Later this week I will be extracting the hippocampus from murine brains for subsequent RNA extraction and qPCR analysis. During my initial attempt, I encountered significant difficulty handling the brain due to its soft texture, making precise dissection challenging. To improve tissue rigidity and facilitate a cleaner dissection, I am considering flash freezing the brain in dry ice or another rapid-freezing method prior to hippocampal isolation. However, I am uncertain whether this approach would compromise RNA integrity and potentially affect downstream qPCR results. I am seeking input on whether flash freezing or any alternative method could enhance tissue handling without negatively impacting RNA quality and expression analysis. Any recommendations on best practices for preserving RNA integrity while improving dissection precision would be greatly appreciated.