Cell and Tissue Display: An Alternative Multipurpose Tool for Microscopy.

We developed a method, termed Cell and Tissue Display (CTD), for embedding 16 or more different tissue samples in multi-compartment agarose blocks. The CTD-generated blocks allow uniform multiplexing of cell lines and small tissue fragments within a single histologic block. The distribution of individual cells within the CTD blocks is improved, likely because the individual agarose compartments are small and uniform. The composition of each CTD block can be customized based on intended use. Some potential uses of CTD histologic blocks include improved sectioning of small tissue fragments, such as needle biopsy specimens or punch biopsies; multiplexing of tissue fragments within a single block; and the generation of control slides for laboratory proficiency testing. .