The ocular lens is a transparent structure in the eye that is designed to refract and focus light onto the retina. The lens is an avascular unit which includes the lens capsule, lens epithelium, and lens fibers. Lens fiber cells form the bulk of the lens and a monolayer of epithelial cells cover the

Primary cells, which are isolated directly from tissue, show normal cell morphology and maintain many of the important markers and functions seen in vivo. Primary cells, though, have a finite lifespan and limited expansion capacity, so it is critical to use low passage primary cells for your research.

Cell culturing is a widely used technique to grow cells outside of their natural environment using artificial environments and controlled conditions that has become indispensable to scientific research.  The applications of cell culturing are innumerable and there are many ways to differentiate types

3 Reasons Why You Should Take "Pseudogenes" Seriously in Your Research

Protein-coding DNA, or “functional” genes, only accounts for up to 2% in the human genome. Until recently, the remaining 98% have been referred to as “junk DNA” for their putative noncoding feature. The name itself implies that junk

Cancer is a collection of over 200 diseases where the only common denominator is rogue cells^1,2.  The ways in which a cell can go rogue is so varied that cancer has its own separate biology where order and normalcy are not readily apparent.  Cancer does not even have to be solid.  Indeed, blood

Cell-based assays are widely used in basic and translational research as cost-effective and accessible models to mimic in vivo responses. To obtain reliable data, assessing the health of cultured cells prior to any assays is essential. Furthermore, many cell-based assays require quantification of cell

ScienCell's Rat Hippocampal Neurons Used in Recent Neurological Disease Therapy Research Published in Scientific Reports Journal

Neurons are dynamically polarized cells responsible for electrochemically transmitting information throughout the nervous system. Scientists have characterized

ScienCell's Mouse Microglia Used in Recent Microglial Activation Research Published in Molecular & Cellular Proteomics Journal

Microglia are a type of macrophage-like glial cell in the central nervous system (CNS) and they function as the brain's primary immune defenders. Upon activation,

In this final installment on how to improve your qPCR gene expression profiling (see 6 Tips to Improve qPCR: part 1 and part 2 for previous discussion), we will discuss pipetting tips and the benefits of a separate reverse transcription step in qPCR template preparation.

Tip #5. Good Laboratory Practice

Many primary cells have difficulty adhering to uncoated glass and plastic surfaces, especially in low serum or serum-free conditions. For primary cells, it is necessary to use a substrate coating to enhance cell attachment. There are many different substrates to choose from and each type can have dramatically

Recently, bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMC) have been in the spotlight for having the potential to treat a variety of diseases including neurological disorders. Why are BMMC so exciting and do they really show treatment potential? BMMC have regenerative capabilities and are a heterogeneous population

Despite being essential for any experiment involving DNA replication, people rarely give primers a second thought.  To coincide with the launch of our new qPCR gene reference tool, we’ll be giving them a little more of the praise they deserve.

In this next installment on how to improve your qPCR gene profiling (see 6 Tips to Improve qPCR for previous discussion), we would like to discuss the limitations of melting curve analysis and PCR inhibitors.

Tip #3. Melting curve analysis is NOT sufficient for assessing qPCR product specificity.

In

Gene expression analysis is critical for understanding the transcriptome profiles of primary cells and how they directly influence the cells’ functionality. In addition, the transcriptome profile can affect cell proliferation, differentiation, senescence, or apoptosis. Traditional reporter-gene assays

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