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Exploring the Microscopic World: How Laser Capture Microdissection Technology Changes Scientific Research?
With the advancement of science and technology, scientists have gained unprecedented opportunities in the field of exploration of the microscopic world. As a revolutionary tool, laser capture microdissection technology (LCM) not only improves the accuracy of cell research, but also greatly expands the boundaries of biomedicine and basic scientific research.
Laser capture microdissection is a method of isolating specific cells from microscopic areas of tissue, especially when we need to extract pure cells from complex samples.
The basic principle of this technology is to use lasers to precisely cut cells of interest and isolate them in a highly reliable manner, thus preserving the structural and chemical properties of other surrounding cells. LCM can be used to perform a variety of downstream applications, including DNA genotyping, RNA transcript profiling, and proteomic discovery, which may play a pivotal role in basic science and clinical research.
The total time for this process is usually between one and one and a half hours, which is enough time to complete high-precision cutting and analysis.
In actual operation, you first need to observe the tissue sections under a microscope and select the cells to be extracted. Through laser cutting, designated cells are accurately separated without causing any damage to surrounding cells. Newer technologies have further expanded this process, such as non-contact microdissection and cell extraction via laser-induced forward transfer (LIFT), which allows scientists to operate at a more granular level.
How laser capture technology works
The process of laser capture microdissection can be summarized into a few simple steps. First, a laser is combined with a tissue sample through a microscope, followed by precise cutting using the laser. These cuts can be accomplished by electrostatic adsorption or using specific substrate technologies to avoid damaging the target cells. And many technologies rely on a combination of ultraviolet and infrared lasers to achieve optimal results.
Existing technology ensures that laser cuts are typically less than 1 micron wide, meaning the target cells are not affected by the laser beam.
What’s so advanced about this technology is that it allows for real-time analysis of intact cells using a variety of imaging methods, including fluorescence microscopy and bright-field microscopy, which allows scientists to get clear images of their samples. In addition, laser capture microdissection technology can also operate on living cells without causing damage to cell activity, which is crucial for research on regenerative medicine and cell therapy.
Wide range of applications
With the development of laser capture micro-cutting technology, its application scope continues to expand. From basic cytology research to biomarker analysis in clinical studies, LCM has demonstrated great potential. Researchers can accurately extract tumor cells from cancer tissue while maintaining the integrity of surrounding normal cells, which provides the possibility for personalized medicine.
In addition to cell extraction, LCM technology can also be used to extract samples without cell structures, such as amyloid plaques, which is also particularly important for the study of neurodegenerative diseases.
The laser capture microdissection process does not change the morphology and chemical properties of the selected cells, which is one of the main reasons why this technology is so popular.
Currently, laser capture microdissection technology can operate on a variety of tissue samples, including blood smears, cell cultures, fixed solid tissue sections, and even frozen and paraffin-embedded archival tissue. This means that LCM can exert an important influence in different research fields and bring new opportunities for future scientific research.
Future challenges and opportunities
Although laser capture microdissection technology has made significant progress, several challenges remain in the future. More research and improvements are still needed in terms of precise cell selection, avoidance of cross-contamination, and handling of cells after extraction. In addition, as technology continues to develop, we also need to consider how to extend this technology to a wider range of application scenarios.
In such a rapidly changing scientific field, laser capture microdissection technology has undoubtedly opened new doors for researchers and promoted the progress of life science research. How will future researchers use this technology to provide deeper insights for future scientific research?
