X-Message-Number: 12461 Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 17:36:37 -0400 From: Jan Coetzee <> Subject: No more LN? RNAlater TISSUE STORAGE:RNA STABILIZATION SOLUTION Simplifies sample collection - one reagent immediately renders RNases within tissue inactive More freedom - no need to freeze samples in liquid nitrogen or rush samples back to the lab freezer Eliminates the need to freeze and grind most tissue samples Perfect for tissue collection "in the field" Flexible tissue storage - RNA is stable for 1 day at 37 C, 1 week at 25 C, 1 month at 4 C or indefinitely at -20 C Compatible with many RNA isolation procedures including all of Ambion's RNA isolation kits WHAT IS RNAlater? RNAlater (patent pending) is an aqueous, non-toxic tissue storage reagent that stabilizes and protects cellular RNA in intact, unfrozen tissue samples. RNAlater eliminates the need to immediately process tissue samples or to freeze samples in liquid nitrogen for later processing. Tissue pieces can be harvested and submerged in RNAlater for storage without jeopardizing the quality or quantity of RNA obtained after subsequent RNA isolation. HOW DO YOU USE RNAlater? RNAlater has been tested on a variety of mammalian tissues, plants, E. coli, Xenopus, fish and Drosophila. The dissected tissue is simply submerged in approximately 5 volumes of RNAlater (e.g., a 0.5 g sample requires about 2.5 ml of RNAlater) at room temperature. The solution permeates the cells, stabilizing the RNA. The sample can then be stored at -20 C indefinitely (the tissue does not freeze), at 4 C for up to a month or at 25 C for up to a week. The tissue is later removed from the solution for RNA isolation. Most tissues can be transferred directly to a lysis buffer and homogenized, however, some tissues (i.e., bone, hard tumors) may require freezing in liquid nitrogen and grinding. Samples stored in RNAlater can be shipped on wet ice or even at room temperature if shipped overnight. ================================================== Maybe they will develop a cell stabilizer that can stabilize the whole cell in order to store tissue at -20 c. J.C. Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=12461