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Updated: Jun 25, 2026
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Ex Vivo Infection of Human Lymphoid Tissue and Female Genital Mucosa with Human Immunodeficiency Virus 1 and Histoculture
Published on: October 12, 2018
Use of human tissue explants to study human infectious agents
Jean-Charles Grivel1, Leonid Margolis
1Section of Intercellular Interactions, Program on Physical Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 10 Centre Drive, Room 9D58, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
Nature Protocols
|February 7, 2009
Summary
This protocol details culturing human tissue explants for studying cell-pathogen interactions. It enables pathogen infection and analysis within intact tissue cytoarchitecture for up to three weeks.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Pathology
- Microbiology
Background:
- Understanding human cell-cell and cell-pathogen interactions within tissue cytoarchitecture is crucial for studying health and disease.
- Investigating pathogenic mechanisms requires models that preserve complex tissue structures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe a protocol for culturing and infecting human tissue explants.
- To enable the study of infectious agent pathogenesis and local interactions within native tissue environments.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing fresh human tissue explants (biopsies) cultured at the liquid-air interface on collagen rafts.
- Maintaining tissue cytoarchitecture to support productive pathogen infection without external stimulation.
- Providing experimental details for culturing and infecting tonsils, lymph nodes, and cervicovaginal and rectosigmoid tissues with pathogens like HIV-1.
Main Results:
- Tissue explants retain their native cytoarchitecture.
- The method supports productive infection by various pathogens, including HIV-1.
- Cultures and infections can be established within 3-6 hours and maintained for 2-3 weeks.
Conclusions:
- This protocol offers a robust method for studying human infectious diseases in a relevant tissue context.
- The technique preserves tissue structure, facilitating detailed analysis of pathogen interactions.
- The rapid setup and extended culture duration make it a valuable tool for infectious disease research.
