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Methacarn Fixation for Genomic DNA Analysis in Microdissected Cells
Abstract
We have found methacarn, a non-crosslinking protein-precipitating fixative, to be useful for the analysis of DNA from microdissected specimens of wax-embedded tissue. In this chapter, we present the procedure regarding genomic DNA analysis in methacarnfixed wax-embedded microdissected rat tissue. Using nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and a rapid extraction procedure, fragments of DNA up to 2.8 kb in size can be amplified from a 1×1 mm area of a 10-μm-thick tissue section. Target fragments of about 500 bp can be amplified from a single cell, but 10-20 cells are necessary for practical detection by nested PCR. Although tissue staining with hematoxylin and eosin inhibits the PCR, amplification of about 500-bp fragments is successful with 150-270 cells by single-step PCR. Immunostaining results in a substantial decrease of yield and degradation of extracted DNA. However, even after immunostaining, fragments of about 180 bp can be amplified with 150-270 cells by single-step PCR. These features demonstrate the suitability of methacarn-fixed wax-embedded tissue for practical genomic DNA analysis in terms of tissue handling, extraction efficiency, and satisfactory PCR results.
Affiliation(s): (2) Division of Pathology, National Institute of Health Sciences, Tokyo, Japan
Series: Methods in Molecular Biology  |  Volume: 293  |  Pub. Date: Dec-23-2004  |  Page Range: 11-26  |  DOI: 10.1385/1-59259-853-6:011
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