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Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Immunolabelling Myofiber Degeneration in Muscle Biopsies

Immunolabelling Myofiber Degeneration in Muscle Biopsies

Published on: December 5, 2019

Storage-associated artefact in equine muscle biopsy samples.

R L Stanley¹, C Maile, R J Piercy

¹Comparative Neuromuscular Diseases Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, Haffield, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA, UK.

Equine Veterinary Journal

|March 24, 2009

Summary

Shipping equine muscle biopsy samples on dry gauze with ice packs within 24 hours minimizes storage artefact. This ensures accurate histological interpretation for diagnosing equine myopathies.

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Area of Science:

Veterinary Pathology
Equine Medicine
Histology

Background:

Muscle biopsies are crucial for diagnosing equine myopathies, but sample degradation during shipping can compromise results.
Fresh-frozen tissue is ideal for evaluation, yet practical challenges exist in equine veterinary practice.
Delays in processing can introduce artefacts, impacting histological interpretation.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate how temperature, duration, and hydration affect storage-induced artefacts in equine muscle samples.
To determine optimal shipping conditions for equine muscle biopsies to preserve tissue integrity.
To minimize artefacts for reliable histological diagnosis of equine muscle diseases.

Main Methods:

Equine skeletal muscle samples were collected post-euthanasia and divided.

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Samples were stored under various conditions mimicking practical scenarios (time, temperature, hydration).

Stored samples were frozen, cryosectioned, stained, and assessed for artefact and fibre diameter variability.

Main Results:

Prolonged storage and increased hydration significantly increased storage-associated artefact.
Samples stored chilled on dry gauze showed less artefact than on damp gauze after 24 hours.
While mean fibre diameter was unaffected, storage increased fibre-size variability, particularly in chilled samples.

Conclusions:

Caution is advised when interpreting fibre size profiles in shipped equine muscle samples.
Optimal shipping involves dry gauze, sealed containers, and ice packs, with processing within 24 hours.
Proper shipping protocols ensure minimal artefact and reliable histological interpretation for equine myopathies.