NICHD/NIH/DHHS

3 ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN JoVE

Immunology and Infection

Isolation of Leukocytes from the Human Maternal-fetal Interface

Yi Xu¹, Olesya Plazyo¹, Roberto Romero^1,2,3,4, Sonia S. Hassan^1,5, Nardhy Gomez-Lopez^1,5,6

¹Perinatology Research Branch, NICHD/NIH/DHHS, ²Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, ³Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, ⁴Department of Molecular Obstetrics and Genetics, Wayne State University, ⁵Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, ⁶Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine

Described herein is a protocol to isolate and further study the infiltrating leukocytes of the decidua basalis and decidua parietalis - the human maternal-fetal interface. This protocol maintains the integrity of cell surface markers and yields enough viable cells for downstream applications as proven by flow cytometry analysis.

Immunology and Infection

Isolation of Leukocytes from the Murine Tissues at the Maternal-Fetal Interface

Marcia Arenas-Hernandez¹, Elly N. Sanchez-Rodriguez¹, Tara N. Mial¹, Sarah A. Robertson², Nardhy Gomez-Lopez^1,3,4

¹Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, ²School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health, Research Centre for Reproductive Health, the Robinson Research Institute, The University of Adelaide, ³Department of Immunology & Microbiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, ⁴Perinatology Research Branch, NICHD/NIH/DHHS

Described herein is a protocol to isolate and analyze the infiltrating leukocytes of tissues at the maternal-fetal interface (uterus, decidua, and placenta) of mice. This protocol maintains the integrity of most cell surface markers and yields enough viable cells for downstream applications including flow cytometry analysis.

Immunology and Infection

Overlapping Peptide Library to Map Qa-1 Epitopes in a Protein

Yi Xu^*1, Samiksha Wasnik^*1, David J. Baylink¹, Edmundo Carreon Berumen¹, Xiaolei Tang¹

¹Department of Medicine, Division of Regenerative Medicine, Loma Linda University

Qa-1 (HLA-E in human) belongs to a group of non-classical major histocompatibility complex 1b molecules. Immunization with Qa-1-binding epitopes has been shown to augment tissue-specific immune regulation and ameliorate several autoimmune diseases. Herein we describe an overlapping peptide library strategy for the identification of Qa-1 epitopes in a protein.