Cellular Neuroscience Core
Director: Gabriel Corfas, Ph.D.
Location: MRRC Cellular Neuroscience Children's Hospital 320 Longwood Avenue Suite 250 Boston, MA 02115
| Core Summary: |
The Cellular Neuroscience Core, which is located on the second floor of the Enders Pediatric Research Building, dates back to the classic light and electron microscopic studies of the CNS of neurological mouse mutants by Dr. Richard L. Sidman in 1973. Since that time, the Core has developed an emphasis on tissue, cellular and subcellular anatomy for providing insights into the basis of mental retardation. It also has expanded its capabilities to include tools to analyze the molecular architecture of the brain, such as with in situ hybridization and immunocytochemical approaches. Moreover, with advances in genomics and the growing number of genetically modified mice models to study diseases of the nervous system, a particular priority for this Core has been the development of high throughput methods of structural and molecular analysis of brain.
| Categories and Institutions: |
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| Personnel/Contact Information: |
Director: Gabriel Corfas, Ph.D.
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Director: Hart G. W. Lidov, M.D., Ph.D.
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Director: Joseph Majzoub, M.D.
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Member: Hannah C. Kinney, M.D.
Department: Neuropathology
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Member: Ms. Jean Brennan
Role: Chief Technologist
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| Facilities and Equipment: |
Location of Core: MRRC Cellular Neuroscience Children's Hospital 320 Longwood Avenue Suite 250 Boston, MA 02115
Major Equipment:
- Balance and pH meter for preparation of solutions
- Cryostats (Jung/Leica frigocut 2800 E, Hacker-Bright and Reichert-Jung Cryocut)
- Dark room for the production of black and white prints, including developing baths, Durst enlarger and an Agfa automatic printer
- General histology equipment: slide warmer bath, 2 paraffin ovens, 2 vacuum ovens, 2 fume hoods
- Hybridization oven for in situ hybridizations
- Innovative Medical Systems automatic tissue processor, model TB120
- Leica Autostainer Xl automatic staining machine
- Leica SM 2000R freezing sliding microtome Leitz sliding microtome for paraffin and celloidin section
- Leica VT1000S Vibrotome for unfixed and fixed tissue
- LKB glass knife maker
- Microtomes (Reichert-Jung Models 2030 and 2050 rotary microtome, Reichert Ultracut S)
- Nikon SZ654 dissecting microscope with fiber optics illuminator
- Reichert Histostat paraffin embedding station
- Reichert-Jung knife sharpener
- Small animal perfusion station with ventilator hood and peristaltic pump
- Zeiss Axioskop microscope with camera lucida and photo-camera
| Services: |
- Electron Microscopy
Perfusion, fixation, processing, embedding, and cutting of animal and human tissues for morphological observations by electron microscopy. Investigators use electron microscopes in the EM facility at Harvard Medical School to examine their samples
- Immunocytochemistry and Histochemistry
Tissue localization of proteins as well as measurement of cell proliferation and cell death. Services include perfusion, fixation, embedding, cutting and staining services for animal and human tissues. Supervision and consultation in experimental design and data interpretation. MRRC investigators provide the primary and secondary antibodies for a particular experiment. Monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies can be used. Consultations also are provided on studies combining immunocytochemical methods with other labeling methods (e.g., in situ hybridization, histochemical).
- In situ Hybridization
The Core provides expertise in state-of -the art in situ hybridization techniques and helps with perfusion, fixation, embedding, cutting, hybridization and detection services for animal and human tissues for morphological observations with in situ hybridization to multiple mRNAs. The Core assists MRRC investigators in tissue fixation and sectioning, probe design, labeling strategies, and interpretation of results.
- Neuropathology (Consultation)
Analysis of tissue samples for neuropathological characterization is a tool essential for both basic and clinical scientists. The Core provides assistance with experimental design and data interpretation for neuroanatomy and neuropathology.
- Standard Histology
Histological analysis of nervous tissue derived from experimental animals or human samples. Perfusion, fixation, embedding, sectioning and staining of animal and human tissues. Investigator training in these techniques
| Getting Started: |
Telephone: (617)355-6602 Fax: (617) 738-1542
| Departmental Web Link: |
http://core.iddrc.org/cellular-neuroscience/