TABLE 1.

Troubleshooting table.

Step	Problem	Possible reason	Solution
1	Cells did not transfer to EVA	The slide was not properly dehydrated	Increase the length of time in the final 100% ethanol and xylene baths (Box 5) Use fresh ethanol solutions
5–7	Cells did not transfer to EVA	EVA was not properly prepared	Increase the time of heat incubation of the EVA film Apply the roller on the EVA with more pressure
8 (options A–D)	Cells did not transfer to EVA	Laser setup not adequate	Test a different laser setup: increase power and/or duration
8 (options B, C)	Cells did not transfer to EVA	Laser was not properly focused	Focus the capture laser before xMD
12	Too much tissue debris on the film	Slide too dry	Decrease the length of time in the final 100% ethanol and xylene baths (Box 5) Apply an adhesive pad on the EVA with gentle pressure to remove the tissue debris
13	No biomolecules detectable after extraction	Buffer did not cover the film	Increase the amount of extraction buffer to cover all the pieces of the film Use a shaker or themomixer for incubation Test a different extraction buffer