laser microdissection

Anatomic pathology technique for isolating specific cells of interest from cuts of tissue. The piece to be microdissected is placed on an extremely fine sheet of heat-sensitive plastic covering a glass slide, so that the piece adheres to the plastic and not to the slide. An IR laser is focused through the lens of the microscope and directed by the operator, who “cuts out” the exact cells he wants to obtain. The cells are then recuperated by slight aspiration.