Laser Capture Microdissection
Laser Capture Microdissection - Related Videos
16:34
Laser Capture Microdissection of Mammalian Tissue
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Cited by 25 •
2007
Laser capture microscopy, also known as laser microdissection (LMD), enables the user to isolate small numbers of cells or tissues from frozen or ...
12:02
Laser Capture Microdissection of Drosophila Peripheral Neurons
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Cited by 25 •
2010
In this video-article we present a method for isolating single or multiple Drosophila da neurons from third instar larvae using the infrared capture (IR) class of Laser Capture Microdissection (LCM). RNA obtained from the isolated neurons can be readily used for downstream applications including qRT-PCR or microarray analyses.
07:42
Laser-capture Microdissection of Human Prostatic Epithelium for RNA Analysis
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Cited by 15 •
2015
The goal of this protocol is to use laser-capture micro-dissection as an effective method to isolate pure populations of cell types from heterogeneous prostate tissues for downstream RNA analysis.
12:38
Laser Capture Microdissection of Neurons from Differentiated Human Neuroprogenitor Cells in Culture
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Cited by 3 •
2013
Human neuroprogenitor cells (NPCs) were expanded under proliferating conditions. NPCs were differentiated into neuron-rich cultures in the presence of a combination of neurotrophins. Neuronal markers were detected by immunofluorescence staining. To isolate a pure population of neurons, NPCs were differentiated on PEN membrane slides and laser capture microdissection was performed.
09:21
Laser Capture Microdissection of Paraformaldehyde-Fixed Mouse Liver Tissue for RNA Analysis
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2026
This protocol describes a method to isolate RNA from defined histological regions of paraformaldehyde-fixed, Optimal Cutting Temperature compound-embedded mouse liver tissue using laser capture microdissection, enabling targeted downstream gene expression analysis.
FAQs
Laser Capture Microdissection can isolate material by cutting around a selected region or by activating a thermoplastic capture surface to collect the target. Cutting separates the chosen area from surrounding sample material, whereas surface activation provides a collection mechanism. The appropriate strategy depends on how the target is positioned within the complex biological sample and how it will be recovered for downstream analysis.
The focused laser provides localized control over the selected sample area. In one mode, it cuts around the target region, helping separate that material from neighboring structures. In another, it activates the thermoplastic surface used for capture. This precision supports targeted collection while helping preserve the relationship between the selected material and its original microscopic surroundings.
Spatial context connects a molecular result to the location of the cells or tissue region that produced it. Low contamination is equally important because material from nearby, unselected regions could obscure differences between targets. By combining localized selection with minimal contamination, LCM helps researchers relate DNA, RNA, or protein profiles to specific biological structures within heterogeneous samples.
A typical workflow begins with microscopic examination of a complex biological sample and selection of the desired cell or tissue region. The laser then either cuts around that region or activates a thermoplastic capture surface. The selected material is collected and subsequently analyzed for DNA, RNA, or protein. This sequence preserves a direct connection between visual selection and molecular measurement.
Researchers choose Laser Capture Microdissection when molecular analysis must distinguish among cells or regions that occupy different positions within the same sample. The method is especially relevant to studies of development, disease, and tissue heterogeneity, where neighboring structures may have different molecular profiles. Its targeted workflow allows those profiles to be examined according to cellular or tissue location.
Material collected through LCM can support downstream examination of DNA, RNA, or proteins from a selected biological region. These measurements can reveal molecular characteristics associated with particular cells or tissue locations rather than with the entire complex sample. In biology, that spatially linked information helps investigate how molecular patterns relate to development, disease, and variation within tissues.