Summary
Gene expression analysis provides an insight into the unique and defining biomolecular characteristics of a given cell type. However, heterogeneous cellular compositions hinder gene analysis studies from most tissue samples. The laser microdissection (LMD) technique allows for the unambiguous isolation of a desired cell population. However, preserving RNA integrity can be challenging because of the deliberately limited amount of starting material, sometimes as little as a single cell. General laboratory procedures for reducing ribonuclease (RNase) activity, both in reagents and in the laboratory environment, are required for successful downstream RNA isolation and quantitation. Quality RNA can be extracted from sections made from flash-frozen and paraffin-embedded tissue. The standard histological stains such as hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), or toluidine blue, can provide visualization of the cells of interest. Following LMD, validation of RNA integrity should precede downstream analysis.
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Acknowledgments
The author thank Bob Fasulka and Andy Lee, Laser Microdissection Application Specialists, Leica Microsystems, for sharing their technical expertise and reviewing this document. Additional thanks are extended to Jan Minshew, HT, HTL (ASCP, Marketing Manager, Leica Microsystems) for reviewing the protocols on sample preparation, and Pam Jandura, Marketing Specialist, Leica Microsystems, for editorial assistance.
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© 2008 Humana Press Inc.
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Vega, C.J. (2008). Laser Microdissection Sample Preparation for RNA Analyses. In: Mor, G., Alvero, A.B. (eds) Apoptosis and Cancer. Methods in Molecular Biology™, vol 414. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-339-4_17
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-339-4_17
Publisher Name: Humana Press
Print ISBN: 978-1-58829-457-9
Online ISBN: 978-1-59745-339-4
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