CFAC Services and Facilities
Flow Culture System
This system is optimal for real time measurements of cellular function. It is currently optimized for pancreatic islets, retinal cells, stem cells, macrophages, adipocytes, endothelial cells, neurons/brain slices and hepatocytes.
The following measures can be made at the single cell level:
- Mitochondrial Membrane Potential
- Reactive Oxygen Species
- Insulin (Zn++)
- Protein Kinase A activity
- Protein Kinase C activity
The following measurements can be made in bulk:
- Insulin secretion
- Oxygen consumption
- Cytochrome C
- Lactate production
Static Culture System
This system is preferable where a large number of conditions need to be analyzed in parallel, or measures need to be made in the absence of flow.
This system is also optimized for pancreatic islets, retinal cells, stem cells, macrophages, adipocytes, endothelial cells, neurons and hepatocytes.
The following measurements can be made:
- Insulin secretion and content
- Ion transport (e.g. K+ and Ca++)
- Glycolysis and CO2 production
- Lactate production
In addition, assessment of metabolite levels, binding studies and enzyme activity assays are also offered.
The CFAC can provide investigators with isolated islets from rodents. The core has experience isolating islets from Fischer, Sprague-Dawley, Wistar and BB rats, and C57BL/6, DBA/2, db/db mice. Other strains have also been successfully used. Although it is strain-dependent, rodents yield about 700 islets/rat, and 200 islets/mouse. Once prepared, islets may be cultured under desired conditions/treatments until being either shipped or further analyzed by methods listed above.
The CFAC can also assist investigators with acquiring monkey islets from the Oregon National Primate Research Center and culturing the islets upon arrival.
Dispersed islet cells can also be generated for subsequent culture, analysis or flow cytometry via the Immunology and Inflammation and Core.
Consultation and Training
Input on study design and data analysis, together with training in the techniques utilized by the core are offered. Contact the CFAC Director, Dr. Ian Sweet or Associate Director, Dr. Sakeneh Zraika for more details.