Isolation of RNA and MicroRNAs from Formalin-Fixed, Paraffin-Embedded Tissues (FFPE), and Cultured Cells for Subsequent Applications

: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNAs that play critical roles in post-transcriptional gene regulation and are involved in various biological processes, including cancer progression. Efficient extraction of miRNAs from cultured cells and tissue samples is crucial for downstream applications, including quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), next-generation sequencing (NGS), and microarray analysis. This chapter provides reliable protocols for extracting high-quality RNA and microRNAs from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues and cultured cells. It compares manual and automated methods to guide optimal kit selection. The protocols support reproducible results from challenging samples in research and clinical settings.