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Harvesting Protocol for Tissue

  • Updated March 22, 2024
This protocol explains how to harvest biological tissue for metabolomics and lipidomics assessments by Gigantest.

Table of Contents

Starting Sample Quantity

For targeted, untargeted lipidomics, metabolomics (endogenous metabolites), drug & chemical detection:

  • Tissue weight: 20 mg < sample weight < 100 mg

The bigger the sample quantity, the better the chance of detecting metabolites with lower intensities. We recommend n=3-5 (at least) for preliminary data, n > 5 for publication. If you cannot have the recommended sample quantity, please let us know so we can find the best solution.

The following protocol is for ONE sample. To collect multiple samples, use multiple tubes for each step.

Harvesting the Tissue

  1. Make sure you have the following materials before you start harvesting:
    • Cold phosphate buffered saline (PBS)
    • Liquid nitrogen to snap freeze samples
  2. Extract the tissue from the source.
  3. Rinse the tissue sample in PBS to remove any blood, if necessary.
  4. Place the tissue into a tared 2 mL tube and record the tissue weights. It’s essential to record the tissue weights to allow for the normalization of metabolite intensity for comparison purposes.
  5. Snap freeze the 2 mL tube containing the tissue sample and store at -80˚C in a sample box.
  6. Send sample weights to info@gigantest.com.

Packaging & Shipping

  • Place the sample boxes containing your tissue samples in a Styrofoam box full of dry ice making sure to surround the sample boxes on all sides.
  • Email the Sample Information Form to info@gigantest.com.
  • Ship via FedEx Priority Overnight or FedEx Standard Overnight, or other express carriers of your choice. Please include our phone number, (667) 312-2914, on the shipping label so that the carrier can contact us when they arrive at our location. Please also select the “Direct Signature Required” option under the “Signature options”.

Ship to:

Gigantest

31 Light Street

3rd Floor

Baltimore, MD 21202

If your samples are located in Maryland, please email Gigantest at info@gigantest.com or call (667) 312-2924 to arrange a sample pick-up. Make sure to keep the samples on dry ice.