Flow Cytometry and Cell Sorting Core (Core 3)

摘要 炎症是一个复杂的生物学过程，涉及循环免疫细胞以及组织和器官的细胞组成的许多变化。识别这些细胞数量和比例的变化，细胞分化和凋亡的各种状态的状态，以及调节下游通路的细胞因子和信号分子的表达模式，对于研究炎症过程至关重要。这些变化中的许多可以通过流式细胞术和分选以及基于微流体生物技术的各种其他技术（例如用于蛋白质的多重ELISA测定和用于RNA的真实的时间PCR）来密切监测。许多这些测定需要昂贵的设备和技术专长，这是初级研究人员负担不起的，如在这个关于膳食补充剂和炎症的COBRE提案中的目标教师。此外，在使用这些技术时，正确设置操作参数和数据解释通常很困难，需要专门从事该技术的经验丰富的操作员。流式细胞术和细胞分选核心将安置在南卡罗来纳州大学医学院已建立的仪器研究设施（IRF）中，将提供完成目标研究者在COBRE提案中提出的这些类型实验所需的所有技术和专业知识。该核心将由流式细胞术实验室的现任负责人监督。将有两名隶属于IRF的教员提供实验设计，设备操作和微流体仪器培训方面的帮助。除了个别互动外，还经常通过综合资源框架主办教学课程、研讨会和讲习班。这些将提供给目标研究者实验室的成员。

Abstract Inflammation is a complex biological process that involves many changes in the cell composition of circulating immune cells as well as tissues and organs. Identifying these changes in cell number and ratios, the status of various states of cell differentiation and apoptosis, and the expression patterns of cytokines and the signaling molecules that regulate the downstream pathways is essential in studying the process of inflammation. Many of these changes can be closely monitored by flow cytometry and sorting, and various other techniques based on micro-fluidic biotechnology such as multiplex ELISA assays for proteins and real time PCR for RNA. Many of these assays require expensive equipment and technical expertise that is not affordable by junior investigators such as the Target Faculty in this COBRE proposal on Dietary Supplements and Inflammation. In addition, setting operating parameters correctly and data interpretation when using these techniques is often difficult and requires experienced operators dedicated to the technology. The Flow Cytometry and Cell Sorting Core, which will be housed in the established Instrumentation Research Facility (IRF) at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, will provide all of the technology and expertise required to complete these types of experiments proposed by the Target Investigators on this COBRE proposal. This core will be supervised by the current Director of the Flow Cytometry lab. There will be two faculty members who are affiliated with the IRF available for assistance with experimental design, operation of equipment, and training on micro-fluidics instrumentation. In addition to individual interactions, didactic courses, seminars and workshops are often sponsored through the IRF. These will be made available to members of the Target Investigator laboratories.