Post-Surgical Dissection of Fallopian Tubes
Stephen Fisher, Marielena Grijalva, Rong Guo, Sarah A Johnston, Hieu Nguyen, John Renz, Jean G Rosario, Steven Rudich, Brian Gregory, Junhyong Kim, Kate O'Neill
Abstract
This protocol describes dissection of the Fallopian tubes in preparation for 10X Visium, 10X Multiomics, pathology review, and biobanking. The Fallopian tubes have an inner mucosa surrounded by a muscular layer that is coated by serosa. When sectioning the Fallopian tube the muscule layer may retract or protrude and distort orientation. This can be addressed by using a stabilizing hand or dissection pins.
Before start
Dilute phosphate buffered saline (Gibco; 14200-075) to 1X with nuclease-free water.
Steps
After removing uterus and Fallopian tubes from ice, dry each Fallopian tube and use marking dye to label the superior edge (12 o’clock), inferior edge (6 o’clock), anterior surface (3 o’clock) and posterior surface (9 o’clock).
Measure the Fallopian tube from cornua to fimbriated end.
Using a disposable scalpel, divide one Fallopian tube at the cornua and excise mesosalpinx.
Weigh Fallopian tube in a disposable weigh boat on ice.
Place on ice the uterus with the remaining contralateral Fallopian tube.
Remove the first Fallopian tube from ice and place on a cutting surface.
Divide Fallopian tube into four sections: isthmus, ampulla, infundibulum, and fimbriae.
Working one section at a time, slice tissue into four sections.
Using disposable weigh boats, weigh each tissue piece.
Tissue can be processed with protocols OCT-Embedded Tissue Preparation, Tissue Fixation Preparation, or Snap-Frozen Tissue Preparation depending on the desired downstream processing.
Remove the uterus with the remaining contralateral Fallopian tube from ice and repeat above steps.
