A tissue sampling apparatus and method are disclosed. Some embodiments comprise a biopsy needle having a laterally expandable distal portion comprising spines which move away from each other when unconstrained and which move towards each other when constrained to do so by a sheath. In some embodiments said spines comprise inward-pointing teeth designed to catch tissue samples when said needle retracted from tissue. A method of use comprises providing such a needle within a sheath, advancing the sheath to near a sampling site, advancing needle beyond sheath to expand the expandable portion, retracting needle into sheath so that the expandable portion collapses and tissue samples are trapped between the teeth and spines, and removing the needle and the samples it contains from the body.
