Cell Biology and Cellular Imaging

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Overall Objective and Rationale: The existing Neuroscience and Imaging Core has been reorganized and is now entitled "Cell Biology and Cellular Imaging." The aim is to provide expertise, services and equipment to broadly support cellular and molecular neuroscience research which, in our Center, is focused on elucidating the mechanisms of pathophysiology associated with the genetic and environmentally-induced developmental diseases affecting CNS development and function. We upgraded tissue processing for histology and cellular imaging with stateof-the art instruments like the Zeiss Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope LSM 510 META and the Leica Laser Cell Capture Microdissection system. We also equipped 3 new cell culture rooms to support our expanding needs for neural stem/progenitor cell culture methodologies to study glial and neuronal cell biology and for transplantation studies. The histology component has now been eliminated, as similar services are now available from the BRI histology core. Although a new and separate Stem Cell Core is proposed to focus on human embryonic stem cells (Core C), the Cell Biology and Cellular Imaging Core will continue to support cell culture of rodent and human brain cell subpopulations, and will expand the cellular imaging component. The demand for the latter has grown dramatically, becoming particular heavily used by faculty working with animal models of developmental diseases. We will also initiate a new subcomponent to provide expertise in the area of cellular immunology. This is done with the growing recognition that immune function and/or inflammatory responses impact a great number of IDD, and is a critical of component of investigation in human studies as well as our many animal models. This new function is included in this Core because it utilizes cell culture and cellular imaging as principle tools, although the methodologies in many cases are highly specialized, for example, the use of FACS to examine and investigate the cellular and molecular character of the immune response.