Leukocyte Isolation from Brain, Spinal Cord, and Meninges for Flow Cytometric Analysis

摘要

A continual dialogue exists between the central nervous system (CNS) and immune system that contributes to neural homeostasis as well as protection from microbes, repair following damage, autoimmune disease, and neurodegener-ation. Characterization of resident and peripherally derived leukocyte populations within the central nervous system can provide valuable information regarding how these cells contribute to steady-state and inflammatory conditions. Flow cytometry provides a method to conduct detailed multi-parameter analyses of immune cells isolated from various tissues. This protocol provides a method to isolate leukocytes from brain, spinal cord, and meninges for flow cytometric analysis and provides a basic framework for phenotyping these cells.