Researchers improve RNA extraction from precision-cut lung slices
Precision-cut lung slices allow researchers to study living human lung tissue outside the body, preserving the different cell types and structures that make up the organ. But a material that helps scientists create these slices can also make it difficult to study the genetic activity within them.
Precision-cut lung slices allow scientists to study living human lung tissue outside the body, preserving cell types and structures. However, the material used to create these slices, agarose, can interfere with the extraction of RNA, which researchers analyze to understand gene expression. Researchers at Yale School of Medicine (YSM) have developed two approaches to enhance RNA recovery from precision-cut lung slices (PCLS) by overcoming the interference caused by residual agarose.
One method involves using a plant RNA extraction kit, while the other involves implementing an agarose-dissolving buffer, commonly used in gel electrophoresis. Both approaches resulted in higher RNA yield and integrity compared to conventional extraction methods. The improved RNA recovery enables more reliable gene expression analysis, allowing researchers to study how lung tissue responds to experimental treatments and evaluate the effectiveness of potential therapies, particularly for diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis.
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