Can you remove DPX mount to extract DNA off hematology slides? - How to remove DPX to isolate DNA (Oct/14/2007 )

Hi,

hoping someone would know if this is feasible or not.

We have giemsa stained blood smear slides that are fixed in DPX and I was wondering if it were possible to remove the DPX and isolate DNA from the smears.....

I have successfully isolated DNA from unstained and unfixed slides but to access archived samples in excess of 20 years they are mounted in DPX.

Any info as to yay or nay or where to find a protocol would be nice.

cheers

Nick

these slides are probably fixed (some form of alcoholic spray) before they are stained, even if they wern't the xylene required to remove the dpx might do a little too much damage (thats assuming dpx this old will even come off with xylene) also since these are blood smears not tissue the blood is likely to come off with the xylene and you dont have a solid lump (slice) to deal with
i'm less than optimistic i'm afraid
remember jurrasic park - its that kind of deal but harder - find out the facts behind the film and you may get more of an idea

good luck

dom

Hi Dominic.

thanks for your comments. Not what I was hoping for.

I have had suggestions to use xylene or acetone to take the mount off but suspect such a treatment would screw up any DNA that was there.

There is nothing in pubmed or google so it may well be a futile exercise.

cheers

Nick