Pathology FAQs

Pathology: Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Pathology Lab located?
The Center for Comparative Medicine and Surgery (CCMS) Comparative Pathology Laboratory is located in the Annenberg Building, floor 26-room 92.

What are the hours?
The Center for Comparative Medicine and Surgery Pathology Lab is open from 9 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday. Sample submission should be made before 2 pm. Please contact the lab before submitting samples.

What are the services does the pathology lab provide?
The services are:

Necropsy, histopathology, and pathologic phenotyping in large and small lab animals (includes interpretation by comparative pathologist)
Parasitology
Hematology*
Biochemistry*
Bacteriology*
Serology*
Molecular biology-PCR for pinworms and Helicobacter spp. in rodents*

*May be sent to an outside laboratory

How much do services cost?
Please contact the lab at 212-241-1498 or email Virginia Gillespie or Ying Dai for the most current price list.

What is the sample volume required for CBC analysis, and what is the additive used for it?
For CBC the volume required for performing the test is 100 microliters blood collected in EDTA.

What is the sample volume required for chemistry analysis?
We require 30 to 250 microliters, depending of the panel requested.

What type of sample do you need to detect PCR (pinworm or Helicobacter)?
We need sterile collected rodent pellets (feces) in a sterile tube.

What is the IMPACT Test?

The IMPACT (Infectious, Microbe, PCR, Amplification Test) tests biological specimens for murine pathogens such as cell lines, tumor cells, or hybridomas before they are injected into the rodents.
The test is performed by the RADIL IDEXX Laboratory at the University of Missouri.

How should I submit a biological sample so you can for testing the murine pathogens for the IMPACT test?
To have us test biological specimens or cultured cells by the IMPACT, send one cryovial of each sample containing a minimum of 2x10⁶ cells/vial. Cells may be in the form of a pellet or in growth media, freeze media or phosphate-buffered saline. To test liquid samples by the IMPACT, it is optimal if you send one cryovial of each sample with 0.5 ml of sample/vial. However, we can evaluate smaller volumes of the sample if necessary. Please call if you have questions about sample size. Please collect the materials aseptically, to prevent inadvertent contamination of the samples.

What is phenotyping?
Phenotyping is a comprehensive comparison between genetically engineered mouse strains and controls to provide information on any phenotypic variations. This process generally includes hematology, serum chemistry, and full necropsy (gross and microscopic) with organ weights. To phenotype a sample, we need at least mice, per gender and per genotype. You can submit mice of different ages for developmental/time dependent phenotypes. Please consultation with a comparative pathologist before you submit a sample for phenotyping.

How do I submit specimens for anatomic pathology?
You can submit live mice to the lab for euthanasia, gross and/or histopathologic examination. Please contact the lab to arrange an appointment to bring the mice to the lab. We cannot keep mice in the lab overnight. We can arrange to have a pathologist perform necropsy of large animals (non-human primates, pigs, etc.) in the necropsy suites.

Sick animals (spontaneous disease) must be evaluated by clinical veterinary staff and are not to be submitted directly to the lab without a veterinarian’s evaluation.
Fix all tissue samples for histopathology in 10 percent buffered formalin. The volume of the fixative should be 10 times higher than the tissue size. We highly recommend inflating the lungs with the fixative and infusing the intestines with formalin before submerging them in the fixative. Please contact the lab for details and to arrange training in these techniques if needed.

Where are the CCMS necropsy rooms?
The CCMS necropsy rooms are located in the Annenberg Building Room 26-93 and East Building S1-27 H, and Hess Center for Science and Medicine SC1-326. Necropsy rooms can be reserved online. For instructions on how to access the eRAP calendars, please contact Ying Dai or Virginia Gillespie, DVM.

What lab equipment do you have?
Our lab has the following lab instruments: