by Caitlin Smith Extracting and purifying RNAfrom cells or
tissues is no easy task, as anyone needing pure RNA for gene
expression analysis will tell you. One of the biggest problems
is protecting RNA from ubiquitous enzymes that would otherwise
degrade it rapidly. But the challenges don’t stop there.
Optimizing the many parameters involved in RNA purification—such
as high yield, reproducibility, speed, throughput and
quality—can be a full-time job in itself. That’s why so many
researchers now turn to previously optimized RNA purification
kits. Specialized protocols, such as those for isolating mRNA or
microRNA (miRNA) or extracting RNA from formalin-fixed paraffin
embedded (FFPE) tissue, present new sets of challenges. Today’s
optimized RNA extraction tools are surely welcome.
Homogenization and stabilization Quality RNA results begin with
an RNase-free environment. “Researchers need to be aware that
RNase contamination and RNA degradation are still their worst
enemies, even though the RNA preparation techno