DNA Extraction from Paraffin-Embedded Tissues

In routine histopathology, most tissues are fixed in formalin and embedded in paraffin for long-term preservation. DNA can be extracted from these tissues for subsequent molecular analysis by amplification methods. We describe herein a protocol for DNA preparation from paraffin-embedded tissues based on published procedures (1 –3 ). In brief, tissue sections are placed into microfuge tubes, then deparaffinized with xylene. The xylene is removed with ethanol washes, and the tissue is treated with proteinase K to make DNA available for amplification.