RNA lifetime in tissue samples

[Robin Dover]

In article <3fm2lh$7rv at eldborg.rhi.hi.is>, sev at rhi.hi.is (Sigurdur Einar
Vilhelmsson) wrote:

>  we are planning to start isolating total RNA from either
> tissue samples or blood samples.  The tissue route is preferred, but as
> the samples are sent to us from hospitals,  and are sometimes
> up to 36 hrs. old.
> What I would like to know is, if it is reasonable to try to isolate RNA
> from samples that old, because of RNA breakdown.  The RNA will mostly be
> used for cDNA transcripts.


err No!
even a short literature search should tell you that this would be very
unlikely to work. Even freezing them at -20 would not guarantee
preservation...

-- 
Live forever or die trying