This work was supported by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (TA 3021-A1/T to AEC) and the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Preparation of reagents
Prepare stock isotonic percoll (SIP), 4 ml per brain, by mixing 9 parts of percoll with one part of 10X HBSS without Ca++ and Mg++.
Prepare SIP at 70% in 1X HBSS without Ca++ and Mg++, 2 ml per brain dispensed into a 15 ml polypropylene conical tube.
Note: It is recommended that percoll should be used at room temperature, if used cold, cells tend to clump and cell separation is less efficient.
Tissue collection and homogenization
Anesthetize mice and perfuse through the left ventricle with ice-cold 1X HBSS. Dissect brain and spinal cord and maintain in RPMI without phenol red until all mice are sacrificed.
Place tissues in 7 or 15 ml dounce homogenizer containing 3 ml of RPMI, gently make a cell suspension with a loose-fitting pestle (A size) followed by a tigh-fitting pestle (B size) to further dissociate the tissues. Complete the volume of the cell suspensions to 7 ml with RPMI.
Gradient set up
Add 3 ml of SIP to the cell suspension to make a final 30% SIP
Slowly layer the 10 mL cell suspension on top of the 70% SIP. This is the most critical step of the procedure, use a pipette-aid set in the gravity mode avoiding mixing of the 70% and 30% solutions. A very clear flat line should be visible at the 70%-30% junction.
Centrifuge 30 min at 500G 18&deg;C. Make sure centrifuge will stop with minimal or no brake so that the interphase is not disturbed.
Using a transfer pipet, gently remove the layer of debris from the top of the tube and collect 2.0-3.0 ml of the 70%-30% interphase into a clean conical tube containing 8 ml of 1X HBSS. Ensure that the percoll containing the interphase is diluted about three fold, mix a few times by inversion and centrifugre 7 min at 500G at 18&deg;C.
Resuspend pellet in 1 ml of cell staining buffer and transfer it to a 1.5 ml tube and wash one more time using a micro-centrifuge at 10,000G 1 min at 4&deg;C.
Antibody staining
Resuspend pellets in 50 &mu;l of purified antimouse CD16/CD32 diluted 1:200 in cell staining buffer to block the Fc binding sites. Incubate over ice for 10 min. Count cells using a hemocytometer.
Add 50 &mu;l of antibody cocktail mix and incubate on ice for 30 min. Each antibody must be first titrated to assess optimal dilution. Use appropriate fluorochrome combinations chosen according the capabilities of laser and filter settings of your particular flow cytometer.
Wash cells in cell staining buffer, resuspend pellets in 100-200 &mu;l of cell staining buffer and analyze immediately in the cytometer, or alternatively cells can be resuspended in 2% paraformaldehyde (PFA) prepared in PBS and stored over-night at 4&deg;C.
Representative Results:
After spinning the gradients, the 70%-30% interphase should have a defined white halo, and quantitation of the cells recovered from a na&iacute;ve mouse should yield 3-5 x105 cells per mouse (brain plus spinal cord). Inflamed brain might have ranging numbers of inflammatory cells depending of the CNS insult or disease model (Figure 1).
<img src="/files/ftp_upload/2348/2348fig1.jpg" alt="Figure 1" /> 
 Figure 1. Isolation of mononuclear cells, from na&iacute;ve and EAE-brain at peak disease. Brain cells suspensions were separated over discontinuous 70%/30% percoll gradients. Cells stained were incubated with Fc-block followed by anti-CD45 antibodies for 30 min on ice. Cells were rinsed in cell staining buffer, and fixed in 2% PFA prior acquisition in an LSR-II. CD45 intensity is measured in the Y-axis, where three distinct populations are visualized. Further characterization of the immune phenotype of CD45hi infiltrating cells is implemented using additional antibodies and subsequently analyzed by flow cytometry.

<ol>
	<li>Sedgwick, J. D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Isolation+and+direct+characterization+of+resident+microglial+cells+from+the+normal+and+inflamed+central+nervous+system.">Isolation and direct characterization of resident microglial cells from the normal and inflamed central nervous system.</a> Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 88, 7438-7442 (1991).</li><li>Ponomarev, E. D., Shriver, L. P., Maresz, K., Dittel, B. N. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Microglial+cell+activation+and+proliferation+precedes+the+onset+of+CNS+autoimmunity.">Microglial cell activation and proliferation precedes the onset of CNS autoimmunity.</a> J. Neurosci. Res. 81, 374-389 (2005).</li><li>Ford, A. L., Goodsall, A. L., Hickey, W. F., Sedgwick, J. D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Normal+adult+ramified+microglia+separated+from+other+central+nervous+system+macrophages+by+flow+cytometric+sorting.+Phenotypic+differences+defined+and+direct+ex+vivo+antigen+presentation+to+myelin+basic+protein-reactive+CD4++T+cells+compared.">Normal adult ramified microglia separated from other central nervous system macrophages by flow cytometric sorting. Phenotypic differences defined and direct ex vivo antigen presentation to myelin basic protein-reactive CD4+ T cells compared.</a> J Immunol. 154, 4309-4321 (1995).</li><li>Cardona, A. E., Huang, D., Sasse, M. E., Ransohoff, R. M. <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>Juedes, A. E., Ruddle, N. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Resident+and+infiltrating+central+nervous+system+APCs+regulate+the+emergence+and+resolution+of+experimental+autoimmune+encephalomyelitis.">Resident and infiltrating central nervous system APCs regulate the emergence and resolution of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.</a> J. Immunol. 166, 5168-5175 (2001).</li><li>Prinz, M., Priller, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Tickets+to+the+brain:+Role+of+CCR2+and+CX(3)CR1+in+myeloid+cell+entry+in+the+CNS.">Tickets to the brain: Role of CCR2 and CX(3)CR1 in myeloid cell entry in the CNS.</a> J Neuroimmunol. , (2010).</li><li>Mildner, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Microglia+in+the+adult+brain+arise+from+Ly-6ChiCCR2++monocytes+only+under+defined+host+conditions.">Microglia in the adult brain arise from Ly-6ChiCCR2+ monocytes only under defined host conditions.</a> Nat. Neurosci. 10, 1544-1553 (2007).</li><li>Djukic, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Circulating+monocytes+engraft+in+the+brain,+differentiate+into+microglia+and+contribute+to+the+pathology+following+meningitis+in+mice.">Circulating monocytes engraft in the brain, differentiate into microglia and contribute to the pathology following meningitis in mice.</a> Brain. 129, 2394-2403 (2006).</li></ol>

No conflicts of interest declared.

Analyses of cell surface markers in CNS leukocytes from normal and inflamed mouse tissues has been utilized for several decades1-3. Isolation protocols are based in the separation of microglia and leukocytes by density centrifugation4. Here we describe a fast and effective method of isolating CNS leukocytes using discontinuous percoll gradients. After isolation of cells, staining with various antibodies such as -but not limited to- CD45, CD4, CD8, CD11b, CD19, etc. allows the identification of immun...

Tissue homogenization and Gradients
<ul>
<li>Percoll (Amersham)</li>
<li>10X Hanks' Balanced Salt Solution, without Calcium and Magnesium (Gibco)</li>
<li>RPMI Medium 1640, without phenol red (Gibco)</li>
<li>7-ml or 15-ml Dounce Tissue Grinders (VWR)</li>
</ul>
Flow cytometry
<ul>
<li>Cell Staining Buffer (Biolegend)</li>
<li>Purified Rat Anti-Mouse CD16/CD32 (Mouse BD Fc Block), BD Pharmingen</li>
<li>Hemacytometer (Fisher)</li>
<li>Anti-mouse CD45 (clone 30-F11), CD4 (clone RM4-5), CD19 (clone 6D5), BioLegend</li>
<li>10X Phosphate Buffered Saline, without Calcium and Magnesium (Thermo Scientific)</li>
<li>Paraformaldehyde (Sigma Aldrich)</li>
<li>Flow cytometry analysis performed with a LSR II (BD Biosciences)</li>
</ul>

isolation of brain and spinal cord mononuclear cells using percoll gradients

Isolation of immune cells that infiltrate the central nervous system (CNS) during infection, trauma, autoimmunity or neurodegeneration, is often required to define their phenotype and effector functions. Histochemical approaches are instrumental to determine the location of the infiltrating cells and to analyze the associated CNS pathology. However, in-situ histochemistry and immunofluorescent staining techniques are limited by the number of antibodies that can be used at a single time to characterize immune cell subtypes in a particular tissue. Therefore, histological approaches in conjunction with immune-phenotyping by flow cytometry are critical to fully characterize the composition of local CNS infiltration. This protocol is based on the separation of CNS cellular suspensions over discontinous percoll gradients. The current article describes a rapid protocol to efficiently isolate mononuclear cells from brain and spinal cord tissues that can be effectively utilized for identification of various immune cell populations in a single sample by flow cytometry.

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Isolation of Brain and Spinal Cord Mononuclear Cells Using Percoll Gradients at JoVE.com

Isolation of Brain and Spinal Cord Mononuclear Cells Using Percoll Gradients

The current article describes a rapid protocol to efficiently isolate mononuclear cells from brain and spinal cord tissues that can be effectively utilized for flow cytometric analyses.

Isolation of immune cells that infiltrate the central nervous system (CNS) during infection, trauma, autoimmunity or neurodegeneration, is often required ...

isolation-brain-spinal-cord-mononuclear-cells-using-percoll

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Immunology and Infection

40.5K Views.  University of Texas at San Antonio - UTSA. The current article describes a rapid protocol to efficiently isolate mononuclear cells from brain and spinal cord tissues that can be effectively utilized for flow cytometric analyses.

Video: Isolation of Brain and Spinal Cord Mononuclear Cells Using Percoll Gradients

Quantitative Assessment of Immune Cells in the Injured Spinal Cord Tissue by Flow Cytometry:  a Novel Use for a Cell Purification Method

Detection of immune cells in the injured central nervous system (CNS) using morphological or histological techniques has not always provided true quantitative analysis of cellular inflammation. Flow cytometry is a quick alternative method to quantify immune cells in the injured brain or spinal cord tissue. Historically, flow cytometry has been used to quantify immune cells collected from blood or dissociated spleen or thymus, and only a few studies have attempted to quantify immune cells in the injured spinal cord by flow cytometry using fresh dissociated cord tissue. However, the dissociated spinal cord tissue is concentrated with myelin debris that can be mistaken for cells and reduce cell count reliability obtained by the flow cytometer. We have advanced a cell preparation method using the OptiPrep gradient system to effectively separate lipid/myelin debris from cells, providing sensitive and reliable quantifications of cellular inflammation in the injured spinal cord by flow cytometry. As described in our recent study (Beck &amp; Nguyen et al., Brain. 2010 Feb; 133 (Pt 2): 433-47), the OptiPrep cell preparation had increased sensitivity to detect cellular inflammation in the injured spinal cord, with counts of specific cell types correlating with injury severity. Critically, novel usage of this method provided the first characterization of acute and chronic cellular inflammation after SCI to include a complete time course for polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs, neutrophils), macrophages/microglia, and T-cells over a period ranging from 2 hours to 180 days post-injury (dpi), identifying a surprising novel second phase of cellular inflammation. Thorough characterization of cellular inflammation using this method may provide a better understanding of neuroinflammation in the injured CNS, and reveal an important multiphasic component of neuroinflammation that may be critical for the design and implementation of rational therapeutic treatment strategies, including both cell-based and pharmacological interventions for SCI.

Quantification of cellular inflammation in the injured/pathological CNS by flow cytometry is complicated by lipid/myelin debris that can have similar size and granulation to cells, decreasing sensitivity/accuracy. We have advanced a cell preparation method to remove myelin debris and improve cell detection by flow cytometry in the injured spinal cord.

Detection of immune cells in the injured central nervous system (CNS) using morphological or histological techniques has not always provided true ...

Isolation of Brain-infiltrating Leukocytes

We describe a method for preparing brain infiltrating leukocytes (BILs) from mice. We demonstrate how to infect mice with Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) via a rapid intracranial injection technique and how to purify a leukocyte-enriched population of infiltrating cells from whole brain. Briefly, mice are anesthetized with isoflurane in a closed chamber and are free-hand injected with a Hamilton syringe into the frontal cortex. Mice are then killed at various times after infection by isoflurane overdose and whole brains are extracted and homogenized in RPMI with a Tenbroeck tissue grinder. Brain homogenates are centrifuged through a continuous 30% Percoll gradient to remove the myelin and other cell debris. The cell suspension is then strained at 40 &mu;m, washed and centrifuged on a discontinuous Ficoll-Paque Plus gradient to select and purify the leukocytes. The leukocytes are then washed and resuspended in appropriate buffers for immunophenotyping by flow cytometry. Flow cytometry reveals a population of innate immune cells at the early stages of infection in C57BL/6 mice. At 24 hours post infection, multiple subsets of immune cells are present in the BILs, with an enriched population of Gr1+, CD11b+ and F4/80+cells. Therefore, this method is useful in characterizing the immune response to acute infection in the brain.

A rapid method to obtain infiltrating leukocytes from the murine brain is described. This method utilizes a continuous Percoll gradient and discontinuous Ficoll gradient to select and purify the leukocyte-enriched layer. Isolated leukocytes may then be characterized by flow cytometric measurements.

We describe a method for preparing brain infiltrating leukocytes (BILs) from mice. We demonstrate how to infect mice with Theiler's murine ...

Isolation of Myeloid Dendritic Cells and Epithelial Cells from Human Thymus

In this protocol we provide a method to isolate dendritic cells (DC) and epithelial cells (TEC) from the human thymus. DC and TEC are the major antigen presenting cell (APC) types found in a normal thymus and it is well established that they play distinct roles during thymic selection. These cells are localized in distinct microenvironments in the thymus and each APC type makes up only a minor population of cells. To further understand the biology of these cell types, characterization of these cell populations is highly desirable but due to their low frequency, isolation of any of these cell types requires an efficient and reproducible procedure. This protocol details a method to obtain cells suitable for characterization of diverse cellular properties. Thymic tissue is mechanically disrupted and after different steps of enzymatic digestion, the resulting cell suspension is enriched using a Percoll density centrifugation step. For isolation of myeloid DC (CD11c+), cells from the low-density fraction (LDF) are immunoselected by magnetic cell sorting. Enrichment of TEC populations (mTEC, cTEC) is achieved by depletion of hematopoietic (CD45hi) cells from the low-density Percoll cell fraction allowing their subsequent isolation via fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) using specific cell markers. The isolated cells can be used for different downstream applications.

This protocol details a method to isolate antigen presenting cells from human thymus via different steps of enzymatic digestion of the tissue followed by density centrifugation of the single cell suspension and finally magnetic and/or FACS sorting of the cell populations of interest.

In this protocol we provide a method to isolate dendritic cells (DC) and epithelial cells (TEC) from the human thymus. DC and TEC are the major antigen ...

Isolation and Flow Cytometric Analysis of Glioma-infiltrating Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells

Our laboratory has recently demonstrated that natural killer (NK) cells are capable of eradicating orthotopically implanted mouse GL26 and rat CNS-1 malignant gliomas soon after intracranial engraftment if the cancer cells are rendered deficient in their expression of the &#946;-galactoside-binding lectin galectin-1 (gal-1). More recent work now shows that a population of Gr-1+/CD11b+ myeloid cells is critical to this effect. To better understand the mechanisms by which NK and myeloid cells cooperate to confer gal-1-deficient tumor rejection we have developed a comprehensive protocol for the isolation and analysis of glioma-infiltrating peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The method is demonstrated here by comparing PBMC infiltration into the tumor microenvironment of gal-1-expressing GL26 gliomas with those rendered gal-1-deficient via shRNA knockdown. The protocol begins with a description of&#160;how to culture and prepare GL26 cells for inoculation into the syngeneic C57BL/6J mouse brain. It then explains the steps involved in the isolation and flow cytometric analysis of glioma-infiltrating PBMCs from the early brain tumor microenvironment. The method is adaptable to a number of in vivo experimental designs in which temporal data on immune infiltration into the brain is required. The method is sensitive and highly reproducible, as glioma-infiltrating PBMCs can be isolated from intracranial tumors as soon as 24 hr post-tumor engraftment with similar cell counts observed from time point matched tumors throughout independent experiments. A single experimentalist can perform the method from brain harvesting to flow cytometric analysis of glioma-infiltrating PBMCs in roughly 4-6 hr depending on the number of samples to be analyzed. Alternative glioma models and/or cell-specific detection antibodies may also be used at the experimentalists&#8217; discretion to assess the infiltration of several other immune cell types of interest without the need for alterations to the overall procedure.

Presented here is a straightforward method for the isolation and flow cytometric analysis of glioma-infiltrating peripheral blood mononuclear cells that yields time-dependent quantitative data on the number and activation status of immune cells entering the early brain tumor microenvironment.

Our laboratory has recently demonstrated that natural killer (NK) cells are capable of eradicating orthotopically implanted mouse GL26 and rat CNS-1 ...

Isolation of Lamina Propria Mononuclear Cells from Murine Colon Using Collagenase E

The intestine is the home to the largest number of immune cells in the body. The small and large intestinal immune systems police exposure to exogenous antigens and modulate responses to potent microbially derived immune stimuli. For this reason, the intestine is a major target site of immune dysregulation and inflammation in many diseases including but, not limited to inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn&#8217;s disease and ulcerative colitis, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after bone marrow transplantation (BMT), and many allergic and infectious conditions. Murine models of gastrointestinal inflammation and colitis are heavily used to study GI complications and to pre-clinically optimize strategies for prevention and treatment. Data gleaned from these models via isolation and phenotypic analysis of immune cells from the intestine is critical to further immune understanding that can be applied to ameliorate gastrointestinal and systemic inflammatory disorders. This report describes a highly effective protocol for the isolation of mononuclear cells (MNC) from the colon using a mixed silica-based density gradient interface. This method reproducibly isolates a significant number of viable leukocytes while minimizing contaminating debris, allowing subsequent immune phenotyping by flow cytometry or other methods.

The goal of this protocol is to isolate mononuclear cells that reside in the lamina propria of the colon by enzymatic digestion of the tissue using collagenase. This protocol allows for the efficient isolation of mononuclear cells resulting in a single cell suspension which in turn can be used for robust immunophenotyping.

The intestine is the home to the largest number of immune cells in the body. The small and large intestinal immune systems police exposure to exogenous ...

Isolation of Tonsillar Mononuclear Cells to Study Ex Vivo Innate Immune Responses in a Human Mucosal Lymphoid Tissue

Studying isolated cells from mucosa-associated lymphoid tissues (MALT) allows understanding of immune cells response in pathologies involving mucosal immunity, because they can model host-pathogen interactions in the tissue. While isolated cells derived from tissues were the first cell culture model, their use has been neglected because tissue can be hard to obtain. In the present protocol, we explain how to easily process and culture tonsillar mononuclear cells (TMCs) from healthy human tonsils to study innate immune responses upon activation, mimicking viral infection in mucosal tissues. Isolation of TMCs from the tonsils is quick, because the tonsils barely have any epithelium and yield up to billions of all major immune cell types. This method allows detection of cytokine production using several techniques, including immunoassays, qPCR, microscopy, flow cytometry, etc., similar to the use of peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from blood. Furthermore, TMCs show a higher sensitivity to drug testing than PBMCs, which needs to be considered for future toxicity assays. Thus, ex vivo TMCs cultures are an easy and accessible mucosal model.

In the present protocol, we explain how to easily process and culture tonsillar mononuclear cells from healthy humans undergoing partial surgical tonsillectomy to study innate immune responses upon activation, mimicking viral infection in mucosal tissues.

Studying isolated cells from mucosa-associated lymphoid tissues (MALT) allows understanding of immune cells response in pathologies involving mucosal ...

Flotation-Based T Cell Isolation, Activation, and Expansion from Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell Samples Using Microbubbles

The process of isolating T cells from peripheral blood mononuclear&#160;cells (PBMCs) to establish ex vivo cultures is crucial for research, clinical testing, and cell-based therapies. In this study, a simple, novel protocol to isolate, activate, and expand T cells from PBMCs ex vivo is presented. This study utilizes functionalized buoyancy-activated cell sorting (BACS) technology to isolate and activate T cells. Briefly, the protocol involves the positive selection of CD3+ cells from leukopak-derived PBMCs, followed by a 48 h co-stimulation with pre-conjugated anti-CD28-bound streptavidin microbubbles (SAMBs) prior to transduction in 24-well plates. Functionalized microbubbles offer a unique opportunity to buoyantly activate cells, leading to proliferative phenotypes that allow for expansion with minimal exhaustion. This technique offers reduced exhaustion because the co-stimulatory microbubbles remain buoyant and return to the top of the culture medium, thus reducing the amount of time that the expanding cells are in contact with the co-stimulatory factors. The results indicate that the isolated and cultured T cells receive enough stimulation to activate and proliferate but not to an extent that leads to overactivation, which then leads to exhaustion, as demonstrated by the presence of excessive PD-1.

The objective of this study is to demonstrate the feasibility of flotation-based separation to isolate, activate, and expand primary human T cells.

The process of isolating T cells from peripheral blood mononuclear&#160;cells (PBMCs) to establish ex vivo cultures is crucial for research, clinical ...

PBMC Collection and Cryostorage for Mitochondrial Bioenergetics Analysis

Cryopreservation and Bioenergetic Evaluation of Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells

The physiological functions of eukaryotic cells rely on energy mainly provided by mitochondria. Mitochondrial dysfunction is linked to metabolic diseases and aging. Oxidative phosphorylation plays a decisive role, as it is crucial for the maintenance of energetic homeostasis. PBMCs have been identified as a minimally invasive sample to measure mitochondrial function and have been shown to reflect disease conditions. However, measurement of mitochondrial bioenergetic function can be limited by several factors in human samples. Limitations are the amount of samples taken, sampling time, which is often spread over several days, and locations. Cryopreservation of the collected samples can ensure consistent collection and measurement of samples. Care should be taken to ensure that the parameters measured are comparable between cryopreserved and freshly prepared cells. Here, we describe methods for isolating and cryopreserving PBMCs from human blood samples to analyze the bioenergetic function of the mitochondria in these cells. PBMC cryopreserved according to the protocol described here show only minor differences in cell number and viability, adenosine triphosphate levels, and measured respiratory chain activity compared with freshly harvested cells. Only 8-24 mL of human blood is needed for the described preparations, making it possible to collect samples during clinical studies multicentrally and determine their bioenergetics on site.

Author Spotlight: Preservation of Bioenergetic Parameters in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells After Cryopreservation 

Isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells can be used for the analysis of immune functions and disorders, metabolic diseases, or mitochondrial functions. In this work, we describe a standardized method for the preparation of PBMCs from whole blood and the subsequent cryopreservation. Cryopreservation makes this time and place independent.

The physiological functions of eukaryotic cells rely on energy mainly provided by mitochondria. Mitochondrial dysfunction is linked to metabolic diseases ...

Histological Staining of Spinal Cord for Assessing EAE Disease Severity

Scoring Central Nervous System Inflammation, Demyelination, and Axon Injury in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a common immune-based model of multiple sclerosis (MS). This disease can be induced in rodents by active immunization with protein components of the myelin sheath and Complete Freund&#39;s adjuvant (CFA) or by the transfer of myelin-specific T effector cells from rodents primed with myelin protein/CFA into na&#239;ve rodents. The severity of EAE is typically scored on a 5-point clinical scale that measures the degree of ascending paralysis, but this scale is not optimal for assessing the extent of recovery from EAE. For example, clinical scores remain high in some EAE models (e.g., myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein [MOG] peptide-induced model of EAE) despite the resolution of inflammation. Thus, it is important to complement clinical scoring with histological scoring of EAE, which also provides a means to study the underlying mechanisms of cellular injury in the central nervous system (CNS).
Here, a simple protocol is presented to prepare and stain spinal cord and brain sections from mice and to score inflammation, demyelination, and axonal injury in the spinal cord. The method for scoring leukocyte infiltration in the spinal cord can also be applied to score brain inflammation in EAE. A protocol for measuring soluble neurofilament light (sNF-L) in the serum of mice using a Small Molecule Assay (SIMOA) assay is also described, which provides&#160;feedback on the extent of overall CNS injury in live mice.

Author Spotlight: Unveiling the Pathway Linking Obesity to Autoimmune Inflammation in Multiple Sclerosis 

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) serves as an animal model of multiple sclerosis. This article describes an approach for scoring spinal cord inflammation, demyelination, and axonal injury in EAE. Additionally, a method to quantify soluble neurofilament light levels in the mice serum is presented, facilitating the assessment of axonal injury in live mice.

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a common immune-based model of multiple sclerosis (MS). This disease can be induced in rodents by ...