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Transcription

Transcription

Overview
Transcription is the process of synthesizing RNA from a DNA sequence by RNA polymerase. It is the first step in producing a protein from a gene sequence. Additionally, many other proteins and regulatory sequences are involved in the proper synthesis of messenger RNA (mRNA). Regulation of transcription is responsible for the differentiation of all the different types of cells and often for the proper cellular response to environmental signals.
Transcription Can Produce Different Kinds...

Transcription Factors

Transcription Factors

Tissue-specific transcription factors contribute to diverse cellular functions in mammals. For example, the gene for beta globin, a major component of hemoglobin, is present in all cells of the body. However, it is only expressed in red blood cells because the transcription factors that can bind to the promoter sequences of the beta globin gene are only expressed in these cells. Tissue-specific transcription factors also ensure that mutations in these factors may impair only the function of...

Master Transcription Regulators

Master Transcription Regulators

Master transcription regulators are regulatory proteins that are predominantly responsible for regulating the expression of multiple genes. Often these genes work in concert to drive a complex process. Activation of a master transcription regulator can lead to a cascade of transcriptional activation necessary for that outcome. These regulators can directly bind to the regulatory sequences of the various genes involved, or they can indirectly regulate transcription by binding to regulatory...

Eukaryotic Transcription Inhibitors

Eukaryotic Transcription Inhibitors

Certain biochemical processes, such as embryonic development and cell growth regulation, depend on the repression of specific genes. DNA binding proteins known as eukaryotic transcription inhibitors regulate the repression of gene expression in eukaryotes. The presence of these inhibitors at the required location and time in the cell is triggered by the presence of hormones and additional signals from other cells.
Eukaryotic transcription inhibitors usually contain two distinct domains, a...

Eukaryotic Transcription Activators

Eukaryotic Transcription Activators

Transcription activators are proteins that promote the transcription of genes from DNA to RNA. In most cases, these proteins contain two separate domains ‒ a domain that binds to DNA and a domain for activating transcription; however, in some cases, a single domain is responsible for both binding and activation of transcription, as seen in the glucocorticoid receptor and MyoD.
The binding domains are capable of recognizing and interacting with regulatory sequences on the DNA. These...

Fixed Action Patterns

Fixed Action Patterns

A fixed action pattern (FAP) is a specific, hard-wired sequence of behaviors that occurs in response to an external stimulus, called a sign stimulus. The behavior is “fixed” because it is essentially unchangeable—proceeding similarly across individuals of a species every time it occurs.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 4, 2026

Proteomic Sample Preparation from Formalin Fixed and Paraffin Embedded Tissue

Proteomic Sample Preparation from Formalin Fixed and Paraffin Embedded Tissue

Published on: September 2, 2013

High-Resolution Laser Microdissection to Investigate Transcriptional States in Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded

Pierluigi Di Chiaro¹, Lucia Nacci², Giuseppe R Diaferia³

¹Laboratory of Translational Research, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy.

Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)

|February 2, 2026

Summary

Laser microdissection coupled with RNA sequencing provides high-resolution transcriptomic insights from tissue samples. This cost-effective method enables sensitive molecular profiling of specific cell populations, especially from FFPE specimens.

Keywords:

Bioinformatics FFPE Laser microdissection Omics Pancreatic cancer RNA-seq Spatial transcriptomics

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Last Updated: Feb 4, 2026

Proteomic Sample Preparation from Formalin Fixed and Paraffin Embedded Tissue

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Standardized Processing for Formalin-Fixed, Paraffin-Embedded Cell Pellet Immunohistochemistry Controls

Standardized Processing for Formalin-Fixed, Paraffin-Embedded Cell Pellet Immunohistochemistry Controls

Published on: July 27, 2022

Area of Science:

Molecular Biology
Genomics
Histology

Background:

Spatially resolved transcriptomics (ST) advances tissue heterogeneity research.
Advanced ST offers whole-slide molecular mapping.
Laser microdissection (LMD) provides high spatial resolution for targeted analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

To highlight the value of LMD coupled with RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) for specific research questions.
To present LMD-RNA-seq as a superior alternative to some high-throughput ST methods for sensitive transcriptomic profiling.
To emphasize the utility of LMD for routine histological samples, including FFPE specimens.

Main Methods:

Utilizing laser microdissection (LMD) for precise isolation of defined cell clusters or rare populations from complex tissues based on morphological annotation.
Performing RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) on isolated samples to obtain transcriptomic data.
Applying the protocol to routine histological samples, including formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) specimens.

Main Results:

LMD enables deeper and more sensitive transcriptomic profiling compared to computational deconvolution methods in some ST platforms.
LMD-RNA-seq facilitates retrospective studies on large patient cohorts using established histological samples.
Targeted LMD-RNA-seq offers a cost-effective and scalable solution for analyzing numerous specific regions across many patients.

Conclusions:

A robust LMD-RNA-seq protocol is an invaluable tool for discovery in molecular biology.
This approach enables highly specific molecular insights from clinically relevant biospecimens.
LMD-RNA-seq provides a practical and efficient method for detailed transcriptomic analysis of specific tissue regions.