Storage-associated artefact in equine muscle biopsy samples

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.
• 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.