Monthly Archives: November 2015

Cell culture studies provide a valuable complement to in vivo experiments, allowing for a more controlled manipulation of cellular functions and processes. For decades, cell lines have played a critical role in scientific advancements, yet researchers have become increasingly cautious when interpreting data generated from cell lines only. Factors such as misidentified and contaminated cell lines have spurred renewed interest in primary cells [1,2]. Many researchers have chosen to work with cells lines as they are generally highly proliferative, and easier to culture and transfect.  Most cell lines have been in culture for decades and are well adapted to the two-dimensional culture environment, and as a result, often differ genetically and phenotypically from their tissue origin and show altered morphology [3,4]. In contrast to cell lines, primary cell which are isolated directly from tissues, have a finite lifespan and limited expansion capacity. On the positive side, primary cells have

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) affects almost 44 million people worldwide. The disease typically begins with memory difficulties followed by trouble thinking, reasoning and processing emotions. The cause of AD is not well understood, but there appear to be two forms: 90% of patients have a late-onset sporadic form of AD with no known genetic link, while the remaining AD cases fall into a genetically inheritable form of early-onset Familial Alzheimer’s Disease (FAD). Unfortunately, the irreversible disease progression is eventually fatal due to widespread neuronal loss in the central nervous system.

In addition to the loss of neurons, pathological features of Alzheimer’s brains include amyloid beta plaques (Aβ) and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). Aβ forms when amyloid precursor protein (APP) is cleaved by beta and gamma secretase. Individual Aβ molecules then interact to form extracellular deposits in the brain. Whether Aβ is an underlying cause or merely correlated with the disease remains unclear,