Primary neurons, like all primary cells, are isolated directly from human or animal nervous tissue. Unlike cell lines, primary cells maintain the characteristics of their tissue of origin, making them a biologically and physiologically relevant tool for the study of neuroscience.
Due to selective pressures and genetic drift that occur naturally during cell replication, cell lines can begin to exhibit reduced or altered functions. Primary neuron and glia cells therefore represent significantly more relevant in vitro model systems for neuroscientific research.
The isolation of primary cells can be challenging, and this is particularly the case for primary neural cells. In fact, it has only been within the last few decades that researchers have developed the means of isolating specific neuronal cell types from a complete primary cell culture1. We ensure that our primary neural cell types are isolated accurately from specific regions of the brain by performing extensive testing to confirm cell identity.
1 Jana et al. (2007). Neurochem Res 32(12):2015-22