specimens Protocols

Category: Drosophila Protocols

Enzyme-linked reagents give excellent sensitivity and use a simple light microscope for detection. A range of enzymes is available, but for staining in situ, horseradish peroxidase will suit most needs. Diaminobenzidine (DAB) is one of the most sensitive substrates for horseradish peroxidase. It yields an intense brown product that is insoluble in both water and alcohol. It can be made more sensitive by adding metal salts such as cobalt or nickel to the substrate solution. - [Read Antibody Addition to Drosophila Specimens and Detection Using Enzyme-Linked Reagents Protocol]

Category: Drosophila Protocols

Protocol for antibody addition to Drosophila specimens and detection using fluorochrome-linked reagents. Fluorochrome-linked reagents should be used when high resolution is needed or if two antigens need to be localized simultaneously. Because of the thickness of fly specimens, detection requires access to a confocal microscope. - [Read Antibody Addition to Drosophila Specimens and Detection Using Fluorochrome-Linked Reagents Protocol]

Category: PCR Protocols

Protocol for collection of specimens for detection of measles virus RNA by PCR. - [Read Collection of Specimens for Detection of Measles Virus RNA by PCR Protocol]

Category: Microscopy Protocols: Optical Microscopy Protocols

When imaging specimens in the optical microscope, differences in intensity and/or color create image contrast, which allows individual features and details of the specimen to become visible. Contrast is defined as the difference in light intensity between the image and the adjacent background relative to the overall background intensity. In general, a minimum contrast value of 0.02 (2 percent) is needed by the human eye to distinguish differences between the image and its background. - [Read Contrast in Optical Microscopy]

Category: Microscopy Protocols: Live-Cell Imaging Protocols

Specimen chambers have had many designs published over the years describing systems that offer excellent optical properties while allowing specimens to be maintained for varying amounts of time. Ranging in complexity from the simple preparation of a sealed coverslip on a microscope slide to sophisticated perfusion chambers that enable tight control of virtually all environmental variables culture chambers are designed to to allow living specimens to be observed with minimal invasion at high res. - [Read Culture Chambers for Live-Cell Imaging]

Category: Microscopy Protocols: Optical Microscopy Protocols

The visibility of the faint star light is enormously enhanced against a dark background. This principle is applied in darkfield (also called darkground) microscopy, a simple and popular method for making unstained transparent specimens clearly visible. Such objects often have refractive indices very close in value to that of their surroundings and are difficult to image in conventional brightfield microscopy. - [Read Darkfield Illumination]

Category: Microscopy Protocols: Fluorescence Microscopy Protocols

Certain fluorescent dyes such as Blankophor have a high affinity for the b -glycosidically linked polysaccharides such as glucan and chitin, which are main the constituents of the fungal cell wall. Therefore, these fluorescent dyes can be used for screening clinical samples for the presence of fungal elements. This procedure can be performed using the following specimens: Nail, Skin, Bronchial alveolar lavage fluid, Sputum and Biopsies. - [Read Detection of Fungi by Fluorescence Microscopy Using Fluorescent Brighteners]

Category: Molecular Imaging: Immunofluorescence Microscopy

Double immunofluorescence staining for BCL-6. unfixed or acetone-fixed specimens. dewaxed, antigen retrieved slides - [Read Double immunofluorescence staining for BCL-6]

Category: Immunology: Immunofluorescence Protocols: Immunofluorescence Staining Protocols

Protocol for double immunofluorescence staining for BCL-6. Any type of tissue is suitable for this technique, as long as the antigenicity for your antigen(s) is preserved. Includes: unfixed or acetone-fixed specimens; dewaxed, antigen retrieved slides. - [Read Double Immunofluorescence Staining for BCL-6 Protocol]

Category: Microscopy Protocols: Fluorescence Microscopy Protocols

Most biological specimens are relatively transparent, so details of internal and intracellular morphology are difficult to image in untreated living specimens using simple bright-field techniques. Fluorescence microscopy offers greater advantages and possibilities for increasing contrast and determining the specific localization of molecules in cells. Article outlines the three methods most commonly used to introduce an appropriate label into Drosophila tissue without perturbing the process. - [Read Fluorescent Reagents for Live Cell Imaging and Their Introduction into Cells]

Category: DNA Protocols: DNA Extraction Protocols: Extracting Ancient DNA

DNA Isolation from museum specimens: 1) what's the best tissue to sample; 2) what's the best way to get DNA out of that tissue? 1) the easiest well-dried tissue to get, and 2) the easiest extraction methods you are comfortable doing. Travis Glenn. - [Read Getting DNA from Old Dead Stuff]

Category: Primary Cell Isolation and Culture Protocols: Laser Capture Microdissection Protocols: Tissue Preparation for LCM Protocols

Protocol for low-melt polyester embedding. Includes: Large Tissue Specimens; Small Tissue Specimens and Biopsies; Histology Slide Cutting Procedure. - [Read Low-melt Polyester Embedding Protocol]

Category: Fungi Protocols

Protocol for the preparation of solid tissue for Aspergillus galactomannan antigen detection by Platelia (Biorad). Technique was designed for use on human serum. However, it may also be possible to perform this method on solid tissues and organic solutions. Viscous solution and tissue specimens need to be pre-treated to achieve the extraction of the Aspergillus antigen and to get a homogeneous sample in solution. - [Read Preparation of Solid Tissue for Aspergillus Galactomannan Antigen Detection by Platelia Protocol]

Category: Immunohistochemistry Protocols: Antibody Staining Protocols

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]

Category: Microscopy Protocols

Reflected light microscopy is often referred to as incident light, epi-illumination, or metallurgical microscopy, and is the method of choice for fluorescence and for imaging specimens that remain opaque even when ground to a thickness of 30 microns. - [Read Reflected Light Microscopy]

Category: Immunohistochemistry Protocols: Antigen Retrieval Protocols

The principle behind the pressure cooker method described here is to use extended periods of heat to break some of the subcellular structures that block antibody access. This approach is appropriate for handling specimens on glass slides. The major advantages of the pressure cooker method are the ability to handle a large number of slides simultaneously, the convenience of using metal racks, and the avoidance of any hot spots that are found in the microwave. - [Read Unmasking Hidden Epitopes Using the Pressure Cooker Protocol]