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RNA Stabilizers
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Obtaining high quality, intact RNA is the first and often most critical step in performing gene expression analyses. To isolate high quality RNA, tissue has to be either processed immediately after harvest, snap-frozen, or stabilized in an intermediary solution to preserve RNA integrity and allow for storage. Several products designed specifically to stabilize and preserve the integrity of RNA are available from point of collection to PCR and analysis.
What are RNA stabilization reagents?
RNA stabilization reagents (also known as RNA stabilizers) are solutions that help stabilize and preserve the integrity of RNA. Because RNA is known to be readily degraded by free-floating RNases, RNA stabilization reagents are used to prolong RNA in samples. RNA stabilizers can be introduced to RNA samples from fresh cell culture, fresh tissue, frozen tissue, blood, or purified RNA.
Learn more about working with RNA
Learn more about RNase control
Select RNA stabilizers based on RNA sample type
RNA stabilizing solution: RNAlater solution for stabilizing fresh cells
RNAlater solution is an aqueous, non-toxic fresh cell and tissue storage reagent that rapidly permeates tissue and cells to stabilize and protect cellular RNA. This reagent helps minimize the need to immediately freeze samples in order to preserve RNA.
How does RNAlater RNA stabilizing solution work? Once saturated in RNAlater solution, samples can be tested and kept for continued storage. Fresh tissue and cells treated with RNAlater solution and archived at –80°C can be subjected to ten freeze/thaw cycles without affecting the quality of subsequently isolated RNA.
Sample types RNAlater solution have been tested on include:
- Animal tissue
- Cells
- Tissue culture cells
- E. coli
- Drosophila
- White blood cells
- Plant tissues
Video: How to stabilize RNA in fresh specimens
Learn how to quickly and easily stabilize and protect RNA in fresh specimens. RNAlater Stabilization Solution eliminates the need to immediately process samples, freeze them in liquid nitrogen, or rush them to the freezer.
RNA stabilizing solution: RNAlater-ICE for stabilizing frozen tissue
RNAlater-ICE solution is an RNA stabilizing solution for frozen tissue. This reagent prevents RNA degradation during tissue thawing. Once treated with RNAlater-ICE solution, tissue can be safely stored at 4°C or at room temperature (for a limited period of time) and can be further processed while protecting RNA integrity.
Sample types RNAlater-ICE solution have been tested on include:
- Brain
- Heart
- Kidney
- Spleen
- Liver
- Pancreas
- Lungs
- Thymus
LeukoLOCK system and Tempus tube kits for blood stabilization
Blood samples are notoriously difficult to deal with because of the blood cell lysis step and the subsequent high presence of globin mRNA in RNA prepared from whole blood. Globin mRNA interferes with downstream expression assays. We have options for stabilizing RNA in blood samples.
LeukoLOCK Total RNA Isolation System contains globin-free mRNA from RNAlater–stabilized leukocytes. Using this system, anticoagulated blood is filter-fractionated, keeping only the leukocytes, and stabilized with RNAlater solution for storage. By excluding red blood cells, this system isolates and purifies RNA from blood without the presence of globin mRNA.
Tempus Blood RNA Tubes are available for the stabilization and purification of total RNA from whole blood at the point of collection for downstream assays. Each Tempus tube contains a stabilizing and lysing reagent that eliminates the need for subsequent red blood cell lysis or proteinase K treatment. The RNA stabilizing reagent inactivates RNases and selectively precipitates RNA. Genomic DNA can also be isolated from the supernatant of the blood samples stored in a Tempus tube once the RNA is pelleted.
The last step in many nucleic acid isolation protocols—and the first step of many downstream assays—is to resuspend the RNA pellet. After isolation and purification of RNA, it is essential to suspend and store RNA in an appropriate, nuclease-free solution.
THE RNA Storage Solution is an RNA stabilizing solution that is compatible with many downstream assays, such as:
- RT-PCR
- In vitro transcription
- Northern analysis
- Nuclease protection assays
It is a 1 mM sodium citrate, pH 6.5 ± 0.1 buffer that provides greater RNA stability than standard 0.1 mM EDTA or TE Buffer. This solution is prepared from pure agents, under scrupulously monitored conditions in our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. It is then subjected to rigorous quality control procedures to help ensure their purity and performance.
RNA stabilizing solution: RNAlater solution for stabilizing fresh cells
RNAlater solution is an aqueous, non-toxic fresh cell and tissue storage reagent that rapidly permeates tissue and cells to stabilize and protect cellular RNA. This reagent helps minimize the need to immediately freeze samples in order to preserve RNA.
How does RNAlater RNA stabilizing solution work? Once saturated in RNAlater solution, samples can be tested and kept for continued storage. Fresh tissue and cells treated with RNAlater solution and archived at –80°C can be subjected to ten freeze/thaw cycles without affecting the quality of subsequently isolated RNA.
Sample types RNAlater solution have been tested on include:
- Animal tissue
- Cells
- Tissue culture cells
- E. coli
- Drosophila
- White blood cells
- Plant tissues
Video: How to stabilize RNA in fresh specimens
Learn how to quickly and easily stabilize and protect RNA in fresh specimens. RNAlater Stabilization Solution eliminates the need to immediately process samples, freeze them in liquid nitrogen, or rush them to the freezer.
RNA stabilizing solution: RNAlater-ICE for stabilizing frozen tissue
RNAlater-ICE solution is an RNA stabilizing solution for frozen tissue. This reagent prevents RNA degradation during tissue thawing. Once treated with RNAlater-ICE solution, tissue can be safely stored at 4°C or at room temperature (for a limited period of time) and can be further processed while protecting RNA integrity.
Sample types RNAlater-ICE solution have been tested on include:
- Brain
- Heart
- Kidney
- Spleen
- Liver
- Pancreas
- Lungs
- Thymus
LeukoLOCK system and Tempus tube kits for blood stabilization
Blood samples are notoriously difficult to deal with because of the blood cell lysis step and the subsequent high presence of globin mRNA in RNA prepared from whole blood. Globin mRNA interferes with downstream expression assays. We have options for stabilizing RNA in blood samples.
LeukoLOCK Total RNA Isolation System contains globin-free mRNA from RNAlater–stabilized leukocytes. Using this system, anticoagulated blood is filter-fractionated, keeping only the leukocytes, and stabilized with RNAlater solution for storage. By excluding red blood cells, this system isolates and purifies RNA from blood without the presence of globin mRNA.
Tempus Blood RNA Tubes are available for the stabilization and purification of total RNA from whole blood at the point of collection for downstream assays. Each Tempus tube contains a stabilizing and lysing reagent that eliminates the need for subsequent red blood cell lysis or proteinase K treatment. The RNA stabilizing reagent inactivates RNases and selectively precipitates RNA. Genomic DNA can also be isolated from the supernatant of the blood samples stored in a Tempus tube once the RNA is pelleted.
The last step in many nucleic acid isolation protocols—and the first step of many downstream assays—is to resuspend the RNA pellet. After isolation and purification of RNA, it is essential to suspend and store RNA in an appropriate, nuclease-free solution.
THE RNA Storage Solution is an RNA stabilizing solution that is compatible with many downstream assays, such as:
- RT-PCR
- In vitro transcription
- Northern analysis
- Nuclease protection assays
It is a 1 mM sodium citrate, pH 6.5 ± 0.1 buffer that provides greater RNA stability than standard 0.1 mM EDTA or TE Buffer. This solution is prepared from pure agents, under scrupulously monitored conditions in our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. It is then subjected to rigorous quality control procedures to help ensure their purity and performance.
Resources for RNA stabilization
Further reading
- Improved methods for gene expression profiling from blood samples: We offer a number of products for gene expression profiling from whole blood, including products for sample collection and stabilization, blood cell fractionation, RNA isolation, and globin mRNA removal
- Make time stand still with RNAlater: RNAlater RNA Stabilization Solution makes it possible for researchers to postpone RNA isolation for days, weeks, or even months after tissue collection without sacrificing RNA integrity
- Obtaining the highest quality RNA from blood samples: The challenges and methods available for isolating high-quality RNA from blood
- Preserve RNA in the tissue before RNA isolation: RNAlater solution preserves RNA in tissues to be used for histology
- RNA remains stable during long-term tissue storage: RNAlater solution preserves RNA in tissues to be used for histology or flash-frozen and stored at –80°C after 2.5 years
- RNAlater for RNA and protein stabilization: Intact protein can be recovered from RNAlater solution-stabilized samples for use in downstream applications such as western blotting or 2D gel analysis
- RNAlater preserves bacterial gene expression profiles for array analysis: Arresting gene expression patterns during sample processing
- RNAlater solution around the world: Stabilizing expression profiles: How three different research groups used RNAlater solution to preserve samples for microarray and RT-PCR studies
- Thaw frozen tissues without damaging RNA: RNAlater-ICE solution is a unique RNA-stabilizing solution—simply drop tissue into RNAlater-ICE solution and once thawed, tissue can be processed like fresh tissue
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Tips from the bench
Your data
- Stabilize difficult-to-work-with RNA transcripts: RNAlater solution provides a method for preserving RNA in tissue samples for large-scale experiments such as examining the effects of cigarette smoke on tracheal gene expression
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For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.