Archived Specimens
The Cardiovascular Tissue Registry archives fresh surgical and autopsy tissue from patients with cardiovascular disease and healthy tissue donors. Each specimen is divided into sections which are then formalin fixed, RNAlater® preserved, flash frozen or OCT-embedded.
Over 14,000 individual cases are available, including whole hearts, valves, blood vessels and devices. Primary valvular interstitial cells are also cultured.
Below is a summary of major specimen types available for research use:
- RVFW (lateral, anterior, posterior, biopsy)
- LVFW (lateral, anterior, posterior)
- Left Ventricular Apical Cores
- Mitral Valve
- Aortic Valve
- Pulmonary Artery Root
- Aortic Root
- Ventricular Septum
- Left Atrium
- Right Atrium
- Left Anterior Descending Coronary Artery
- Left Circumflex Coronary Artery
- Left Main Coronary Artery
- Right Coronary Artery
All images courtesy of the Cardiovascular Tissue Registry and the Centre for Heart Lung Innovation "Powers of 10". Electron Microscopy images courtesy of Dr. David Walker.