Primary Cells from Solid Tissues
Solid tissues, whether derived from clinical biopsies, solid tumors, or murine organs, present a distinct challenge for single cell analysis because they are composed of complex and tightly organized cellular structures embedded within a dense and highly variable extracellular matrix. This structural complexity makes it difficult to release intact individual cells efficiently without introducing stress, bias, or damage that could affect downstream results.
Our service overcomes this challenge through carefully optimized enzymatic and mechanical dissociation workflows tailored to the tissue type and research objective. By combining effective tissue breakdown with gentle handling, we maximize cell recovery while preserving cell viability, native transcriptional states, and critical surface marker integrity. The result is a high quality single cell suspension that is well suited for downstream applications such as single cell RNA sequencing, immune profiling, flow cytometry, and other single cell omics analyses.
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- What for
- Workflow
- Deliverables
- Applications
- Why choose
- Sample preparation
- FAQs
What It's For
This service is designed for researchers who need to transition from bulk tissue samples to single-cell suspensions. It is the essential first step for:
- Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq)
- Single-cell ATAC-seq
- Flow Cytometry (FACS) analysis and sorting
- Primary cell culture and functional assays
Workflow
Deliverables
Upon completion, you will receive:
- Cell Suspension: High-viability single cells in your buffer of choice.
- QC Report: Comprehensive data on cell concentration, viability percentage, and brightfield/fluorescence images.
- Protocol Summary: Details on the specific enzyme cocktails and dissociation times used for your sample.
Applications
| Field | Common Tissue Types | Objective |
|---|---|---|
| Oncology | Solid tumors, PDX models | Mapping the tumor microenvironment (TME) |
| Neuroscience | Brain regions, spinal cord | Identifying rare neuronal subtypes and glia |
| Immunology | Spleen, lymph nodes, lung | Characterizing tissue-resident immune cells |
| Development | Embryonic tissues, organoids | Tracing lineage and differentiation pathways |
Why Choose Us?
- Minimal "Stress Signatures": We use chilled workflows and rapid processing to prevent the induction of heat-shock proteins or artificial gene expression.
- High Yield from Small Inputs: Expert handling of low-input clinical biopsies (needle cores).
- Optimized for Debris: Specialized removal of myelin (for brain) and collagen (for skin/fibrotic tissue) that can interfere with downstream microfluidics.
- Customizable Protocols: We don't believe in "one size fits all"; we calibrate enzymes based on your specific tissue type.
- Broad Downstream Compatibility: Our isolation protocols are intentionally designed to be "platform-agnostic." Whether you are moving toward 10x Genomics (Chromium), Plate-based Smart-seq, BD Rhapsody, or spatial transcriptomics (like Visium), our suspensions meet the stringent purity and concentration requirements for all major single-cell technologies.
Sample Preparation & Requirements
To ensure the best results, please follow these guidelines:
- Tissue Size: Ideally 50 mg – 500 mg (though we can work with smaller inputs).
- Transport: Samples should be shipped in validated tissue preservation medium on wet ice (4℃).
- Timing: For best viability, tissues should reach our facility within 24 hours of excision.
- Avoid: Do not freeze or fix the tissue if you require live cells for scRNA-seq.
Note: Please contact our technical team to obtain customized sample preparation and shipping instructions.
FAQs
How do you handle tissues with high fat or debris content?
We employ specialized density gradient centrifugation or magnetic removal kits to ensure the final suspension is clean and won't clog microfluidic chips.
Do you provide FACS sorting after isolation?
Yes. Once the tissue is dissociated into a single-cell suspension, we can perform Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting (FACS) to enrich for specific populations or to remove specific contaminants like red blood cells or necrotic debris.
Can you process samples that have been previously frozen?
Intact solid tissues that have been flash-frozen cannot be dissociated into viable whole cells because ice crystals damage the cell membranes. For these samples, we recommend our Nuclei Isolation workflow, which extracts the genetic material from the nuclei for snRNA-seq or snATAC-seq.
What is the minimum viability required for scRNA-seq?
While we strive for >90%, most single-cell platforms require at least 70% viability. If your sample falls below this, we offer "Dead Cell Removal" as an add-on service.
Learn about other Q&A.
