun Biol 2021 4, 732.
Organoid modeling of Zika and herpes simplex virus 1 infections reveals virus-specific responses leading to microcephaly. Krenn V, Bosone C, Burkard TR, Spanier J, Kalinke U, Calistri A, Salata C, Rilo Christoff R, Pestana Garcez P, Mirazimi A, Knoblich JA. Cell Stem Cell. 2021 28(8):1362-1379.e7.
Central amygdala circuit dynamics underlying the benzodiazepine anxiolytic effect. Griessner J, Pasieka M, Böhm V, Grössl F, Kaczanowska J, Pliota P, Kargl D, Werner B, Kaouane N, Strobelt S, Kreitz S, Hess A, Haubensak W. Mol Psychiatry 2021 26(2):534-544.
RANK links thymic regulatory T cells to fetal loss and gestational diabetes in pregnancy. Paolino M, Koglgruber R, Cronin SJF, Uribesalgo I, Rauscher E, Harreiter J, Schuster M, Bancher-Todesca D, Pranjic B, Novatchkova M, Fededa JP, White AJ, Sigl V, Dekan S, Penz T, Bock C, Kenner L, Holländer GA, Anderson G, Kautzky-Willer A, Penninger JM. Nature. 2021 589(7842):442-447.