Z3: Laser Microdissection Unit
A prerequisite to delve into the molecular analysis of the mutual interaction of tumor- and immune cells is to have methods available to isolate highly pure cell populations of interest without contaminating ‚bystander’ cells. Particularly with regard to tumors one is facing with a highly heterogeneous cell mixture consisting of tumor cells, tumor stroma cells and tumor infiltrating immune cells. Beside the different cell entities comprising the tumor, cells are also heterogenous in terms of their differentiation and activation status. Particularly immune cells are significantly influenced by the tumor microenvironment with regard to their differentiation and activation status, making it of outstanding importance to ‚capture’ them according to their specific phenotyp and/or functional status for further use in downstream assays (e.g. DNA, RNA and/or protein analysis; gene expression analysis on the mRNA level, or in a wide range of proteomic assays).
The Laser capture microdissection (LCM) was developed in the late nineties at the NIH and stands for a state-of-the-art method for the isolation and capturing of defined cells from complex tissues under direct microscopic visualization. Cell populations of interest within a heterogeneous tissue can be visualized e.g. by (immuno-)histological methods and ultra-pure samples can be collected without any contamination by unwanted „bystander“ cells. The tissue area of interest is marked by a laser beam and the specimen is than collected by gravity.  The LCM allows the isolation of defined cell populations like tumor-associated macrophages (TAM), T cell subpopulations, Dendritic cells (DCs) or any other cell type of interest from native tumor-specimens preserving at the same time the ‚unwanted’ cells which may be used e.g. as experimental controls. Beside the isolation of cells from native tissues it is also possible to isolate distinct cells from cell cultures.
The group of Weihe/Schäfer are well grounded in the histological and molecularanatomical analysis and have been running a laser-capture facility for some years now. The robust and exciting new LCM unit will be available to the LOEWE scientists and they also will be technically assisted by the core members by appointment.
Last Updated on Tuesday, 18 January 2011 08:27