IDENTIFICATION OF MULTIPLE MESSENGER-RNA AND DNA-SEQUENCES FROM SMALLTISSUE SAMPLES ISOLATED BY LASER-ASSISTED MICRODISSECTION

Molecular analysis of small tissue samples has become increasingly imp ortant in biomedical studies. Using a laser dissection microscope and modified nucleic acid isolation protocols, we demonstrate that multipl e mRNA as well as DNA sequences can be identified from a single-cell s ample. In addition, we show that the specificity of procurement of tis sue samples is not compromised by smear contamination resulting from s craping of the microtome knife during sectioning of lesions. The proce dures described herein thus allow for efficient RT-PCR or PCR analysis of multiple nucleic acid sequences from small tissue samples obtained by laser-assisted microdissection.