A new, more effective, and easy to use Laser Capture
Microdissection platform is available to investigators at Moores
UCSD Cancer Center and other researchers on and off campus. The microscope has far superior optics to any previous laser capture
system, and control of laser cutting and selection is simple and
accurate (see figure).
All manipulations -- movement of the stage, cutting of areas
of interest, and capture of images before and after dissection –
are automatically controlled by the software.
The MMI SL µCut Laser Capture Microdissection system
is equipped with a solid state UV laser that guarantees precise
cutting without damaging the tissue. Single cells or groups of cells
can be isolated from paraffin sections, cryo samples, smears, and
cell cultures. The captured cells can then be used in a wide range
of downstream assays, such as gene expression analysis, genomic
profiling using microarrays, or for proteomic analysis. The new adhesive film technology allows quantitative
and contamination-free isolation of RNA, DNA, or proteins for gene
expression, gene chip analysis, RT–PCR, Q-PCR, and proteomics applications
(typical RNA yields are 30-60 ng/1000 cells).
High precision xy-stage, and CCD camera allows
identification, documentation, and dissection of multiple regions
of interest from the same tissue specimen.
The microscope is also equipped with fluorescence lamp and
filters suitable for the identification of GFP, and RFP labeled
cells, and fluorescent antibody labeled cells.
