EpiStem choose Eppendorf to target rare cells

The regulators for adult stem cells remain mostly unknown. Scientists at EpiStem, a Manchester biotechnology company, are using the Mastercycler ep realplex and epMotion to accelerate the discovery of key regulators of stem cells in the small intestine.

According to Dr Patricia Hurley, senior scientist in EpiStem's Novel Therapies Division: "In order to study adult stem cells we need to be able to identify them and develop molecular methods capable of analysing very small numbers of cells. We use our proprietary EpiProfile technology in conjunction with automated real-time PCR to determine the messenger RNA expression profile in mouse intestinal crypts, where stem cells are located."

"Real-time PCR has a whole range of advantages over end-point detection, in addition to quantification. The method's extreme sensitivity – detecting less than five copies of a target sequence – means that far smaller samples can be used, and the extremely wide dynamic range enables analysis of samples differing in target abundance by several orders of magnitude."

"Both instruments are small, really robust and it is easy to teach people to use them. The ep realplex gives us the flexibility to use any 96-well plates and any chemistries. We have been able to reduce reaction volumes to just 15 microlitres, rather than 25 with our previous method, with no loss of sensitivity. The instrument is highly reliable and running it eight hours a day provides cost-effective high-throughput screening."