PALM laser capture microdissection microscope system

Laser capture microdissection (LCMD) allows you to capture single cells or sections of cells and then analyse them using the normal nucleic acid and protein analysis methods.

The LCM microscope is jointly run by the MBF and the EMU and is located in room 1127. Before using the LCM microscope, you will need to be trained and entered into the booking system. To get trained and entered onto the system, please email Julie Christie.

Protocols:

PALM user guide (303kb pdf)

Corbett Rotorgene 3000 real time thermalcyclers

Real-time PCR allows you to measure the expression rate of a particular gene in a particular cell under a particular set of conditions. The MBF has two Corbett Rotorgene 3000 thermalcyclers, located in room 005. Before using the Rotorgenes, you will need to be trained and entered into the booking system. To get trained and entered onto the system, please email Julie Christie.

Protocols:
Mini RNA extraction (120kb pdf)
RNeasy mini protocol SHORT (99kb pdf)
Realtime RT-PCR (97kb pdf)
Real time std dilutions (19kb xls)
Real-time results example (36kb xls)

Lightscanner

The LightScanner is a post-PCR Hi-Res Melting™ system for mutation scanning.

The Lightscanner is located in room 1127. Before using the Lightscanner, you will need to be trained and entered into the booking system. To get trained and entered onto the system, please email Julie Christie.

Protocols:

Applications developed by Idaho Technologies

The Nanodrop spectrophotometer can quantify DNA, RNA and proteins. It can also detect and measure labelling of probes. It is a scanning spectrophotometer that only requires very small quantities of sample.

Protocols:

Nanodrop user guide (228kb doc)

The MBF has an Affymetrix microarray scanner that enables you to read and analyse spotted microarrays. Before using the scanner, you will need to be trained and entered into the booking system. To get trained and entered onto the system, please email Julie Christie.

The MBF has a range of equipment for protein fractionation and electrophoresis. We can also provide buffersand gels. Billing is on a 'per sample' basis.

Protocols:
Acetone Precipitation(56kb pdf)
SDS & acetone extraction of proteins (63kb pdf)
Bradford assay (51kb pdf)
Homogenous gel compositions (62kb pdf)
Electrophoresis & staining buffers (62kb pdf)
Casting of homogenous gels (71kb pdf)
Fractionation protocols (72kb pdf)
First dimension IEF of fractionated samples (70kb pdf)
First dimension electrophoresis using the Amersham system (70kb pdf)
Second dimension electrophoresis using the Ettan 6 system (65kb pdf)
First dimension electrophoresis using the Invitrogen system (69kb pdf)
Second dimension electrophoresis using the Invitrogen system (62kb pdf)
Coomassie staining 2DE gels (63kb pdf)
Fast Silver Stain (55kb pdf)
Sypro ruby staining (52kb pdf)

The facility has a gradient thermalcycler, giving you a greater range of PCR options. Our thermalcycler is located in room 1127. Before using the gradient thermalcycler, you will need to be trained and entered into the booking system. To get trained and entered onto the system, please email Julie Christie.

The MBF has a visible light platereader located in room 109 (accessible from room 107). The platereader has 5 filters (415, 450, 490, 595 and 655nm).

The MBF has a chilled centrifuge with rotors for 1.5mL tubes, microtitre plates, 80, 50 and 15 ml tubes. The centrifuge is located in room 1127.