In-Vivo Animal Core
The In-Vivo Animal Core (IVAC) is a core laboratory run by the Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine (ULAM). Our mission is to provide histology, hematology/clinical chemistry, and pathology services in support of non-clinical research and the veterinary care program at the University of Michigan.
Our faculty and staff have years of experience encompassing academic biomedical research, pharmaceutical and environmental toxicology, and diagnostic veterinary pathology.
IVAC missions: Research and diagnostic support
- Research submissions: IVAC research support services are available on a recharge basis by direct submission to IVAC. Recharge rates are approved by the University and are based upon cost-recovery. Estimates and letters of support are available and pre-project consultation is encouraged. See Service Areas below for available services, rates, and submission instructions.
- Animal Diagnostic submissions: IVAC also provides diagnostic pathology services to the veterinary care program. These services are for the identification of unanticipated animal illnesses and are not recharged to the investigator. Results are provided to the researcher, but diagnostic pathology reports are not intended to provide controlled research data. Diagnostic pathology services are available by contacting the ULAM Veterinary Care Team.
- Our main laboratory is located on the ground floor of B36 in the North Campus Research Complex (NCRC) and our satellite facility is in the ARF building on the Medical Campus. Samples may be dropped off/picked up by appointment at either location with daily sample courier service between the campuses.
IVAC Services
Expand each section below for service details and rates, or request services in MiCORES.
- Rodent and large animal necropsy or tissue collection by IVAC personnel
- Use of large or small animal necropsy room for necropsy by investigators
- Tissue trimming and cassetting for histology by IVAC personnel
- Necropsy RATES
- Paraffin processing/embedding
- Frozen and paraffin sectioning
- Hematoxylin and eosin staining and special histochemical stains
- Immunohistochemistry (IHC)
- Self-service frozen sectioning (animal tissues only)
- Histology/Immunohistochemistry RATES
- Clinical pathology: Animal hematology/clinical chemistry & diagnostic testing
- Complete blood counts (CBC) using Heska HT5 Element (Heska)
- Serum chemistry using Liasys analyzer (AMS Alliance)
- Cytology, including blood smears
- Other testing: Urinalysis, parasitology
- Biological indicator verification (sterility strip verification)
- Microbiology and other diagnostic services (through external laboratories)
- Clinical Pathology RATES
- Digital slide scanning using Leica Aperio AT2® scanner
- Publication-quality images
- Digital slide files suitable for image analysis and quantitative morphometry
- Digital slides scanning RATES
- Board-certified veterinary pathologists
- Descriptive or semi-quantitative interpretation
- Quantitative morphometry and digital image analysis
- Pathology interpretation RATES
IVAC Frequently Requested Information
Expand each section below for additional information.
IVAC Lab Submissions (Necropsy, Histology, Clinical Pathology, Slide Scanning, Pathology): 1-2-3
- Submit a request in MiCORES for any of the following services:
- Necropsy, Histology, and Pathology Requests
- Digital Scanning Requests
- Clinical Pathology Lab Requests
- Outside Laboratory Requests (shipping samples to an outside lab)
- In the request, note your sample drop-off date/time and location preferences. An appointment will be scheduled for you by the IVAC Team.
- WAIT for a confirmed appointment, then bring your samples in a clean secondary container at the time of your appointment. Label your samples with the Service ID from your request (as found in your appointment confirmation email).
IVAC Sample Submission Guidelines
Samples may be dropped off at either location (below) by appointment only. Submit your request for services in MiCORES and note your sample drop-off date/time and location preference. An appointment will be scheduled for you by the IVAC Team.
Sample courier service is available daily between the two locations. Please email at least 24 hours in advance for hematology/chemistry requests.
Two weeks’ notice is requested for Research Necropsy Requests. Diagnostic necropsy requests (for spontaneous conditions unrelated to research) are made through the ULAM Veterinary Care Team.
|
MAIN: B36/G157A, NCRC |
SATELLITE: 3527 ARF |
IVAC Necropsy Rates*
| DESCRIPTION | RATE | EFFECTIVE |
|---|---|---|
| Tissue Preparation | ||
| Trim/Cassette (Paraffin or OCT) | $ 12.71 | 07/01/2023 |
| Decalcification (tissue in cassette) | $ 11.00 | 07/01/2023 |
| Decalcification (larger tissue) | $ 15.84 | 07/01/2023 |
| Necropsy | ||
| Fixed Animal Necropsy | $ 86.48 | 07/01/2023 |
| Small Animal Necropsy | $ 79.38 | 07/01/2023 |
| Medium Animal Necropsy | $ 166.32 | 07/01/2023 |
| Large Animal Necropsy | $ 354.82 | 07/01/2023 |
| Large Animal Biohazard Necropsy | $ 468.47 | 07/01/2023 |
| Necropsy Technician Labor/Hour Regular | $ 60.00 | 07/01/2023 |
| Necropsy Technician Labor/Hour Overtime | $ 90.00 | 07/01/2023 |
Special considerations apply for projects with internal Medical School funding or to Mouse Metabolic Phenotyping Consortium members; please inquire.
IVAC Histology Rates*
| DESCRIPTION | RATE | EFFECTIVE |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Histology Procedures | ||
| Paraffin Processing & Embedding | $ 6.34 | 07/01/2023 |
| Paraffin H&E Slide Simple* (section & stain) | $ 8.00 | 07/01/2023 |
| Paraffin H&E Slide Complex** (section & stain) | $ 12.00 | 07/01/2023 |
| Paraffin Unstained Slides Simple* (returned unstained) | $ 6.00 | 07/01/2023 |
| Paraffin Unstained Slides Complex** (returned unstained) | $ 9.00 | 07/01/2023 |
| Paraffin Unstained Slides (Specials or IHC) | $ 6.00 | 07/01/2023 |
| H&E Stain only (slide provided by PI) | $ 5.62 | 07/01/2023 |
| Frozen H&E Slide (section & stain) | $ 15.48 | 07/01/2023 |
| Frozen Unstained Slide (returned unstained) | $ 14.08 | 07/01/2023 |
| Frozen Unstained Slide (Specials or IHC) | $ 14.08 | 07/01/2023 |
| Histology Technician Labor/Hour Regular | $ 60.00 | 07/01/2023 |
| Histology Technician Labor/Hour Overtime | $ 90.00 | 07/01/2023 |
| Cryostat (self-service)/Hour | $ 11.50 | 07/01/2023 |
| *Simple: visceral organs (kidney, liver, etc.), up to two sections per slide, skin, or GI (non-step, non-serial) **Complex: step sections, serial sections (>2), >2 of any tissue per slide, bone sections, nn-rodent brain sections, specialized tissue targets (cardiac valve leaflets, etc.) |
||
| Immunohistochemistry Stains | ||
| IHC aSMA | $ 42.38 | 07/01/2023 |
| IHC CD45R-B220 | $ 42.38 | 07/01/2023 |
| IHC CD3 | $ 42.38 | 07/01/2023 |
| IHC CD4 | $ 48.50 | 07/01/2023 |
| IHC CD8a | $ 48.50 | 07/01/2023 |
| IHC CD20 | $ 42.38 | 07/01/2023 |
| IHC CD31 | $ 48.50 | 07/01/2023 |
| IHC Cleaved Caspase-3 | $ 42.38 | 07/01/2023 |
| IHC F4/80 | $ 42.38 | 07/01/2023 |
| IHC GFP | $ 42.38 | 07/01/2023 |
| IHC Ki67 | $ 42.38 | 07/01/2023 |
| IHC Ly-6G | $ 42.38 | 07/01/2023 |
| IHC Lyve-1 | $ 42.38 | 07/01/2023 |
| IHC Mac2 | $ 42.38 | 07/01/2023 |
| IHC Von Willebrand Factor | $ 48.50 | 07/01/2023 |
| IHC Negative Control | $ 44.83 | 07/01/2023 |
| IHC Stain, Paraffin, Other (antibody provided by PI) | $ 44.83 | 07/01/2023 |
| IHC Stain, New Antibody Optimization Slide | $ 52.18 | 07/01/2023 |
| IHC Stain, Frozen, Other (antibody provided by PI) | $ 50.95 | 07/01/2023 |
| Special Histochemical Stains | ||
| Special Stain Gram | $ 49.25 | 07/01/2023 |
| Special Stain Luxol Fast Blue (LFB) | $ 49.25 | 07/01/2023 |
| Special Stain Masson Trichrome (MTC) | $ 20.00 | 07/01/2023 |
| Special Stain Masson Trichrome Verhoeff (MTCV) | h$ 28.15 | 07/01/2023 |
| Special Stain Other | $ 42.22 | 07/01/2023 |
| Special Stain Picrosirius Red (PSR) | $ 28.15 | 07/01/2023 |
| Special Stain Prussian Blue | $ 42.22 | 07/01/2023 |
| Special Stain Toluidine Blue | $ 28.15 | 07/01/2023 |
| Special Stain Verhoeff Van Gieson (VVG) | $ 49.25 | 07/01/2023 |
| Special Stain Alcian Blue (AB) | $ 28.15 | 07/01/2023 |
| Special Stain Alcian Blue PAS (AB-PAS) | $ 49.25 | 07/01/2023 |
| Special Stain Alizarin Red | $ 42.22 | 07/01/2023 |
| Special Stain Congo Red | $ 42.22 | 07/01/2023 |
| Special Stain Luxol Fast Blue PAS (LFB-PAS) | $ 49.25 | 07/01/2023 |
| Special Stain Oil Red O (ORO) | $ 42.83 | 07/01/2023 |
| Special Stain Periodic Acid Schiff (PAS) | $ 28.15 | 07/01/2023 |
| Special Stain Ziehl Neelson | $ 49.25 | 07/01/2023 |
Special considerations apply for projects with internal Medical School funding or to Mouse Metabolic Phenotyping Consortium members; please inquire.
IVAC Clinical Pathology: Hematology, Chemistry, Diagnostic Rates*
| DESCRIPTION | RATE | EFFECTIVE |
|---|---|---|
| Serum Chemistry | ||
| 1 Chemistry Only/Animal | $ 26.48 | 07/01/2023 |
| Custom Panel, 2 Chemistries/Animal | $ 43.04 | 07/01/2023 |
| Custom Panel, 3 Chemistries/Animal | $ 54.61 | 07/01/2023 |
| Custom Panel, 4 Chemistries/Animal | $ 63.68 | 07/01/2023 |
| Custom Panel, 5 Chemistries/Animal | $ 67.50 | 07/01/2023 |
| Add-on (to panel), One Chemistry | $ 7.58 | 07/01/2023 |
| Full Chemistry Panel | $ 74.78 | 07/01/2023 |
| Electrolytes | $ 25.63 | 07/01/2023 |
| Mini Chem Panel | $ 54.66 | 07/01/2023 |
| Mini Liver Panel | $ 30.60 | 07/01/2023 |
| Pig Full Chemistry Panel | $ 80.08 | 07/01/2023 |
| Liver Panel | $ 53.99 | 07/01/2023 |
| Renal Panel | $ 38.95 | 07/01/2023 |
| Hematology | ||
| Complete Blood Count (CBC) w/ Auto Differential | $ 28.48 | 07/01/2023 |
| Blood Smear (prep only) | $ 14.39 | 07/01/2023 |
| Manual (WBC) Differential | $ 40.68 | 07/01/2023 |
| Reticulocyte Count | $ 41.14 | 07/01/2023 |
| Hematocrit, Spun | $ 19.78 | 07/01/2023 |
| PT/PTT | $ 75.76 | 07/01/2023 |
| Other Clinical Pathology | ||
| Total Protein, Refractometer | $ 23.10 | 07/01/2023 |
| Urinalysis, Complete | $ 48.26 | 07/01/2023 |
| Urinalysis, Routine | $ 46.91 | 07/01/2023 |
| Fecal Flotation | $ 43.22 | 07/01/2023 |
| ADL Technician Labor/Hour Regular | $ 60.00 | 07/01/2023 |
| ADL Technician Labor/Hour Overtime | $ 90.00 | 07/01/2023 |
| Laboratory Sendout Processing Fee | $ 28.41 | 07/01/2023 |
| Microbial Culture | please inquire | |
| Animal Pathogen PCR (panels or single) | please inquire | |
Special considerations apply for projects with internal Medical School funding or to Mouse Metabolic Phenotyping Consortium members; please inquire.
The facilities are operated on a fee-for-service basis. Users are charged based on the amount of time technicians spend performing the services.
IVAC Aperio® Digital Slide Scanning Rates*
| DESCRIPTION | RATE | EFFECTIVE |
|---|---|---|
| Digital slide scan, Technician Labor/Hour Regular | $ 60.00 | 07/01/2023 |
| Digital slide scan, Technician Labor/Hour Overtime | $ 90.00 | 07/01/2023 |
| Digital slide scan, 20x, batch >50 slides, each | $ 8.00 | 07/01/2023 |
| Digital slide scan, 20x, batch 20-50 slides, each | $ 10.00 | 07/01/2023 |
| Digital slide scan, 20x, <20 slides, each | $ 12.00 | 07/01/2023 |
| Digital slide scan, 40x, batch >50 slides, each | $ 9.00 | 07/01/2023 |
| Digital slide scan, 40x, batch 20-50 slides, each | $ 11.00 | 07/01/2023 |
| Digital slide scan, 40x, <20 slides, each | $ 13.00 | 07/01/2023 |
IVAC Pathologist Rates*
| DESCRIPTION | RATE | EFFECTIVE |
|---|---|---|
| IVAC Pathologist Hourly Rate | $ 250.00 | 07/01/2023 |
*Rates subject to change.
IVAC Authorship/Acknowledgment Policies
To help us provide continued services, please remember to acknowledge the work of our core in your publications and presentations. We adhere to the Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities policies on Authorship and Acknowledgment.
References and Resources
Questions?
For questions, estimates, or consults about IVAC's lab services, contact ulam-ivac@umich.edu.