Plasmid DNA is isolated from large-scale (500 ml) bacterial cultures by treatment with Triton X-100 and lysozyme, followed by heating. This method is not recommended for preparing plasmid DNA from strains of E. coli that express endonuclease A (endA+ strains). - [Read Preparation of Plasmid DNA by Large-scale Boiling Lysis Protocol]
Plasmid DNA is isolated from small-scale (1-2 ml) bacterial cultures by treatment with Triton X-100 and lysozyme, followed by heating. This method is not recommended for preparing plasmid DNA from strains of E. coli that express endonuclease A (endA+ strains). - [Read Preparation of Plasmid DNA by Small-scale Boiling Lysis Protocol]
This method works well to assess cell cycle distribution of whole cell populations. This method can also be used to assess the cell cycle distribution of GFP transfected cells however, the EtOH step is generally not sufficient to keep GFP in the cell. - [Read Preparing Cells for PI/FACS (cell cycle) Analysis Protocol]
Early embryos (0-17 hours or until cuticle formation) are treated with a mixture of organic solvents, formaldehyde, and alcohols, as described here. The cuticles of late-stage embryos are usually opened by sonication. Tissues from more advanced stages of development are normally dissected by hand and then fixed and stained in a standard paraformaldehyde/detergent combination - [Read Preparing Early Whole-Mount Drosophila Embryos for Immunostaining Protocol]
This protocol describes the preparation of feeder cells from MEF cells or from the STO mouse fibroblast cell line. The cells are rendered mitotically inactive by treatment with {gamma}-irradiation. The feeder layers can then be used to maintain embryonic stem (ES) cells in the undifferentiated state. - [Read Preparing Feeder Cell Layers from STO or Mouse Embryo Fibroblast (MEF) Cells Protocol]
Frozen tissue sections show good preservation of tissue structure and antigens. The principle disadvantages of using them in immunostaining are that the specimens must be stored frozen, and a special microtome, known as a cryostat, is required. Also, many clinical specimens are not available in this form, and most classic histological descriptions of tissue structure and pathology are based on the use of paraffin-embedded sections of formalin-fixed material. - [Read Preparing Frozen Tissue Sections for Immunostaining Protocol]
Early and late embryos are treated with a mixture of organic solvents, formaldehyde, and alcohols. The cuticles of late-stage embryos (17-22 hours or until hatching) are usually opened by sonication, as described here. Tissues from later stages of development are normally dissected by hand and then fixed and stained in a standard paraformaldehyde/detergent combination. - [Read Preparing Late Whole-Mount Drosophila Embryos for Immunostaining Protocol]
This protocol describes the preparation of mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEFs), which can then be used as feeder cells to maintain embryonic stem (ES) cells in the undifferentiated state. - [Read Preparing Mouse Embryo Fibroblasts Protocol]
Most histological studies are carried out on paraformaldehyde-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue samples. Therefore, there is an extensive atlas of most tissues and organs prepared from these sources, and comparing the location of antigens to these data is immediately informative. The fixation and embedding procedures are harsh, however, and many antigens are not well preserved. - [Read Preparing Paraffin Tissue Sections for Immunostaining Protocol]
Protocol describes a method for preparing siliconized pipettes. Such pipettes minimize the loss of embryos or embryonic tissues during transfer. - [Read Preparing Siliconized Pipettes Protocol]
DNA microarrays are an ordered arrangement of DNA molecules complementary to genes of interest that are "spotted" by robotic equipment onto a glass slide substrate. The expression of genes in cells can be monitored with microarrays by preparing cDNA from the mRNA of cells of interest and measuring the hybridization to the microarray. This protocol describes the labeling of genomic DNA for use as a probe for hybridization to the cDNA spotted on the array.
This Microarray Protocol Preparation of Fluorescent DNA Probes from Human mRNA protocol describes the production of probes labeled with the fluorescent dyes, Cy3 and Cy5, following the synthesis of cDNA from human mRNA and the hybridization of the probes to DNA microarrays.