Processing Instructions

Muscle Tissue:

*Muscle biopsies must be obtained without the use of electrocautery and must be completely processed within 5 to 10 minutes of being excised.

*Tissue must be frozen immediately in liquid nitrogen or on dry ice. The tissue cannot be placed in any preservative including OCT. Sample must be stored in a microvial at -70° C until shipment to the laboratory on dry ice.

Liver Tissue:

*Liver samples can be obtained as a wedge biopsy or as a needle biopsy. If using a needle biopsy, obtain two (2) needle biopsies 14 Gauche Bard monopty instrument 2 cm length.

*Place the liver biopsy in either Parafilm or aluminum foil, then place in a 2 ml cryotube, and close the screw cap tightly. Freeze immediately in liquid nitrogen or on dry ice, and maintain in frozen condition.

*If possible, weigh liver biopsy before placing in the cryotube. If the specimen was not weighed before it was frozen, DO NOT attempt to weigh a frozen sample as the samples degrade very easily. Instead, ship the sample to the Mitochondrial Diagnostic Laboratory without a weight. Lab personnel will weigh the sample.

Heart Tissue:

*Heart biopsies must be obtained without the use of electrocautery and must be completely processed within 5 to 10 minutes of being excised. Post mortem samples have to be obtained within 2 hours of death, but as soon as possible as interpretation will become more difficult with time.

*Tissue must be frozen immediately in liquid nitrogen or on dry ice. They cannot be placed in any preservative including OCT. They must be stored in amicrovial at -70° C until shipment to the laboratory on dry ice.

*If possible, weigh heart biopsy before placing in the cryotube. If the specimen was not weighed before it was frozen, DO NOT attempt to weigh a frozen sample as the samples degrade very easily. Instead, ship the sample to the Mitochondrial Diagnostic Laboratory without a weight. Lab personnel will weigh the sample.