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Updated: Jul 1, 2026
Magnetic Isolation of Microglial Cells from Neonate Mouse for Primary Cell Cultures
Published on: July 25, 2022
Protocol for isolating and culturing microglia from the adult mouse brain using a magnetic-activated cell sorting
Joohyun Park1, Bhabotosh Barman1, Hyun Kyu Kim1
1Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Stockton Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA; Institute of Pediatric Reparative Research (IPRM), Shriners Hospital for Children, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA.
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Microglia are the resident macrophages of the central nervous system and are highly sensitive to environmental cues, making primary culture challenging. Here, we present a protocol for isolating microglia from adult mouse brains using magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS). The protocol includes brain sample collection, enzymatic tissue dissociation, step-by-step MACS-based microglia isolation, and the establishment of primary microglial cultures. We validate isolated cells using flow cytometry and quantitative real-time PCR (real-time qPCR) to assess microglial purity.
