Variable diameter CO laser ring-cutting system adapted to a zoom microscope for applications on polymer tapes.

This paper presents the conception and implementation of a variable diameter ring-cutting system for a CO laser with a working wavelength of 10.6 μm. The laser-cutting system is adapted to an observation zoom microscope for combined use and is applicable for the extraction of small circular areas from polymer films, such as forensic adhesive tapes in a single shot.

Isolation of viable multicellular glands from tissue of the carnivorous plant, Nepenthes.

Many plants possess specialized structures that are involved in the production and secretion of specific low molecular weight compounds and proteins. These structures are almost always localized on plant surfaces. Among them are nectaries or glandular trichomes.

Single cells for forensic DNA analysis--from evidence material to test tube.

The purpose of this project was to develop a method that, while providing morphological quality control, allows single cells to be obtained from the surfaces of various evidence materials and be made available for DNA analysis in cases where only small amounts of cell material are present or where only mixed traces are found. With the SteREO Lumar.V12 stereomicroscope and UV unit from Zeiss, it was possible to detect and assess single epithelial cells on the surfaces of various objects (e.

Micropreparation of single secretory glands from the carnivorous plant Nepenthes.

A rapid mechanical micropreparation technique has been developed to isolate multicellular glands, here from Nepenthes pitchers, based on a microdissection platform. The method is an alternative to laser capture dissection because fresh plant tissue can be used directly without previous fixation. Subsequent experiments, such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based detection of an individual gene encoding a thaumatin-like protein and RNA extraction for gene expression analysis, have been successfully added to prove the quality of the prepared biological material.