Laser capture microdissection (LCM) is a novel technique developed in the recent years. Under direct microscopic visualization, LCM permits rapid one-step procurement of the selected pure target cell subgroup, even a single cell from a section of the complex, heterogeneous tissue. This technique has rapidly been introduced in the researches for the cellular and molecular mechanisms of diseases. It helps improve diagnosis, therapy and prognosis. This article reviews the progress in the application of LCM in andrology.
Andrology ; Animals ; Cell Separation ; methods ; Humans ; Lasers ; Male ; Microdissection ; methods ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; pathology ; Rats ; Testis ; cytology

Formaldehyde ; Humans ; Microdissection ; Paraffin Embedding ; Proteomics ; methods ; Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization ; Tissue Fixation

Gene Expression Profiling ; Humans ; Laser Therapy ; Lung Neoplasms ; genetics ; Microdissection ; methods ; RNA, Neoplasm ; isolation & purification

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Optimal electrical power required for diathermy during tonsillectomy has not been determined. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate and compare surgical outcomes of using diathermy power settings at 15 watts (W) and 25W for monopolar microdissection and bipolar hemostasis during tonsillectomy. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: This prospective, single-center, single-blind, randomized study was conducted on 92 patients who underwent 15W or 25W monopolar microdissection and bipolar hemostasis for tonsillectomy. Operation times, post-operative pain severities, and rates of hemorrhage were compared between the 15W and 25W groups. RESULTS: The 92 patients were randomized equally into two study groups. The mean operation duration for the 15W group was significantly longer than in the 25W group (18.5±6.11 versus 13.4±6.04 minutes, p<0.01). The rate of minimal hemorrhage (defined as an episode of bleeding not significant enough for hospital visitation) for the 15W group was significantly higher than for the 25W group (41.3% versus 20.5%, p<0.05). No significant intergroup difference was observed between the rates of primary or secondary hemorrhage or postoperative pain scores. CONCLUSION: Twenty-five watt monopolar microdissection and bipolar hemostasis for tonsillectomy had a shorter mean operation time and a lower post-operative minimal hemorrhage rate than 15W monopolar microdissection and bipolar hemostasis.
Diathermy* ; Hemorrhage ; Hemostasis* ; Humans ; Methods ; Microdissection* ; Operative Time ; Pain, Postoperative ; Pilot Projects ; Prospective Studies ; Tonsillectomy*

OBJECTIVE: To explore the predictive effect of testicular puncture biopsy and the biopsy results on the success rate of microdissection testicular sperm extraction (micro-TESE) in patients with idiopathic non-obstructive azoospermia. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated the micro-TESE performance in patients with idiopathic non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) referred to the Reproductive Medicine Center of Peking University Third Hospital between January 2012 and August 2017. We discussed whether to take the testicular biopsy and testicular biopsy results, including the intraoperative microscopic examination and postoperative pathology findings, could predict the success rate of the late micro-TESE. RESULTS: There were 237 patients who were diagnosed as idiopathic NOA and received micro-TESE involved in the study and the total sperm retrieve rate was 25.7%. In 103 patients without testicular biopsy and 134 patients with preoperative testicular biopsy, the sperm retrieve rate was 26.2% and 25.4%, respectively. And there was no significant difference between the two groups. The testicular volume and serum follicle stimulating hormone levels of the two groups were (4.3±1.4) mL vs.(8.5±2.4) mL and (36.1±5.2) IU/L vs.(26.1±3.5) IU/L, respectively. Compared to the patients with preoperative testicular biopsy, the group of patients without testicular biopsy had a much smaller test volume and higher serum follicle stimulating hormone and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant. For the patients who were found with a small amount of sperm in both intraoperative microscopic examination and postoperative pathological examination, the sperm retrieve rate was 100% (7/7). And for the patients who were only found with sperm in intraoperative microscopic examination or postoperative pathology examination, the sperm retrieve rate (SRR) was 47.2% (17/36). For the patients who could be not found with sperm in both intraoperative microscopic examination and postoperative pathological examination, the SRR was only 11% (10/91). The difference between the groups was statistically significant. CONCLUSION Idiopathic non-obstructive azoospermia patients with smaller testicular volume still have a chance to be found with sperm by micro-TESE. The testicular biopsy results, including intraoperative microscopic examination and postoperative pathological findings, have predictive effect on the SRR for late micro-TESE. The patient who could not be found with sperm in both intraoperative microscopic examination and postoperative pathological examination have a small chance of success in micro-TESE.
Azoospermia ; Biopsy ; Biopsy, Needle/methods* ; Humans ; Male ; Microdissection ; Retrospective Studies ; Sperm Retrieval ; Spermatozoa ; Testis

Non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA), which is defined as the absence of spermatozoa in the ejaculate secondary to impaired spermatogenesis within the testis, may be caused by a variety of etiologies, including varicocele-induced testicular damage, cryptorchidism, prior testicular torsion, post-pubertal mumps orchitis, gonadotoxic effects from medications, genetic abnormalities, chemotherapy/radiation, and other unknown causes currently classified as idiopathic (Cocuzza et al., 2013). The microdissection testicular sperm extraction (micro-TESE) technique involves a meticulous microsurgical exploration of the testicular parenchyma to identify and selectively extract larger seminiferous tubules that carry a higher probability of complete spermatogenesis (Schlegel, 1999). The Cornell group evaluated the efficacy of micro-TESE in 152 NOA patients with an associated history of cryptorchidism. In their series, spermatozoa were successfully retrieved in 116/181 attempts (64%), and the resulting pregnancy rate was 50% with a delivery rate of 38% (Dabaja and Schlegel, 2013). Franco et al. (2016) described a stepwise micro-TESE approach in NOA patients, which was considered to reduce the cost, time, and effort associated with the surgery. Alrabeeah et al. (2016) further reported that a mini-incision micro-TESE, carried through a 1-cm equatorial testicular incision, can be useful for micro-TESE candidates, particularly in patients with cryptozoospermia. We conducted a retrospective study of 20 consecutive NOA patients with a history of orchidopexy from May 2015 to March 2017.
Adult ; Azoospermia/surgery* ; Humans ; Male ; Microdissection/methods* ; Middle Aged ; Orchiopexy ; Retrospective Studies ; Sperm Retrieval

Adult ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 9 ; Female ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; methods ; Microdissection ; methods ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; methods

OBJECTIVE: The STR genotypping of trace oral epithelial cells which are microdissected by laser capture microdissection system (LCM) is explored. METHODS: The oral epithelial cells are microdissected using a low-power infrared laser by VERITAS Microdissection Instrument. STR loci of Profiler Plus are detected by multiplex PCR procesures. RESULTS: DNA genotyping of 7-8 oral epithelial cells are succeeded, and DNA genotyping of 3-4 oral epithelial cells are failed. CONCLUSION It is viable in genotyping of trace oral epithelial cells by Laser Capture Microdissection as a new technology of seperating single cell.
Cell Separation/methods* ; DNA/genetics* ; Epithelial Cells ; Genotype ; Humans ; Lasers ; Microdissection/methods* ; Mouth/cytology* ; Tandem Repeat Sequences

Amyloidosis is a heterogeneous group of diseases caused by deposition of misfolded proteins, which usually leads to organ dysfunction. Accurate typing of amyloid deposits is of paramount importance because organ involvements and disease prognosis differ widely among different subtypes, and its treatments are type specific. Correct identification of amyloidogenic protein is crucial to proper treatment. Traditional antibody-based diagnostic methods such as immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence are helpful in amyloid typing, but limitations of those approaches including antibody availability and serum protein contamination impair sensitivity and specificity of diagnosis. Sometimes misdiagnosis can lead to catastrophic therapeutic outcome. Genetic testing is important to confirm the diagnosis of hereditary amyloidosis. Nowadays proteomic analysis has been used as an advanced strategy for amyloid typing and the gold-standard today is laser microdissection followed by mass spectrometry (LMD/MS), which can identify causal protein without additional clinical information. Furthermore, LMD/MS is performed on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) specimens, thus large scale retrospective studies based on archival material can be conducted. In recent studies, LMD/MS has been proven superior to traditional methods without the drawbacks mentioned above. This proteomic approach provides guarantee of appropriate clinical management and probability of new insights into the mechanism of amyloidosis.In this article the new advances of studies on subtyping of systemic amyloidosis are reviewed.
Amyloidosis ; classification ; pathology ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin Light-chain Amyloidosis ; Laser Capture Microdissection ; Mass Spectrometry ; Plasma Cells ; Proteomics ; methods

The development of testicular sperm extraction (TESE) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has made it possible for patients with non-obstructive azoospermia to have their own children. However, sperm retrieval by conventional TESE succeeds but in a subset of patients and, therefore, how to improve the success rate of sperm retrieval is becoming a focus of research. Recent studies suggest that microdissection TESE, although with its limitations, has obvious advantages over traditional sperm retrieval methods. This article presents an overview on the characteristics, predictive factors, sperm retrieval rate, post-operative complications, and improvement of microdissection TESE.
Azoospermia ; Humans ; Male ; Microdissection ; adverse effects ; methods ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic ; Sperm Retrieval ; adverse effects