The OHSU Renal Biopsy Service

 

 

Dividing the adequate specimen:

If you use a hand lens or dissecting microscope to distinguish renal cortex from medulla and to identify glomeruli, we recommend the following distribution of tissues:

• 1/2 of the cortex sample in formalin for light microscopy;
• 1/3^rd of the cortex in Michel's medium for immunofluorescence microscopy
• 1/6^th of the cortex in glutaraldehyde for electron microscopy

If you do not use a hand lens or dissecting microscope, an empirical method is recommended, as recently detailed by a committee of the Renal Pathology Society, as follows (see reference):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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1. Remove a 1 mm cube (green) from each end of every needle core sample. Place these cubes into glutaraldehyde for electron microscopy
2. Divide the remaining portions of the cores, alternately 60:40, 40:60, 60:40, etc.
• Place the longer (red) segments in formalin for light microscopy
• Place the shorter (blue) segments in Michel's or Zeus transport medium for immunofluorescence microscopy

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