RNA isolation from brain tissue...help!

[Shelley Cole]

Dear Chris,

I have isolated total RNA from brain tissue using several micro-scale 
kits that use guanidine thiocyanate, and, depending on the prep, I have 
gotten 10 to 50 ug of RNA from 150mg of starting tissue.  I have used 
gross brain tissue, and in my hands, cerebellum, cortex, hippocampus, 
hypothalamus have all given variable amounts of total RNA per 150mg of 
starting tissue.

I have also isolated poly(A+)-enriched RNA from choroid plexus and 
hypothalamus using Invitrogen's micro-scale FastTrack kit, and gotten ng 
quantities (enough to amplify a portion of my gene of interest using 
RT-PCR). 

Hope this helps some.

Shelley Cole
Staff Scientist
Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research

On 8 Oct 1996, Chris Woodcock wrote:

> I am going to be isolating RNA from very small amounts of brain tissue.
> Does anyone out there have any methods for use with very small 
> quantities?  In addition does anyone have a feel for how much RNA yield 
> varies between different brain regions and/or what the yields are likely 
> to be?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Chris.
> 
>