Mouse Histology & Phenotyping Laboratory
Our Mission
The mission of the MHPL is to provide customized and comprehensive histopathology and molecular phenotyping support for research using various animal research models.
The wide-array of services provided by MHPL help Northwestern researchers in the following aspects of their research endeavours:
- Elucidation of the physiologic functions of genes and their mutations
- Mechanisms of the etiology, development and progression of various diseases
- Evaluation of immune response to diseases and therapeutic interventions
- Toxicology and therapeutic efficacy assessment of pharmacological agents and exogenously administered substances
- Evaluation of novel surgical procedures and implanted devices
What We Do
HISTOPATHOLOGY SERVICES
- Automated tissue processing (paraffin)
- Tissue grossing and embedding (FFPE, frozen and hydrogel)
- Microtomy (paraffin and cryostat)
- Training for independent use of cryostat and vibratome
- Cryostat and vibratome self-service rental
- Standard histology stains (H&E, MTC, PAS)
- Special histology stains (>30) and customized stains
- RNAse-free microtomy for FISH/RNAscope and spatial genomics applications
- Pathology interpretation and phenotypic scoring of stained slides
- Consultations in developmental biology, rodent genetics, necropsy and dissection
MOLECULAR PHENOTYPING SERVICES
- Chromogenic immunohistochemistry (IHC)
- Antibody validation and workups for IHC
- Enzyme histochemistry
- Lectin histochemistry or fluorescent stains
- Multiplex immunofluorescence
- Cell death assays (TUNEL, cleaved CASP3 IHC)
- Chromogenic and multiplex in situ hybridization (ISH: RNAscope, DNAscope, miRNAscope, RNAscope PLUS)
- Customized co-detection of protein and nucleic acid targets (multiplex IF plus RNAscope)
- Optical clearing of whole organs and tissues (X-CLARITY, Fast 3D Clear, or SHIELD)
- Whole-mount immunofluorescence (cell or tissue culture, vibratome sections, organoids, optically cleared organs)