Laser capture microdissection (LCM) is a method used to isolate cells from bodies of cells and tissues by utilizing IR and/or UV lasers. LCM was first introduced in 1996 by scientists at the National Institutes of Health and was primarily used to isolate cell groups from fixed tissues. It was not until recently that the technology has been used to isolate live cells. Nearly all of the systems on the LCM market allow isolation down to a single cell, and some systems are even capable of isolating specific organelles within the cell.

LCM systems isolate and collect cells of interest by combining a microscope, laser source and software. The first step in the protocol is the selection of the cells of interest, which is primarily done manually with the aid of specialty software. The next step is the actual cutting, which is accomplished by shining a focused laser onto the mounted tissue sample. This laser generates heat and separates the selected cells of interest. Finally, the cells are collected for downstream analysis. The collection process varies by instrument, but nearly all systems collect the cells into microcentrifuge tubes or other specialized micro-collectors for further processing.

LCM offers many advantages over conventional dissection instrumentation. The main advantage is the nondestructive cutting pattern. The technology is continuing to improve with finer lasers, offering a gentler approach to microdissection. The largest drawback of LCM is the lack of automation, as much of the experimentation is still performed manually.

There are only a handful of companies that manufacture LCM systems. Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbH’s MicroBEAM system uses uplifting contact-free laser catapulting technology to lift the cell(s) of interest into a collector for further downstream processing. Leica Microsystems manufactures the LMD 7000, the successor to its LMD 6500. The technology is similar to Zeiss’s MicroBEAM system. However, the LMD 7000 uses gravity for contact-free collection instead of catapulting the cell(s) upward. Life Technologies’ Applied Biosystems ArcturusXT integrates NIR and UV lasers into one instrument. The system users its NIR laser to melt the transfer film onto the selected cells of interest, then uses the UV laser to cut the melted cell/film hybrid, after which the attached cells are released into a collector and separated by using solvents. In 2010, Life Technologies acquired MDS Analytical’s LCM business (see IBO 1/31/10). MMI offers two LCM instruments, the CellCut Plus and SmartCut Plus. Both, in concept, are similar to ArcturusXT, but use an adhesive film to capture the cells instead of melting the cells onto the transfer film.

The market for LCM is still a niche, but LCM is becoming a popular tool in cell analysis labs. The hefty price tag of LCMs has been a limiting factor for market growth. The largest market expansion opportunity is heavily dependent upon the key advances in automation.

LCM at a Glance:

Leading Suppliers

• Carl Zeiss

• Molecular Machines & Industries AG

• Leica (Danaher)

Largest Markets

• Academia

• Government

• Biotechnology

Instrument Cost

• $80,000–$400,000