AMSBIO has announced new kits for the isolation of high quality RNA from Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded (FFPE) tissues and LCM samples that can be applied both to qRT-PCR and a variety of microarray platforms.

When working with stored materials, researchers often need to isolate RNA from samples that have been stored as FFPE tissue blocks. These FFPE tissues are a valuable source of information for retrospective research. Although the tissue structure of FFPE samples will have been maintained for histological analysis, damage to the nucleic acid may have occurred through the fixation, embedding, and storage processes impeding measurements of gene expression levels. The degree of RNA fragmentation that typically has already occurred in FFPE tissues cannot be reversed, so researchers are faced with the challenge of optimizing RNA gene expression analysis protocols when working with these samples.

ExpressArt® FFPE RNAready overcomes the limitations associated with RNA degradation and interference from RNA cross-linking in FFPE tissues. The FFPE RNAready kit efficiently isolates and preserves mRNA utilizing a specially developed lysis solution and an innovative universal inhibitor of RNases that displaces tightly bound RNA from high-molecular-weight aggregates. Subsequent treatment with a unique de-modification reagent reverses formalin induced cross-links, resulting in total RNA optimized for reverse transcription reactions and subsequent downstream applications.

FFPE RNAready together with ExpressArt® RNA amplification TRinucleotide primer technology is now available to amplify microgram quantities of high quality RNA from very small amounts of degraded total RNA, with minimal loss of sequence.

For further information on RNA isolation from FFPE tissues please visit http://www.amsbio.com/RNA-isolation-FFPE-LCM.aspx or contact AMSBIO on +44-1235-828200