Cellular composition of human glial cultures from adult biopsy brain tissue.
Microglia and astrocytes play vital roles in normal human brain function and in neurological disorders. To study their physiological and pathological roles it is desirable to establish in vitro systems that are derived from the adult human brain. Although several groups have successfully cultured cells from the human brain, the composition of these cultures remains controversial. Using morphological criteria, immunocytochemical analysis and a BrdU incorporation assay we demonstrate the presence of poorly proliferative microglia and astrocytes in cultures derived from epilepsy biopsy tissue. In addition, we characterized a third cell type as fibronectin and prolyl 4-hydroxylase immunopositive fibroblast-like cells, which are highly proliferative and become the predominant cell type after successive sub-culturing. Therefore, although cultures from adult human brain tissue provide an excellent resource for studying human glial cells, careful consideration must be given to their cellular composition when performing studies using these methods.
Gibbons
Hannah M
HM
Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Hughes
Stephanie M
SM
Van Roon-Mom
Willeke
W
Greenwood
Jeffrey M
JM
Narayan
Pritika J
PJ
Teoh
H Heng
HH
Bergin
Peter M
PM
Mee
Edward W
EW
Wood
Phil C
PC
Faull
Richard L M
RL
Dragunow
Mike
M
D000328:Adult; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001706:Biopsy; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D048430:Cell Shape / Q000502:physiology; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017628:Microglia / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D011393:Procollagen-Proline Dioxygenase / Q000378:metabolism
D015415:Biomarkers; D005353:Fibronectins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011393:Procollagen-Proline Dioxygenase; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine