Acquisition of a Laser Capture Microdissection System

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This award provides partial support for the acquisition of a laser capture microdissection (LCM) system and ancillary cryo-preparation equipment to be used for examining plant materials at the Donald Danforth Plant Sciences Center. The LCM system is able to capture selected cells from sectioned materials. The technology allows for the identification of specific cell types and their precise removal from tissue without damage. Captured cells can then be used in a wide range of downstream assays, such as EST library generation, RT-PCR amplification, microarray analysis, single and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis analyses of protein products, Western blotting, and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. The precision of cell capture with LCM combined with current metabolic, genomic, and proteomic analyses comprise a powerful tool which is not widely available. In addition to training graduate and postgraduate researchers, the Danforth Center also provides training to undergraduate students during the summer months through its Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program.