This work was supported by grants from the scholarship granted by the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT) (702361). The authors acknowledge the Ph.D. program in Biological Chemical Sciences of the National School of Biological Sciences of the National Polytechnic Institute.

The study was conducted in accordance with the official Mexican standard NOM-062-ZOO-1999 and the guide for the care and use of laboratory animals. Approval for the study was obtained from the Research, Ethics, and Biosafety Committees of the Mexico Children&#39;s Hospital (HIM/2023/006) and the Research and Bioethics Committee of the General Hospital of Mexico Eduardo Liceaga (DI/21/501/04/62). Three C57BL/6 mice aged 6 to 8 weeks were obtained from the Mexico Children&#39;s Hospital, where they were raised under isolat...

Extraction and Enzymatic Purification of Microglia from the Mouse Spinal Cord

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	<li>Schr&#246;der, H., Schr&#246;der, , Moser, , Huggenberger, , et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Neuroanatomy of the Mouse. , 59-78 (2020).</li><li>Sengul, G., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cytoarchitecture+of+the+spinal+cord+of+the+postnatal+(P4)+mouse.">Cytoarchitecture of the spinal cord of the postnatal (P4) mouse.</a> Anat Rec. 295, 837-845 (2012).</li><li>Bab, I., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Microtomographic atlas of the mouse skeleton. 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H., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Region-specific+expression+of+immunoregulatory+proteins+on+microglia+in+the+healthy+CNS.">Region-specific expression of immunoregulatory proteins on microglia in the healthy CNS.</a> Glia. 56 (8), 888-894 (2008).</li><li>Xuan, F. L., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Differences+of+microglia+in+the+brain+and+the+spinal+cord.">Differences of microglia in the brain and the spinal cord.</a> Front Cell Neurosci. 13, 504 (2019).</li><li>Paolicelli, R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Microglia+states+and+nomenclature:+A+field+at+its+crossroads.">Microglia states and nomenclature: A field at its crossroads.</a> Neuron. 110 (21), 3458-3483 (2022).</li><li>Li, Q., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Spinal+IL-36&#947;/IL-36R+participates+in+the+maintenance+of+chronic+inflammatory+pain+through+astroglial+JNK+pathway.">Spinal IL-36&#947;/IL-36R participates in the maintenance of chronic inflammatory pain through astroglial JNK pathway.</a> Glia. 67 (3), 438-451 (2019).</li><li>Prinz, M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Microglia+and+central+nervous+system-associated+macrophages-from+origin+to+disease+modulation.">Microglia and central nervous system-associated macrophages-from origin to disease modulation.</a> Annu Rev Immunol. 39, 251-277 (2021).</li><li>Yip, P. K., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Rapid+isolation+and+culture+of+primary+microglia+from+adult+mouse+spinal+cord.">Rapid isolation and culture of primary microglia from adult mouse spinal cord.</a> J Neurosci Methods. 183 (2), 223-237 (2009).</li><li>Akhmetzyanova, E. R., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Severity-+and+time-dependent+activation+of+microglia+in+spinal+cord+injury.">Severity- and time-dependent activation of microglia in spinal cord injury.</a> Int J Mo. Sci. 24 (9), 1-16 (2023).</li><li>Mahadevan, V. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Anatomy+of+the+vertebral+column.">Anatomy of the vertebral column.</a> Surgery. 36 (7), 327-332 (2018).</li><li>Krukowski, K., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Temporary+microglia-depletion+after+cosmic+radiation+modifies+phagocytic+activity+and+prevents+cognitive+deficits.">Temporary microglia-depletion after cosmic radiation modifies phagocytic activity and prevents cognitive deficits.</a> Sci Rep. 8 (1), 1-13 (2018).</li><li>Cardona, A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Isolation+of+murine+microglial+cells+for+RNA+analysis+or+flow+cytometry.">Isolation of murine microglial cells for RNA analysis or flow cytometry.</a> Nat Protoc. 1, 1947-1951 (2006).</li><li>Schmidt, V. 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Numerous protocols have been developed for the study of microglia due to their significance in brain homeostasis. In these methods, microglia are typically sourced from the cerebral hemispheres of embryonic or neonatal rats and mice17. A limited number of studies have addressed the purification of microglia from the spinal cords of adult mice13,14. These techniques involve enzymatic digestion using collagenase and/or papain along with DNAs...

The defining characteristic of vertebrates is the vertebral column or spine, in which the notochord has been replaced by a sequence of segmented bones called vertebrae, divided by intervertebral discs. This succession of osseous material shapes the spinal canal, a cavity that encloses and protects the spinal cord1. In the genus Rodentia, the spine is usually formed by seven cervical vertebrae, thirteen thoracic vertebrae, six lumbar vertebrae, and a variable number of caudal vertebrae2,3. The length of the spinal cord is similar to that of the spine, and the terminal filum is a non-nervous structure that anchors the spinal cord to the sacrum. Additionally, nerve fibers exit through the intervertebral foramen1.
The development and proper function of the central nervous system in mammals critically depend on the activity of the nervous system&#39;s resident macrophages, called microglia4. Although microglia were initially described as brain resident phagocytes, recent research has attributed many dynamic functions to these cells5,6. Microglia&#39;s size ranges from 7 to 10 &#181;m in homeostasis; they are considered among the most versatile cells in the body and can adapt morphologically and functionally to their constantly changing environment7. These cells exhibit high heterogeneity during both the embryonic and adult stages8,9, while in the adult stage, they also display complex functional heterogeneity based on their spatiotemporal context10. The heterogeneity and multiple functions of microglia allow for differential gene expression and behavior in the spinal cord and brain. It has been shown that CD11b, CD45, CD86, and CCR9 expression is higher in the spinal cord compared to the brain8,9.
Multiple protocols exist for cerebral microglia isolation11,12; however, only a few exist for spinal cord microglia13,14. Optimizing a method for purifying microglia from the spinal cord facilitates the development of multiple studies focused on discovering microglia physiology. This protocol aims to describe a simple and highly reproducible extraction of the mouse spinal cord and the purification of microglia (Figure 1).

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>15 mL collection tubes</td>
			<td>Corning, USA</td>
			<td>430790</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2 mL microtubes</td>
			<td>Axygen, USA</td>
			<td>MCT-200-G</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2.4G2 anti-FcR</td>
			<td>BioLegend, USA</td>
			<td>101302</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>50 mL collection tubes</td>
			<td>Corning, USA</td>
			<td>430829</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>70% ethanol</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Antibiotic-Antimycotic (penicillin, streptomycin, amphotericin b)</td>
			<td>Gibco, USA</td>
			<td>15240062</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Antibody CD11b eFluor 450 anti-mouse</td>
			<td>eBioscience, USA</td>
			<td>48-0112</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Antibody CD45 PerCP anti-mouse&#160;&#160;</td>
			<td>BioLegend, USA</td>
			<td>103130</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Balanced salt solution (PBS) calcium- magnesium-free</td>
			<td>Corning, USA</td>
			<td>46-013-CM</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Blue Cell Strainer 40 &#956;m</td>
			<td>Corning, USA</td>
			<td>352340</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Costar 6-well Clear Not Treated&#160;</td>
			<td>Corning, USA</td>
			<td>CLS3736</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Coverslips</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Digital Heating Shaking Drybath&#160;</td>
			<td>Thermo Scientific Digital HS Drybath, USA</td>
			<td>88870001</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Dissecting forceps for microsurgery</td>
			<td>FT by DUMONT</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>DNase</td>
			<td>Roche, USA</td>
			<td>4536282001</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Dulbecco&#180;s Modified Eagle&#180;s Medium-high glucose (DMEM)&#160;</td>
			<td>Merck, USA</td>
			<td>D6429</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Electric shaver</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>FACS tube</td>
			<td>Thermo, USA</td>
			<td>352058</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fetal bovine serum (FBS)</td>
			<td>PAN Biotech, Alemania</td>
			<td>P30-3306</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Flow cytometer Cytoflex&#160;</td>
			<td>Beckman Coulter</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Hank&#8217;s balanced salt solution&#160;</td>
			<td>Merck, USA</td>
			<td>H2387</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>L-glutamine</td>
			<td>Corning, USA&#160;</td>
			<td>15393631</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Liberase TM&#160;</td>
			<td>Roche, USA</td>
			<td>5401119001</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Neubauer chamber Counting Chambers</td>
			<td>China</td>
			<td>1103</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Pentobarbital</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Percoll&#160;</td>
			<td>Merck, USA</td>
			<td>17089101</td>
			<td>density gradient centrifugation&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Poly-L-lysine solution&#160;</td>
			<td>Merck, USA</td>
			<td>P8920</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Scalpel No. 25&#160;</td>
			<td>HERGOM, Mexico</td>
			<td>H23</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Snaplock Microcentrifuge Tubes 2 mL</td>
			<td>Axygen, USA</td>
			<td>10011-680</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Stereoscopic microscope</td>
			<td>Velab, Mexico</td>
			<td>HG927831</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Straight surgical scissors (10 cm)</td>
			<td>HERGOM, Mexico</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Straight Vannas scissors</td>
			<td>HERGOM, Mexico</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Triton X100</td>
			<td>Merck, USA</td>
			<td>X100</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Trypan blue Stain 0.4%&#160;</td>
			<td>Merck, USA</td>
			<td>15250-061</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Vortex mixer</td>
			<td>DLAB, China</td>
			<td>8031102000</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Zombie Aqua Fixable Viability Kit</td>
			<td>BioLegend, USA</td>
			<td>423102</td>
			<td>amine-reactive fluorescent dye staining&#160;</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

rapid and efficient enrichment of mouse spinal cord microglia

The vertebral column defines a vertebrate and shapes the spinal canal, a cavity that encloses and safeguards the spinal cord. Proper development and function of the mammalian central nervous system rely significantly on the activity of resident macrophages known as microglia. Microglia display heterogeneity and multifunctionality, enabling distinct gene expression and behavior within the spinal cord and brain. Numerous studies have explored cerebral microglia function, detailing purification methods extensively. However, the purification of microglia from the spinal cord in mice lacks a comprehensive description. In contrast, the utilization of a highly purified collagenase, as opposed to an unrefined extract, lacks reporting within central nervous system tissues. In this study, the vertebral column and spinal cord were excised from 8-10 week-old C57BL/6 mice. Subsequent digestion employed a highly purified collagenase, and microglia purification utilized a density gradient. Cells underwent staining for flow cytometry, assessing viability and purity through CD11b and CD45 staining. Results yielded an average viability of 80% and a mean purity of 95%. In conclusion, manipulation of mouse microglia involved digestion with a highly purified collagenase, followed by a density gradient. This approach effectively produced substantial spinal cord microglia populations.

Author Spotlight: Microglia Research on Spinal Cord Heterogeneity and Purification 

Rapid and Efficient Enrichment of Mouse Spinal Cord Microglia

Our research focuses on the heterogeneity of microglia, which can exhibit both pro and anti-inflammatory behaviors across different pathologies and regions like the brain and spinal cord. We aim to enable a deeper understanding of spinal cord microglia behavior in diverse scenarios. The heterogeneity of microglia has made it difficult to classify them.This year, a new and broad classification has been proposed that goes beyond just a pro or anti-inflammatory status. Currently, achieving high purity and gel in isolating spinal cord microglia from animal models of neurological pathologies is a significant experiment and challenge. We identified a novel cytokine signaling pathway in the spinal cord microglia during chronic pain.Our protocol allows for a more controlled and somatic digestion, followed by a density gradient. Both result in less contamination by astrocytes compared to currently employed techniques for the purification of microglia from the spinal cord, brain, or embryos.

Utilizing mouse spinal cord tissue, enzymatic digestion was performed using a mixture highly enriched with collagenase and thermolysin. The resulting digested tissue underwent passage through a 40 &#181;m filter to eliminate undigested material. The collected cells were enriched through a Percoll density gradient, with 90% in the lower portion and 45% in the upper portion. The microglia-enriched cells within the interface were then stained with CD45 and CD11b antibodies and subjected to flow cytometric analysis (<strong ...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Microglia Research on Spinal Cord Heterogeneity and Purification at JoVE.com

Microglia are regarded as some of the most versatile cells in the body, capable of morphological and functional adaptation. Their heterogeneity and multifunctionality enable the maintenance of brain homeostasis, while also being linked to various neurological pathologies. Here, a technique for purifying spinal cord microglia is described.

The vertebral column defines a vertebrate and shapes the spinal canal, a cavity that encloses and safeguards the spinal cord. Proper development and ...

rapid-and-efficient-enrichment-of-mouse-spinal-cord-microglia