Development of an Economical Staining Kit for Muscle Biopsy Microarray
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Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to develop an economical staining kit for muscle biopsy microarrays to enhance the efficiency of high-volume muscle specimen staining in a single run while significantly reducing chemical reagent consumption.
Materials and Methods: A reagent-saving staining kit for muscle biopsy microarrays was designed and fabricated using molded acrylic sheets. Muscle biopsy arrays were prepared from 12 fresh bovine muscle specimens preserved using the snap-frozen technique. Sections were cut with a cryostat at 8 microns onto 18 slides (12 specimens per slide) at –20°C. Slides were divided into two groups: a control group stained using a 50-mL Coplin jar, and an experimental group stained using the newly developed 5-mL reagent-saving staining kit. Staining quality between the two groups was compared using the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test at a significance level of α = 0.05.
Results: For nine staining methods, the control group (Coplin jar) required a total reagent volume of 9 × 50 mL = 450 mL, whereas the experimental group (Reagent-Saving Kit) required 9 × 5 mL = 45 mL, demonstrating an average reduction in reagent volume of 90%. The Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test showed no statistically significant difference in staining quality between the two methods (p = 0.789).
Conclusion: The developed device is easy to use, clean, and reuse. This invention not only reduces costs and improves cost-effectiveness in diagnostic processes but also enhances the standard and efficiency of pathology laboratory workflows.
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