Influence of the interval between death and tissue sampling on RNA integrity. (A) Fifteen micrograms of RNA from different organs were run on a 1.1% agarose gel containing 2.2% formaldehyde. Tissue samples were obtained 3 days after death. (B) RNA from left liver lobes obtained at different time intervals after death (indicated above gel). (C) GAPDH and TPO RT-PCR signals corresponding to the RNA samples shown in (B); m, 100-bp DNA ladder.