Arcturus has introduced a complete, integrated system for microgenomics for studying cell-specific gene expression using homogeneous in situ cell populations
Studying the gene expression of specific cells captured from heterogeneous cell populations in tissue samples produces more accurate data than studying whole tissue samples.
Arcturus's new System for Microgenomics features two key technologies - laser capture microdissection (LCM) and RNA amplification.
The complete system includes the PixCell II LCM system, the HistoGene LCM slide preparation kit, PicoPure RNA isolation kit, and the RiboAmp RNA amplification kit.
These tools enable researchers to obtain and amplify enough intact mRNA from a single microdissection to probe multiple microarrays.
All elements have been optimised and experimentally validated for studying gene expression in small, pure cell populations.
Laser capture microdissection uses direct, low-energy laser pulses to lift targeted cells from unselected tissue.
HistoGene kits include reagents and a complete protocol to prepare samples for LCM while retaining high quality RNA.
The PicoPure kits maximise nucleic acid extraction and isolation from cells captured with LCM.
The RiboAmp RNA amplification kit yields amplified RNA from small amounts of starting material, ready for labelling and microarray hybridisation.
Arcturus commercialised LCM system technology developed at the NIH National Cancer Institute and patented several consumable products.
LCM is already widely used in cancer research in the search for biological markers and in molecular studies that will enable patient stratification and customised therapy.
The new System for Microgenomics has a broad range of applications in life science, wherever cellular resolution contributes to the accuracy of molecular studies or diagnostic tests.
Ideal applications include neuroscience, immunology, cardiovascular research, and developmental biology.
"We are dedicated to providing this set of tools to all researchers whose gene expression studies would benefit from attaining cellular resolution," commented Thomas Baer, president and CEO of Arcturus.
"Expression analysis of pure cells will ultimately lead to disease diagnosis based on molecular signatures as well as to the development of methods for monitoring drug response and disease pathogenesis."
