Dafna Benayahu, Rina Socher, Irena Shur
Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel.
Methods Cell Biol. 2007;82:675-87. doi: 10.1016/S0091-679X(06)82024-8.
Laser capture microdissection (LCM) method allows the selection of individual or clustered cells from intact tissues. LCM enables to pick cells from tissues that are difficult to study individually, to sort the anatomical complexity of tissues, and to make the cells available for molecular analyses. This technology provides an opportunity to uncover the molecular control of cellular fate in the natural microenvironment. It is a difficult task to obtain cells from skeletal tissues, such as cartilage, periost, bone, and muscle, that are structured together and do not exist as individual organs. LCM allows isolation of desired cells from the native tissue environment for the analysis of gene expression. We earlier described the selection of cells from skeletal tissues that were analyzed for expression of transcription factors, receptors for cytokines, nuclear receptors, and functional genes such as alkaline phosphatase and structural proteins. Current results acquired using the LCM technology demonstrate expression of known genes that are in agreement with their reported in vivo and in vitro function in skeletal cells. The obtained knowledge will provide molecular information in the context of the cell and tissue biology. Such analysis will enable a reliable interpretation of function of known and novel genes expression in the skeletal tissues under various physiological conditions.
激光捕获显微切割（LCM）技术可从完整组织中挑选单个细胞或细胞簇。LCM能够从难以单独研究的组织中挑选细胞，梳理组织的解剖复杂性，并使细胞可用于分子分析。该技术为揭示天然微环境中细胞命运的分子调控提供了契机。从诸如软骨、骨膜、骨骼和肌肉等共同构成结构且并非以单个器官形式存在的骨骼组织中获取细胞是一项艰巨任务。LCM允许从天然组织环境中分离所需细胞以进行基因表达分析。我们之前描述了从骨骼组织中挑选细胞，并对其转录因子、细胞因子受体、核受体以及诸如碱性磷酸酶和结构蛋白等功能基因的表达进行分析。使用LCM技术获得的当前结果表明，已知基因的表达与其在骨骼细胞中已报道的体内和体外功能相符。所获得的知识将在细胞和组织生物学背景下提供分子信息。此类分析将使人们能够可靠地解读各种生理条件下骨骼组织中已知和新基因表达的功能。
