The objectives of this core are to isolate and propagate primary human leukocytes (monocytes and peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) [projects 1, 2 and 4, Drs. J. Zheng, Y. Persidsky, and H. Gendelman], provide human neuronal and glial cells and maintain a brain bank of pathological tissues. Primary human leukocytes will be fractionated into monocytes and PBL from HIV-1, 2 and hepatitis B seronegative donors by centrifugal elutriation. Human gila (microglia and astrocytes) and/or neurons will be obtained from elective abortions. The neurons and gilafrom human and rodent brain tissue will be purified, characterized and provided for experiments (All projects, Drs. J. Zheng, Y. Persidsky, T. Ikezu and H. Gendelman). The Center for Neurovirology and Neurodegenerative Disorders (CNND) Brain Bank will be operated through this core. One hundred and eighty one specimens are available, which include tissues with neuropathological diagnoses of AIzheimer's disease (AD), HIV-1-associated dementia (HAD) and other neurodegenerative disorders (including but not limited to stroke, Parkinson's disease, andencephalitis). Patients who died of diseases not related to the nervous system serve as controls. Brain tissue, cerebrospinal fluid, and other body fluids and/or tissues are usually obtained at the time of death and will be available to all investigators. In addition, for age-matched comparisons, microglial cells will be purified from brain tissue obtained through accelerated brain autopsies (2-4 hours after death). These primary adult human cells and other tissues fromBrain Bank will be utilized in support of projects 1, 2 and 4, Drs. J. Zheng, Y. Persidsky, and H. Gendelman. In, toto, this cells and tissue core will provide all the biological specimens necessary to address research objectives of the overall program project.
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