Establishing a Cell Biology Platform

The use of human primary cells provide researchers in different areas with irrefutable more biologically relevant data than using cell lines or animal blood cells. This work was performed in the scope of the Cell Biology Services @ CEDOC, a platform aiming to provide viable and trustful human primary cells and products. We had three main objectives: protocol optimizations for human blood cell isolation, culture and cryopreservation; cost estimation and divulgation of the services. In this book, we review standard protocols and compare different strategies for blood cell isolation (peripheral blood mononuclear cells, T cells and monocytes). The impact of those methodologies was evaluated regarding cell yield and purity, cell functional characteristics and cost. We have also developed a method for serum isolation from human plasma in blood buffy coats. Testing commercial products and optimizing protocols is very important to the implementation of methodologies and standardized practices for research purposes, either by the academic community or companies.