| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968901 | Clinical Biochemistry | 2014 | 8 Pages |
•Variables in tissue handling and processing affect quality of harvested tissue.•Pre-analytical variables and their effect on tissue are discussed.•Quality control tools for assessment of nucleic acids are described and reviewed.•Development of intrinsic calibrators/controls for protein evaluation is discussed.
Biospecimen science has recognized the importance of tissue quality for accurate molecular and biomarker analysis and efforts are made to standardize tissue procurement, processing and storage conditions of tissue samples. At the same time the field has emphasized the lack of standardization of processes between different laboratories, the variability inherent in the analytical phase and the lack of control over the pre-analytical phase of tissue processing. The problem extends back into tissue samples in biorepositories, which are often decades old and where documentation about tissue processing might not be available. This review highlights pre-analytical variations in tissue handling, processing, fixation and storage and emphasizes the effects of these variables on nucleic acids and proteins in harvested tissue. Finally current tools for quality control regarding molecular or biomarker analysis are summarized and discussed.
