Laser Capture Microdissection (LCM) allows rapid and accurate isolation of discrete cell populations from sections of histological tissues. The present Arcturus Veritas LCM instrument located at Vanderbilt was obtained in 2006 through combined internal resources and has been utilized by VA and Vanderbilt investigators in a variety of investigations in cancer biology, gastroenterology and diabetes research. The present Arcturus instrument is no longer eligible for service and is now non-functional. We are therefore seeking to replace the present instrument with an updated Arcturus XT-TI LCM system. In addition to replacing the capacities of the previous instruments, the present system has a second UV cutting laser that allows rapid isolation of larger tissue regions. In addition, the new instrument allows LCM on fluorescent cells from tissue samples. This capability is important for dissection of cells from an expanding number of mouse models expressing fluorescent reporter proteins and for dissection of lineages after immunostaining. In addition, the new instrument automatically focuses the laser. Previous systems have required manual realignment and focusing by a service technician. The access to the LCM instrument will be facilitated through the Digital Histology Shared Resource (DHSR) at Vanderbilt on an hourly fee-for-service basis. DHSR staff will provide LCM training as well as frozen and paraffin sectioning assistance as necessary. The DHSR also maintains supplies of LCM consumables for investigators, with appropriate charge back. This upgraded LCM capacity will allow VA investigators uninterrupted access to LCM capabilities in support of their Merit Review- funded projects.
This shared instrumentation proposal seeks funding for an Arcturus XT-TI Laser Capture Microdissection instrument that uses lasers to cut individual cells or groups of cells out of tissu sections. This allows analysis of small numbers of specific cell populations.
| May-Zhang, Aaron A; Deal, Karen K; Southard-Smith, E Michelle (2018) Optimization of Laser-Capture Microdissection for the Isolation of Enteric Ganglia from Fresh-Frozen Human Tissue. J Vis Exp : |
