We're studying differential miRNA expression 24 hours after injury in human clinical samples. What are the advantages/disadvantages of using whole blood (cellular + extracellular) instead of serum (extracellular)?
Hi,
in serum (do not contain red or white cells) you may follow miRNAs that are basically carried in exosomes (as RNA cargo), secreted by cells. In whole blood you may follow miRNA expression in your (target) cell(s) plus exosomes. Purification of your (target) cell(s) from whole blood (if you are studying miRNa expression in cells contained in the blood) will reduce your analysis to miRNAs expressed just in those cells.
Regards,
D
Dear Prabu, i am trying to address a similar question as Meaghan, to study miRNA expression from the serum of patients with a disease. In the lab we will use probably exosomes specific miRNA detection. Could you please give me some advice regarding the methodology? I've heard it' s quite complicated to obtain a pure exosomal fraction by ultra-centrifugation, and many people treat the sample with RNase to get rid of free-circulating RNAs that are present in the serum....Thanks. Renata
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