Breaking Laser Capture Microdissection Sample Size Road Blocks with Simple Western

Laser capture µdissection (LCM) is a powerful tool to identify and isolate a pure sample of the cell type you're interested in. But, proteomic studies with LCM samples are really restricted by the small amounts of tissue collected with each capture since there just isn't much to work with. You often have to use the entire sample captured for traditional Western blot analysis and that only leaves you with one data point! So, researchers often use 2D Electrophoresis and mass spectrometry instead to max out the amount of data they can generate. Both of these methods have their own limitations when it comes to ease-of-use and reproducibility though. Immunohistochemistry is also used to analyze LCM samples as it's a more accessible technique, but it really doesn't give you a lot of info either. Simple Western is an automated capillary-based immunoassay that changes the proteomic research game. You only need 1-10 µL of LCM sample for each data point, so you'll get more data points for each sample you collect. Not to mention the sensitivity that comes with it will even let you analyze proteins you couldn't previously do with traditional Western blot. And it's all wrapped up in a simple workflow that minimizes your hands-on time. Simple Western is a sensitive, easy-use analytical tool that ups the ante on protein analysis with LCM samples. In this application note, we'll show you two examples of how Simple Western changed what researchers could do with their precious LCM samples for the better