Cell biology

The Cell Biology Facility located within IINS on levels 1 and 2 of the Centre Broca Nouvelle-Aquitaine, offers a range of cell culture models and molecular tools for the entire scientific community, being either academic, private, local, or national/international. We are equipped with 4 L1/L2 culture modules covering 300 m², with over 50 incubators and 40 laminar flow hoods, as well as more specific equipment such as the Octet-R8 (a device for measuring protein-protein interactions) and a cell sorter. We have on hand staff with expertise in these technologies not only for production, but also for training users in cell culture, and for monitoring technological developments with a view to setting up new models or protocols.

We currently offer the following services :
– Primary cultures of hippocampal or cortical neurons from wild-type or transgenic rodents
– Cultures of organotypic brain slices from rat or mouse models
– Heterologous cell cultures and pluripotent stem cells
– Insertion of DNA into these cell types (by transfection, electroporation, or viral infection)
– Cell storage in liquid nitrogen and management of cell banks
– Functionalization of proteins by chemical coupling to fluorophores for imaging purposes
– Access to the specific equipment listed above on request

The advantage of having developed an extensive repertoire of cellular and molecular models is that we can offer services tailored to each experiment. Our staff can provide basic tools, as well as develop customized experiments, to help researchers answer their biological questions.