Core--Clinical laboratory

临床实验室核心。该中心包括一个由库珀先生领导的分析实验室和一个由哥伦比亚基因组中心主任乔里安博士领导的分子遗传学研究实验室。在后者中，将采集所有Conte Center受试者的血液进行基因分型，并从自杀者和对照组的死后脑组织中提取DNA。这些样本将接受一系列与中枢5-羟色胺代谢相关的候选基因的测试，包括5-羟色胺转运体、色氨酸羟基酶和5-羟色胺受体5HT/1A、5HT/1D、5HT/1E和5HT2A。基因组中心将负责开发和解释将在选定区域的死后大脑样本中运行的微阵列分析，以检测基因表达的差异并确定新的候选基因。5-HTT的启动子区域来自于死后的表型极端，将被测序以试图确定新的功能多态。分析实验室将负责分析患者、对照组、非人灵长类动物和啮齿动物脑脊液和脑组织中的神经递质和代谢物(皮质醇、催乳素、HIAA、HVA、MHPG、GABA和谷氨酸)以及神经内分泌指标(皮质醇、催乳素、ACTH和CRF)。脑组织样本正在进行筛选，以确定是否存在影响5-羟色胺能系统的药物。同样，对头发样本进行筛选，以检测这些药物的长期接触情况(几个月甚至几年)。

Clinical Laboratory Core. The CLC comprises an analytical laboratory directed by Mr. T.B. Cooper and a molecular genetic studies laboratory directed by Dr. T. Conrad Gilliam, Head of the Columbia Genome Center. In the latter blood will be collected for genotyping from all Conte Center subjects and DNA will be extracted from postmortem brain tissues of suicides and controls. These samples will be tested for a series of candidate genes related to central serotonin metabolism and include the serotonin transporter, tryptophan hydroxylase and serotonin receptors 5HT/1A, 5HT/1D, 5HT/1E and 5HT2A. The Genome Center will be responsible for development and interpretation of the microarray assays to be run in postmortem brain samples from selected regions to detect differences in gene expression and identify new candidate genes. The promoter region of the 5-HTT from postmortem causes that are phenotypic extremes will be sequenced in a attempt to determine new functional polymorphisms. The analytical laboratory will be responsible for assay of neurotransmitters and metabolites (cortisol, prolactin, HIAA, HVA, MHPG, GABA and glutamate) and neuroendocrine measures (cortisol, prolactin, ACTH, and CRF) in CSF and brain tissue from patients, controls, non-human primates and rodents. Brain tissue samples are being screened for the presence of drugs which effect the serotonergic system. Similarly hair samples are screened for these same drugs to detect long term exposure (months or even years).