Laser Microdissection Facility
(LMF)
Director: Andra R.
Frost, MD
Department/Center Association: Pathology/Comprehensive
Cancer Center (CCC)
Established: 1999
The
Laser Microdissection Facility (LMF) provides the
instrumentation and technical expertise to perform laser microdissection
of specified cells from tissue sections and cytologic
samples. It is available to all
investigators at UAB and the Birmingham VA Medical Center.
Facility Description
The LMF operates two laser microdissection instruments. The first is a Laser Capture Microdissection Pixell II system
developed and produced by Arcturus Engineering in
conjunction with researchers at the National Institutes of Health. This instrument utilizes laser capture
methodology to extract specified cells from tissue sections or cytologic samples.
An infrared laser is used to adhere the
specified cells to a thermoplastic film. As the film is lifted from the tissue
sections, the adherent cells are removed from the tissue. The thermoplastic film with adherent cells is
attached to clear plastic that serves as a microfuge
tube cap.
The
second instrument is a Zeiss PALM Microbeam
instrument that utilizes laser cutting, rather than laser capture,
technology. A UV laser is used to cut
around cells of interest in histologic sections or cytologic
samples, thereby detaching them from adjacent cells and tissue. Another laser pulse then catapults the cells
up and off the tissue and glass slide and into a microfuge
cap. This instrument is highly automated
and versatile. It can also be used to
isolate live cells from in vitro
cultures and allows microdissection under
fluorescence microscopy. The LMF is
staffed by a full-time technologist who runs and maintains the instruments,
assists researchers with the use of the instruments, and prepares samples for
microdissection. Correct identification
of the cells of interest in the histologic or cytologic
specimens may require additional expertise, often provided by a pathologist
designated by the researcher. The LMF is
directed by a board-certified pathologist.
Research Information
Both
instruments allow specific, microscopically identified populations of cells to
be isolated and extracted from tissue sections or cytologic
preparations, thereby eliminating or minimizing contamination by other cell
types also present in the tissue or cytologic
sample. These extracted cells can then
be utilized for analysis of their DNA, RNA, or protein content. Frozen or fixed and processed tissues or cytologic samples (human or animal) can be used.
Contact Information
Director: Andra R.
Frost, MD
Email: afrost@path.uab.edu
Phone: 205-934-2746
Technologist:
Email: nfrolova@path.uab.edu
Phone: 205-934-6980
Web Site: http://lcm.path.uab.edu
Approved by: Andra R.
Frost, MD, Director
Date: February 22,
2008
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