Other Tissue Requirements

Non-standard tissue types

Other tissue types containing nucleated cells can sometimes be used for testing. Some tissue types are not recommended and will only be accepted in extraordinary circumstances with prior approval.

For testing of mitochondrial DNA

Tissue biopsies (muscle or liver) are preferred. Please submit ~50mg, frozen within minutes after collection, stored at -80 degrees C and shipped on dry ice with overnight delivery.

Fresh (Unfixed) solid tissue from biopsy or autopsy including fetal demise

Call first for approval

Tissues should be those with a high density of nuclei, such as liver, lymph node, lung or skin. The minimum specimen size is a cube 0.5 cm on each side. Flashfreeze and ship frozen on dry ice for overnight arrival on Monday-Saturday. Specimens must arrive frozen. Isolation of usable DNA is not guaranteed.

Not Accepted

Please note we do not accept the following samples types (including, but not limited to):

  • Bone
  • Tumor (including blood or bone marrow from patients with leukemia)
  • Lymphatic malformations
  • Arteriovenous malformations
  • Vascular malformations (including port wine stain)
  • Neurofibromas
  • Plasma
  • Fixed, paraffin-embedded solid tissue or cell pellets
  • Semen