Generation of Neural Stem Cells from Discarded Human Fetal Cortical Tissue

The overall goal of this procedure is to isolate human neural stem cells from discarded frontal cortical tissue. This is accomplished by first preparing the solutions and materials in advance before dissecting human fetal brains. This is followed by the maintenance of isolated neural stem cells, including further expansion, characterization, and experimentation.

Long-term storage is feasible as is establishment of subcultures for differentiation of progenitors into neuronal and glial cell types. Ultimately, the differentiation of cells from normal CNS can be characterized and compared to that of cells derived from CNS with known neurological disorders. The implications of this technique extend towards therapy or diagnosis of any human CNS disorder.