Laser Capture Microdissection Technology
Laser Capture Microdissection (LCM) continues to spur big changes for research in disease studies, enabling the study of gene expression from individual cell types. It allows the rapid and reliable acquisition of a pure population of cells from tissue sections, all in one step, thanks to the help of direct microscopic visualization. Isolating pure populations of specific cells or tissues is essential for both research and clinical uses, but until recently, has been difficult to conduct with other, previously utilized methods and techniques.
LCM is a contact-free and uncontaminated approach to isolating and targeting single cells or larger areas of tissue under direct microscopic visualization. This technology allows clinicians to use a laser beam and direct microscopic visualization to isolate cells from their surrounding tissues. It also allows clinicians to make “genetic fingerprints” of specific pathological lesions, especially malignant neoplasms.
The LCM system relies on a low energy infrared laser pulse to harvest cells or tissue samples. The consolidated design, fast function, flexible sample preparation, and intuitive operation makes LCM a powerful and effective tool for oncology researchers and other medical professionals. This advanced technology of LCM can accurately differentiate between normal cells and abnormal ones.
Why is LCM Use Rapidly Growing?
This technological advancement is taking laboratory sciences by storm. The global LCM market reached $134.4 million USD in 2022, and market experts predict the laser capture microdissection market will continue to grow at an impressive rate of 10.8 percent between 2021 and 2028. By 2028, it’s projected to reach more than $308 million USD.
This steadily increasing growth of LCM is due in part to its ability to enable precise in vivo examination of cell population in situ. It may also be used in conjunction with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and other sensitive analytical techniques.
Dissecting How LCM Benefits Researchers
Labs may use Laser Capture Microdissection on a wide variety of specimens, such as formalin-fixed paraffin wax-embedded tissues or frozen and cytologic specimens, to study gene expression and to detect cancer. Research oncologists use LCM for drug discovery and clinical diagnosis.
A number of institutions, such as government and academic research institutions, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, already use LCM to obtain exceptionally pure samples for use in many molecular analytical techniques, such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR), proteomics, Sanger sequencing, and more.
LCM allows researchers to perform a number of essential operations that have been difficult or impossible in the past, such as isolating tissue regions or specific cell types from a homogeneous identified cell population. It also makes it possible to extract RNA from microdissected tissue, and procure both DNA and RNA isolation for closer analysis.
This is highly valuable technology for researchers across a variety of studies, such as genomics, proteomics, and oncology. For example, within oncology research it is crucial to isolate a microscopic lesion when studying atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH) to better understand how these premalignant cells differ from normal cells. Unlike larger tumors which can be extracted and studied, this level of microscopic legion must be explored using LCM technology.
Cutting-edge light microscopy or fluorescence microscopy LCM methods can help decipher the complexity of the tissue and quantify predictive biomarkers. Imagine isolating specific groups of cells or a single cell from paraffin embedded or frozen tissue sections and what that could mean to analytical workflows for your biomedical research?
HistoSpring’s Exceptional Laser Capture Microdissection Technology
We here at HistoSpring don’t just run machines and only offer routine services — we’re here to help you find the answers you’re looking for. By leveraging our state-of-the-art LCM equipment paired with insights and assistance from our dedicated expert team of histology researchers and pathologists, we can help you to isolate cells, analyze the results, and advance your biomedical research as a whole. As Kelly J. Gregory, Ph.D. Director of Microscopy at HistoSpring explains, “It’s not only about isolating the cells, it’s studying differential protein expressions and looking at genetic changes from one tissue to another – it’s the whole package.”
Gregory goes on to say, “If you’re just looking at one gene, you can do a PCR Analysis of your genetic material and find out whether it’s differentially expressed, in one sample versus another. And if it is, then you have sort of your next step of where you want to go in your research.”
Our LCM offerings include both light and fluorescence microscopy, depending on your research and application needs. Our team also has years of experience in performing a wide variety of different types of molecular analyses, such as genomic analyses and gene expression analysis, on cells procured by LCM. Reach out to our team via email at histology@histospring.com or contact us today to get the process started.
