The United States of America, As Represented by the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services

Jeffry M Trent

Lance A Liotta

David B Krizman

Paul D Smith

Michael R Emmert-Buck

Robert F Bonner

Seth R Goldstein

John I Peterson

W Marston Linehan

Rodrigo F Chuaqui

A method of microdissection which involves forming an image field of cells of the tissue sample utilizing a microscope, identifying at least one zone of cells of interest from the image field of cells which at least one zone of cells of interest includes different types of cells than adjacent zones of cells, and extracting the at least one zone of cells of interest from the tissue sample. The extraction is achieved by contacting the tissue sample with a transfer surface that can be selectively activated so that regions thereof adhere to the zone of cells of interest to be extracted. The transfer surface includes a selectively activatable adhesive layer which provides, for example, chemical or electrostatic adherence to the selected regions of the tissue sample. After the transfer surface is activated, the transfer surface and tissue sample are separated. During separation, the zone of cells of interest remains adhered to the transfer surface and is thus separated from the tissue sample, the zone of cells of interest may then be molecularly analyzed.

Isolation of cellular material under microscopic visualization

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Rockville, MD, United States of America

Jeffry M Trent