These technologies add to the increasing number of applications and products that make up a rapidly expanding field of research. Microgenomics describes the precise molecular analysis of very small populations of cells that have been excised, or microdissected from biopsies.
The latest version of the software, 3.2, benefits from the inclusion of a new data management tool that uses the same 1 ul sample retention system for measuring fluorescence emission spectra.
The data viewer enables the user to overlay current and archived spectra, plot data for up to 200 samples from multiple archive files for comparison, change incorrect sample names, and save user-configured reports.
This new data viewer is similar to that already in use for the NanoDrop ND-3300 Fluorospectrometer, a recently introduced instrument that uses the same 1 ul sample retention system for measuring fluorescence emission spectra.
The ND-1000 software is designed for the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and life science research fields. Quantification of nucleic acid, fluorescent dye, protein and cell cultures as well as general UV-Vis spectroscopy is enabled with this software.
In addition, the software allows each user of the instrument to assign their own username and password enabling the user to specify user preferences and allowing for segregation of that user's archive files.
The software also allows data from each measurement to be automatically stored in a special folder. The user can open the archive file using the Data Viewer software or a spreadsheet program such as MS Excel.
A Utilities and Diagnostics Module enables troubleshooting of the instrument by generating a screen shot of a spectrum as well as the ability to plot multiple spectra in real-time.
Instant recall report data and overlay plots for up to 200 samples from multiple archive files for comparison is also made possible by the software.
The software is designed to accompany the NanoDrop ND-1000 UV/Vis Spectrophotometer, an instrument based on a proprietary cuvette-less technology that allows one microlitre samples to be pipetted directly onto the fibre optic measurement surface.
Once the upper optical surface contacts the sample, a liquid bridge forms and a spectral reading is taken. Preparation for the next measurement simply requires wiping the sample off with an ordinary lab wipe.
"The high absorbance capability eliminates the need for most dilutions. You'll find yourself making fewer dilutions and taking more readings than ever before, essentially becoming a more quantitative laboratory," said the company.
NanoDrop Technologies are amongst a handful of companies trying to establish Microgenomics as a viable analytical tool.
Researchers had previously avoided the use of microgenomic technologies due to a lack of process control needed to ensure reliability of such studies.
Advances in microgenomic technologies have overcome the limitations posed by researching minute samples. These difficulties included cell separation methods, refined RNA isolation and amplification protocols, expression array analysis, and new quality control systems.
Current microgenomic technologies from Arcturus and AlphaMetrix Biotech, as well as Nanodrop, have provided new insights into morphologic information critical to development, pathology, oncogenesis, and other processes of a desired target cell mass.
These advances have expanded the ability to reliably access critical expression information from an extraordinarily small number of cells, even from a single cell.