Laser capture microdissection
Location
Room 663a, Blackburn Building, tel 9351 6181
The facility
The Laser Capture Microdissection Facility was opened on 18th August 1999. The Arcturus PixCell IIe, valued at $200,000, was funded by the National Health & Medical Research Council and the University of Sydney major equipment fund. In June 2003, a $100,000 upgrade was facilitated by funds from the University of Sydney Sesquicentenary fund, Rebecca L. Cooper Foundation (equipment) and Clive and Vera Ramaciotti Foundation (equipment).
The advanced microscope is equipped with an infra-red laser that removes regions of interest from tissue sections, which can be used in downstream DNA, mRNA or protein analyses. Sections mounted on glass slides can be viewed with bright field or fluorescence.
Optimal specimen preparation is vital in order to achieve successful laser capture of cells. Some general rules apply:
- Tissue processing must be rapid in order to minimise degradation of macromolecules
- Ideally, sectioning, processing and laser capture should be conducted on the same day
- Material must be dehydrated thoroughy using 100% ethanol (with Molecular Sieve) and xylene (to remove the ethanol)
User charges
The facility operates on a cost recovery basis and provides preliminary training, please refer to current LCM costs
Illumination sources
12V/ 100W Halogen lamp
HBO 103W/2 Hg short arc lamp
Objectives
UPlanFl 4x/ 0.13
UPlanFl 10x/ 0.30
LCPlanFl 20x/ 0.40
LCPlanFl 40x/ 0.60 infinity corrected
Fluorescence filters
Blue, green and red filters, click here for filter specifications
Camera
Hitachi Digital Model KP-D590P
1/2 inch single chip CCD colour camera
CD
Zip disc
Floppy disc 3.5" 1.44MB
