Gentle Laser Microdissection for Cell Clusters, Fixed and Living Cells, and Subcellular Compartments

The isolation of single cells and cell groups, as well as biomolecules, is central to life sciences. For biomedical analysis a method is required for the extraction of your samples, particularly with heterogeneous tissue, that is free of contamination and guarantees preservation of the material. Laser microdissection describes a method of precise cutting of tissue areas using a laser and the separation of the cut section from the surrounding tissue.

There are different methods of laser dissection and to isolate target cells after cutting. They all have in common, that lasers are required to precisely cut tissue on this microscopic scale, which are coupled into the optical path of the microscope. For cutting, the sample is mounted on membrane slides, which allows for both precise cutting and subsequent cell isolation procedures. Moreover, the laser is fixed during the cutting process to ensure that the laser is always in focus and the sample is efficiently cut. One method to isolate cut tissue is by employing adhesive isolation caps, which gently and reliably collect sample of any size and shape.