Understanding the structure, integrity, and spatial organization of tissues and cells is fundamental to life sciences. Histology plays a crucial role in this pursuit, particularly in biomedical research, by examining the morphological and biochemical changes within cells during pathological processes.
The primary aim of histology is to observe and analyze microscopic features. Any histological study on our platform follows a structured four-step process:
Sample Selection: Choosing the appropriate biological material for investigation.
Visualization Techniques: Applying methods to highlight structures and phenomena of interest.
High-Quality Image Production: Generating clear and detailed images for analysis.
Image Description and Interpretation: Analyzing the acquired images to draw meaningful conclusions.
To facilitate your histology, imaging, and image analysis projects, our platform provides essential material, technical, and human resources. We are open to PARCC teams as well as external institutional and private teams. The PARCC histology platform is part of the broader Histology, Immunostaining and Tissue Imaging platform at Paris Cité University, which also includes the HistIM platform at Cochin Institute. Our multi-site approach offers prospective users comprehensive expertise and a wide array of technologies. The PARCC histology platform ensures:
Technical implementation of routine histology: This includes impregnation, embedding, sectioning, staining, immunohistochemistry, and virtual slide acquisition.
Development and fine-tuning of immunolabeling protocols: Utilizing our LEICA brightfield or fluorescence automaton.
Theoretical and practical training: On various workstations available for reservation and in core histology techniques.
Advice and follow-up support for users.
Participation in the interpretation and analysis of slides.
PH2I Platform Manager
PH2I Platform
· Automatic Vacuum Dehydration (Shandon Excelsior)
· Paraffin Embedding Station (Leica)
· 2 Paraffin Microtomes (Leica RM 2145)
· 3 Cryostats (2 Leica CM 3050 and 1 NX70 MMFrance)
· Integrated Workstation (Leica ST2050-CV5030): Allows for standardization of common stains such as HE, HES, Sirius Red, Masson’s Trichrome, PAS, BA, and Orcein.
· Immunohistochemistry Machine (Bond RX Leica): A fully automated research stainer for ISH, IHC, FISH, RNAscope, and multiplexing in chromogenic and fluorescence. The Bond RX stainer offers complete control and visibility of each assay, allowing you to view reagent application, monitor protocol progress, and receive comprehensive reports.
· Vectra™ and inForm® Software (Akoya): Vectra™ is a system capable of fluorescence multispectral imaging that can separate up to seven fluorophores from each other and from autofluorescence without cross-talk. The Vectra system incorporates Akoya’s powerful image analysis software inForm® Tissue Finder and proprietary autofluorescence removal methodology.
· High-Speed Slide Scanner for Research (VS200 Olympus): Observation Methods: Brightfield, fluorescence (DAPI, FITC, CY3, Texas Red, CY5, CY7), and polarization with Sirius Red for collagen ; Objectives: x20 (NA 0.8), x40 (NA 0.95), and x60 silicon oil immersion (NA 1.42) ; Cameras: sCMOS color camera for brightfield and a high-sensitivity monochrome camera for fluorescence ; Slide Capacity: 210 via 35 trays of 6 slides.
Head of Platform: Corinne Lesaffre Email: corinne.lesaffre@inserm.fr
Access to our platform services is subject to specific conditions and a management process, in accordance with ISO 9001 standards:
· Contact: You can reach us via email (corinne.lesaffre@inserm.fr), phone (+33 1 53 98 79 72), or directly at the platform for PARCC teams.
· Service Requests: For all service requests, a follow-up form must be provided. This form records the receipt dates, sample origin, any necessary comments, or the urgent nature of the experiment.
· Project Acceptance: Projects are subject to validation by our scientific council. External partnerships are required to collaborate with at least one PARCC team.
· Support for Autonomous Equipment Use: Using the equipment available to users requires mandatory training by authorized platform personnel. Once trained, each user must reserve their device on the dedicated intranet site. For users outside PARCC, reservations are made via email.
· Service Return and Invoicing: Once a service is completed, applicants are notified by email. The applicant then validates the service and signs the follow-up form confirming its completion. All services, equipment usage, and training are subject to a fee to cover maintenance and operating costs. Billing occurs every six months. A financial report and a statement of work by team are sent to the platform manager and team managers. Equipment is invoiced based on reserved time, while training and technical services are invoiced according to the techniques requested. A detailed rate for all services is provided at the first meeting. The team leader is responsible for paying all amounts due for work carried out by the platform.
· Training : Our platform is committed to training users, empowering them to conduct their own studies independently while leveraging the platform’s extensive experience and technology. Once trained, individuals gain access to the various workstations on the platform.
· Consulting : The platform can also assist you in developing your immunohistochemistry protocols or refining your various staining techniques.
· Benefit Service : Our platform can handle your samples through all stages of the histological process, tailored to your specific requests. This ranges from paraffin impregnation of tissues, microtome sectioning, and staining/immunostaining (brightfield or fluorescence, single or multiple staining) to slide acquisition for quantification and analysis
