The Human Brain and Spinal Fluid Resource Center (Center) is supported by NINDS / NIMH, the Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as private organizations, principally the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. The Center is an invaluable resource for scientists performing research on human tissues and fluids. 

Protocols

All specimen information including; current specimen inventory (tissues and fluids), digital images, dissections and material sent to research investigators are recorded electronically and managed with full security.

Specimen Storage:

Fluids:

• Pre- and post-mortem cerebrospinal fluid, serum, and plasma are stored at
  -80 Celsius

Brain Tissue (three types of specimens):

• 4 ° C Fresh , sliced into 8 mm coronal slabs, labeled, imaged, bagged air tight, quick frozen at –150 ° C and stored at –80 ° C
• Slow frozen - thawed to -4 ° C overnight, sliced, labeled, imaged, bagged air tight, quick frozen at –150 ° C and stored at – 80 °
• Formalin fixed : slice, labeled, imaged, bagged and stored in 10% buffered formalin

The following tables list the diagnosis of the various specimens in the Center's inventory.

• Brain Tissue Specimens
• Fluid Specimens
• Pre-mortem Fluids
• Post-mortem Fluids

High resolution digital images of all tissue specimens and how their histopathological classification are prepared at the Center. Please click here to link to a few examples.

For information on our frozen dissection bisects click here.

Our frozen tissues can be used for genomics (micro-array plates) (knockout mice, transgenic mice), proteomics, and morphomics (qualitative andquantiative analysis).

For information on how to request specimens click here