If you are choosing between RNAfixer (CYRN15) and RNAlater to stabilize RNA in fresh tissue, this page is for you. Both are aqueous RNA stabilization reagents: you immerse freshly collected tissue, cultured cells, or blood, and the reagent inactivates RNases so the RNA survives transport and storage without freezing. This guide compares them on the points that matter when writing an SOP or shipping samples from the field.
Quick answer
RNAfixer (CYRN15) is our recommendation for budget-driven procurement and field collection without a cold chain — about 1 week at 25°C or 1 month at 4°C, ships ambient, no liquid nitrogen or dry ice needed. RNAlater is the long-established reference reagent with the same core storage times and the broadest published species validation; stay with it if your lab’s SOPs and datasets already use it. Neither reagent is “better” in the abstract — the right choice is the one that fits your protocol and your procurement.
Side-by-side comparison
| RNAfixer (CYRN15) | RNAlater (Thermo Fisher) | RNAprotect Tissue (QIAGEN) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Fresh-tissue RNA stabilization | Fresh-tissue RNA stabilization | Fresh-tissue RNA stabilization |
| Reagent type | Aqueous RNA stabilizer | Aqueous stabilization solution | Stabilization reagent |
| Tissue piece size | One side under 0.5 cm | ≤ 0.5 cm | ≤ 0.5 cm |
| Reagent volume | 5 vol tissue · 5–10 vol cells · 3 vol blood | ≥ 5 vol (per manual) | Per handbook |
| Hold at 37°C | Up to 1 day | Up to 1 day | — |
| Hold at 25°C | Up to 1 week | Up to 1 week | Up to 7 days |
| Hold at 4°C | Up to 1 month | Up to 1 month | Up to 4 weeks |
| Liquid nitrogen required? | No — no LN2, dry ice, or −80°C freezers | No | No |
| Reagent shelf life | 12 months at 18–25°C | Per label | Per handbook |
| Pack sizes | CYRN1501 50 ml · CYRN1502 100 ml | Various | Various |
| Disposal | Aqueous, non-toxic — drain disposal per manual | Per manual | — |
RNAfixer details are from the CYRN15 manual. Competitor details are from each manufacturer’s public documentation and may change — confirm the current manual before writing SOPs.
Who each reagent is for
- RNAfixer (CYRN15) is for labs collecting fresh animal tissue, cultured cells, or some plant tissues where liquid nitrogen, dry ice, or a −80°C freezer is not available — field studies, remote sites, and ambient sample shipment — and labs that want one reagent family from stabilization through silica-column extraction (it pairs with Changyu Plus RNA Mini kits, CYRN28).
- RNAlater is for labs whose SOPs and published datasets already use RNAlater, and studies on the broad species and tissue list validated in Thermo Fisher’s documentation, where switching reagents would break comparability.
- RNAprotect Tissue is for labs running QIAGEN system workflows with existing RNAprotect protocols.
Where they differ in practice
- Shipping and reagent storage. RNAfixer ships ambient — no ice packs — and is stored at 18–25°C with a 12-month shelf life; if it separates, warm to 37°C to redissolve. Follow each manufacturer’s label for the others.
- Downstream workflow. RNAfixer-treated samples are used with Changyu Plus RNA Mini kits (CYRN28) and other silica-column RNA protocols. RNAlater is compatible with TRIzol, RNeasy, and other common RNA isolation methods.
- Documentation breadth. RNAlater carries decades of published validation across vertebrate tissues, E. coli, Drosophila, yeast, fish, cultured cells, and some plants. The CYRN15 manual covers fresh animal tissues, cultured cells, and some plant tissues, and does not make an RNA-seq claim.
Switching from RNAlater to RNAfixer
The immersion workflow is nearly identical — cut fresh tissue so one side is under 0.5 cm, immerse immediately, use about 5 volumes of reagent. If you are switching, run a matched pilot against your current RNAlater or snap-frozen controls before adopting the new reagent for a large-scale or expression-level study.
Frequently asked questions
- Is RNAfixer cheaper than RNAlater? We do not publish list prices on this site. Send your quantities and destination — we quote both brand products and our own CYRN15, so you can compare landed cost directly.
- Can you supply both reagents? Yes. We quote Thermo Fisher brand products alongside our own RNAfixer (CYRN15) through verified China supply channels.
- Is RNAfixer validated for RNA-seq? The CYRN15 manual does not make an RNA-seq claim. It states the reagent reduces errors in large-scale sample processing and increases comparability between experiments. For expression-level studies, run a matched pilot before adopting the workflow.
- Can I freeze the tissue first, then immerse it? No — for RNAfixer, cut to size and immerse fresh tissue immediately after collection; do not freeze first. After immersion, samples may be frozen (−20°C / −80°C, after overnight incubation at 4°C). Follow each manufacturer’s protocol for the others.
- What pack sizes are available? RNAfixer: CYRN1501 (50 ml) and CYRN1502 (100 ml). RNAlater and RNAprotect come in various sizes per the manufacturer’s catalog.
- Is this for clinical or diagnostic use? No. All products are Research Use Only (RUO). Not for diagnostic, therapeutic, or clinical use.
Request a quote
Tell us the reagent (RNAfixer CYRN15 or a brand catalog number), pack size, quantity, and destination city. Changyu Bio replies with lead time and a commercial quotation.
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RNAfixer is a Changyu Bio product. RNAlater is a trademark of Thermo Fisher Scientific (Invitrogen); RNAprotect is a trademark of QIAGEN. Brand names identify catalog items only. All products are for Research Use Only (RUO) — not for diagnostic, therapeutic, or clinical use.