An Overview of the Different Types of Human Tissue Microarrays (TMAs)

Recent advancements in cancer research have been driven by innovations such as Tissue Microarrays (TMAs), which have become a cornerstone in the pathology field. TMAs provide a high-throughput molecular analysis platform for tissues studies and now widely utilised in all tissue-based research, with a primary focus on oncology translational research.

Human tissues play a crucial role in understanding tumour biology, identifying novel biomarkers, and developing targeted cancer therapies. This blog will explore the various types of human TMAs and their applications in modern oncology research.

What Are Tissue Microarrays?

Tissue Microarrays (TMAs) consist of paraffin blocks containing an array of tissue samples, typically small cylindrical cores extracted from individual donor blocks. Scientists meticulously arrange these tissue cores in a paraffin recipient block, then section them into hundreds of histological slides. This innovation allows the analysis of hundreds of tissue samples on a single slide under uniform experimental conditions. TMAs offer significant advantages, including high-throughput analysis, cost-efficiency, and the preservation of limited tissue resources. 

Read more about tissue microarrays: Tissue Microarray: All You Need to Know

What Are The Different Types of Human Tissue Microarrays?

Researchers classify human TMAs based on various criteria, including cancer type, disease stage, and specific applications. Below is an overview of the most common types:

  1. Single Tumour TMAs
  2. Mixed Tumour TMAs
  3. Tumour Progression TMAs
  4. Matched Pair TMAs
  5. Cancer Subtype TMAs
  6. Normal TMAs
  7. Customised TMAs

1. Single Tumour TMAs

These TMAs combine tissue samples of a specific cancer type or stage, facilitating standardised comparisons and detailed analysis of that particular cancer type. Examples include: 

  • Breast Cancer TMAs include breast tumour samples with different molecular subtypes and are used to study biomarker expressions (e.g., ER, PR, HER2) and genetic mutations such as BRCA1 and BRCA2.
    To support cancer research, MYmAb Biologics provides various Breast Cancer Tissue Microarray Slides.
  • Lung Cancer TMAs are ideal for analysing EGFR mutations, ALK gene rearrangements, and the expression of lung tumour-associated biomarker expressions (e.g.: EGFR, CEA, CA-125, RBP)
  • Prostate Cancer TMAs are commonly used in research on prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, Ki-67 protein profiling, androgen receptor signalling, and PTEN gene alteration.
  • Colorectal Cancer TMAs can be used to investigate microsatellite instability (MSI) status and gene mutation profiling (e.g.: KRAS, BRAF). View our Colorectal Cancer TMAs.

2. Mixed Tumour TMAs

Mixed Tumour TMAs are designed to support multi-tumour clinical research by combining different tumour tissue types . They enable cross-cancer molecular profiling and comparative studies. For instance: 

  • Common cancer TMA includes tumour samples from the five most prevalence cancers globally-breast, lung, colon, rectum and prostate. The TMA is useful for regional studies, facilitating molecular profiling across all cancer types.
  • Gynecologic cancer TMA contains tumour samples from the cervix, uterus, vagina, vulva,and fallopian tubes, supporting studies on  cancers of the female reproductive organs. studies.
  • Genitourinary cancer TMA consists of tumour samples from the prostate, bladder, kidney, testicles, penis, and adrenal glands, advancing research on cancers of the male reproductive organs.
  • Gastrointestinal cancer TMA assembles tumour samples from the entire gastrointestinal (GI) tract, specifically targeting cancers of the digestive system.

3. Tumour Progression TMAs

These TMAs are designed to encompass tissue samples representing different stages of tumour progression. They feature normal, pre-cancerous, primary, and metastatic tumour tissues. They are instrumental in:

  • Understanding the molecular changes during tumour development and progression.
  • Identifying biomarker expressions associated with tumour progression
  • Evaluating potential diagnostic agents and therapeutic targets across different cancer stages.

4. Matched Pair TMAs

Matched pair TMAs are classified into several categories based on the type of tissue pairs assembled in the array. Common pairs include:

  • Primary and matched metastatic tumour pair TMAs

These TMAs consist of  primary tumour tissue alongside its corresponding metastatic tumour tissue. They facilitate molecular analysis and comparison between primary and metastatic tumours, helping researchers understand metastasis mechanisms and develop targeted therapies against aggressive cancers.

  • Primary tumour and adjacent normal pair TMAs

These TMAs include matched samples of primary tumour tissue and adjacent normal tissue from the same individual. It serves as a tool for directly comparing cancerous and healthy tissue to identify the molecular changes associated with cancer progression.

5. Cancer Subtype TMAs

These TMAs focus on specific histological or molecular subtypes within a cancer category. Examples include:

  • Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) TMA
  • Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) TMA
  • Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) TMA

Such TMAs enable researchers to investigate the unique features of each cancer subtype, aiding in the discovery of diagnostic and prognostic markers, and enabling the development of subtype-specific therapies. 

Check out MYmAb Biologics’ Cancer Subtype TMAs.

6. Normal TMAs

A normal TMA can include up to hundreds of normal tissue samples, sourced from a single organ, or from a combination of multiple normal tissue types. It is commonly used in clinical research to validate drug or treatment toxicity. 

7. Customised TMAs

Customised TMAs are tailored to meet specific research needs, allowing researchers to select:

  • Tissue types and cancer subtypes.
  • Tumour staging and grading.
  • Clinical parameters, such as treatment history or survival data. 

Custom TMAs are particularly valuable for translational research and biomarker validation in clinical trials.

Applications of Human TMAs

Human tissue microarrays have a wide range of applications in both research and clinical settings, including:

  • Biomarker Discovery: Screening for potential diagnostic and prognostic markers.
  • Validation Studies: Validating biomarkers or molecular signatures across large sample cohorts.
  • Drug Development: Evaluating drug targets and testing therapeutic candidates.
  • Pathway Analysis: Investigating key signalling pathways or mechanisms through  molecular analysis.
  • Precision Medicine: Supporting personalised treatment approaches by correlating tissue characteristics with clinical outcomes.

Advantages of Using TMAs in Cancer Research

  1. High Throughput: Analyse hundreds of samples in a single experiment.
  2. Cost-Effective: Reduce reagent and consumable costs for analysis.
  3. Experimental Uniformity: Ensure consistent experimental conditions across samples.
  4. Tissue resource preservation: Maximise the application with minimal tissue usage.
  5. Rapid Turnaround: Accelerate data generation for research publications and clinical trials.

Final Thoughts

Human tissue microarrays are a powerful tool that continues to revolutionise oncology research. By enabling the simultaneous analysis of multiple samples, TMAs streamline biomarker discovery, therapeutic agent development, and disease understanding. As oncology research advances, TMAs will remain essential in advancing precision medicine and improving patient outcomes.

If you are a cancer researcher or an organization seeking high-quality TMAs, contact us. MYmAb Biologics offers a range of IRB-approved and fully consented Southeast Asian human TMAs. For more information, visit our product page or speak with our team.

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