Flow Cytometry Core

流式细胞术是分析细胞表型和分离特定细胞群的最广泛和必不可少的技术之一。P01支持的流式细胞术核心资源为该计划的研究人员提供了更多获得分析流式细胞术仪器的经济有效的方式，在某些情况下，这些仪器必须保持在适当的生物安全遏制条件下。该核心有三个具体目标：1)提供和维护流式细胞术研究所需的必要研究基础设施，并提供适当的生物安全保护措施；2)在涉及流式细胞术的现有技术的性能和解释方面提供技术援助；3)引入新技术和更新现有技术，以保持尖端能力。P01支持的核心设施全面负责维护一台分析型流式细胞仪，并为维护和操作一台高速细胞分选机做出贡献。在过去5年里，通过这一核心获得生物安全级别(BSL)-2和BSL-3条件下的FACS分析和分类技术，在由这笔P01拨款资助的研究中发挥了重要作用，并将继续这样做到下一个资助期。仪器设备的高成本和对技术人员的需要使建立一个核心的流式细胞仪设施成为管理这些资源的唯一实际办法。此外，这一核心设施为P01研究人员提供了在机构内的BSL-3环境中进行流式细胞术的唯一可能性，因此对于正在进行或计划在该计划范围内进行的一些研究来说，这是一个至关重要的设施。该核心还提供了一个环境，在这种环境中，可以严格监督和执行生物安全遏制程序，从而确保使用流式细胞仪技术处理潜在危险传染病的人员的安全。核心的分析能力使项目研究人员能够识别和表征与分枝杆菌致病机制和宿主免疫反应相关的广泛研究中感兴趣的细胞群体。

Flow cytometry is one of the most widely used and indispensable techniques for analysis of cell phenotypes and for isolation of specific cell populations. The Flow Cytometry Core resources supported by the P01 provide the Program's investigators with increased access in a cost effective way to instruments for analytical flow cytometry, which in some cases must be maintained in appropriate biosafety containment conditions. The core has three specific aims: 1) Provide and maintain the necessary research infrastructure needed for flow cytometry studies, with appropriate biosafety containment safeguards; 2) Provide technical assistance in the performance and interpretation of established techniques involving flow cytometry; 3) Introduce new and update existing technologies to maintain cutting edge capabilities. The core facility supported by the P01 has full responsibility for maintaining one analytical flow cytometer, and contributes to the maintenance and operation of one high speed cell sorter. Access through this core to FACS analysis and sorting techniques under Biosafety Level (BSL)-2 and BSL-3 conditions has played an essential role in research funded by this P01 grant during the past 5 years, and will continue to do so into the next funding period. The high cost of the instrumentation and the need for skilled personnel makes the establishment of a core facility for flow cytometry the only practical approach to management of these resources. In addition, this core facility provides the only possibility for the P01 investigators to do flow cytometry in a BSL-3 environment within the institution, and thus is a crucial facility for some of the studies that are ongoing or planned within the context of the program. The core also provides an environment in which biosafety containment procedures can be strictly overseen and enforced, thus ensuring the safety of personnel using flow cytometry techniques in their work with potentially dangerous infectious agents. The analytical capabilities of the core allow the program investigators to identify and characterize cell populations of interest in a wide range of studies related to mycobacterial pathogenesis and the host immune response.