tissue digestion

From: Simon Monard (Simon_Monard@adarc.org)
Date: Wed Mar 05 1997 - 11:49:41 EST


Hi all

I have been trying to phenotype lymphocytes extracted from tiny gut biopsies, 
not surprisingly I am having some difficulties. I have used mechanical 
disruption methods (chopping up and sucking up and down needles) with success 
but as we want to do this with samples from HIV infected patients such an 
approach is inadvisable to say the least. So, I am now trying to use an enzymic 
method using collaginase and agitation for a couple of hours. The sample 
digests quite nicely but I am getting curious results like the majority of 
cells are CD19/CD3 positive! Some other markers are OK.  I do my staining along 
side peripheral blood from the same individual which is fine. Incidentally I 
also tried using dispase to digest the tissue, worked fine but digests off CD4 
and CD8. My question is does it make a difference which type of collaginase you 
use and can anyone think of another reason apart from low viability for this 
type of non specific staining, are there any better enzymes?. I am using four 
colours, Fitc, PE, PerCP and APC.

Any suggestions? Protocols?

Simon Monard
Aaron Diamond Center
New York



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