Adult neural precursor cells are an integral part of the brain and have been a focus of intense research for half a century. Even though adult neural stem/progenitor cells in the human brain have been identified over 20 years ago, progress in this area has been slow, and the existence of lifelong neurogenesis in humans is still debated. Remarkable species differences exist between humans and rodents in astrocyte development and diversity, suggesting similar differences may exist in neural stem/progenitor cells and underscoring the need for further research in human tissue.This chapter provides a guideline for dissociation of adult human brain tissue from biopsy or autopsy specimens. While protocols for subsequent culturing of neural precursors are included, the main focus is the preparation of a suspension of viable single cells that may also be useful in other experimental paradigms, such as genomic profiling.
Keywords: Adult; Brain; Cell culture; Human; Precursor; Stem cell.
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