The purpose of the Neural Cell Culture Core is to provide MRDDRC funded researchers with primary cultures of embryonic and postnatal dissociated rat and mouse neurons, organotypic brain slices, wellcharacterized chick neural cell cultures, established neural cell lines, and customized gene transfection using the AMAXA system. A key objective of this core is to complement the Model Organism Core by providing high quality, standardized primary cell cultures of neural cells of genetically modified organisms. The University of Chicago has had a long history of primary neural cell culture dating back to the original aggregate studies of Beatrice Garber and Aaron Moscona and we have the expertise to isolate pure cultures of neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, microglia and neural stem cells as well as slices and organotypic cultures. Since many important questions such as ligand-receptor interactions and cell signaling pathway regulation can best be addressed in pure cell cultures, the investigators identified as users of the Model Organisms Core have identified a primary cell culture core facility as key to their future research progress.We envision that investigators supported by the Center will be able to use the core facilities to test specific ideas in purified cells or organotypic cultures. At present such studies are not possible for the individual investigator because of the time it takes to obtain the necessary expertise in cell isolation and quality control. The Core will also save users the many capital expenses involved in obtaining equipment necessary for preparation of primary cultures and transfection with the AMAXA system. In addition, the Core will be able to provide the reagents, consumables, media, and work hours required to prepare such cultures at a fraction of the cost that would be required if the MRDDRC researcher were to prepare the cultures themselves.
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