Preservation of RNA and morphology in cells and tissues
View Patent ↗A solution for preservation and/or storage of a cell or tissue is described. This simple nonaqueous composition can have 10% polyethylene glycol and 90% methanol. It can be used at room temperature. Special chemicals, equipment, and techniques are not needed. Tissue preserved with and/or stored in the solution can be processed for cytology or histology, including chemical staining and/or antibody binding, by a variety of methods; antigen, DNA, and RNA can be extracted from processed tissue in high yield and with minimal or no degradation. Advantages of the solution include: economy and safety, easy access to archival material, and compatibility with both cellular and genetic analyses. The use and manufacture of the solution are also described.
1. A composition for preservation and/or storage of a cell or tissue, which is a nonaqueous solution comprising 5–20% polyethylene glycol (PEG) and 80–95% methanol.
2. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the nonaqueous solution comprises 10–15% polyethylene glycol (PEG) and 85–90% methanol.
3. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the nonaqueous solution comprises about 10% polyethylene glycol (PEG) and about 90% methanol.
4. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the nonaqueous solution consists essentially of about 10% polyethylene glycol (PEG) and about 90% methanol.
5. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the nonaqueous solution consists of about 10% polyethylene glycol (PEG) and about 90% methanol.
6. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the PEG has a molecular weight less than 600 daltons.
7. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the PEG has a molecular weight of 400 daltons or less.
8. A method of using the composition according to claim 1 comprising contacting at least a cell or tissue with the composition.
9. A method of making the composition according to claim 1 comprising mixing PEG and methanol.
10. A cell or tissue holder containing the composition according to claim 1 and adapted to hold at least a cell or tissue.
11. A method of preserving a cell or tissue comprising contacting at least a cell or tissue with the composition according to claim 1 within 30 minutes.
12. A method of storing cells or tissue comprising contacting at least partially preserved cells or tissue with the composition according to claim 1 for at least two weeks.
13. The method according to claim 11 further comprising extracting nucleic acid from at least a portion of the cell or tissue.
14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the nucleic acid is RNA.
15. The method according to claim 12 further comprising extracting nucleic acid from at least a portion of the cell or tissue.
16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the nucleic acid is RNA.
17. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the nucleic acid is DNA.
18. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the nucleic acid is DNA.
19. A method of protein detection and/or identification comprising:
(a) contacting at least cells or tissue with a nonaqueous solution comprising 5–20% polyethylene glycol (PEG) and 80–95% methanol to preserve said cells or tissue,
(b) extracting protein from preserved cells or tissue, and
(c) detecting and/or identifying said protein.
20. A method of nucleic acid detection and/or identification comprising:
(a) contacting at least cells or tissue with a nonaqueous solution comprising 5–20% polyethylene glycol (PEG) and 80–95% methanol to preserve said cells or tissue,
(b) extracting nucleic acid from preserved cells or tissue, and
(c) detecting and/or identifying said nucleic acid.