Long-Distance Transport of Surgically Resected, Alive Human Brain Tissue

Tissue samples obtained during neurosurgical interventions offer a unique opportunity to study the alive human brain ex vivo on the level of individual neurons and synaptic networks. However, when sophisticated research projects are anticipated, the main challenge at hand is the scarcity of eligible surgeries. To counter this, an attempt can be made to collect samples from multiple hospitals, including remote ones. This creates the necessity to transport alive brain tissue over long distances. In this book chapter, we discuss general considerations that should be taken into account when establishing acute brain slices (i.e., a specific preparation where brain tissue is sliced into thin sections) from neurosurgical tissue. We then outline various methods for tissue transport over long distances (e.g., Bielefeld to Berlin: ~400 km; door-to-door 4.5–6 h by car, 3–4.5 h by train). We describe both a procedure for transporting a non-sliced specimen and options for transporting already sliced tissue. For the transport of brain slices, we describe the design of a simple and robust transport container (BrainCase). The BrainCase can be perfused with continuously gassed sucrose-based artificial cerebrospinal fluid or can be employed without perfusion. We share our experience regarding slice quality for the different transport methods, using tissue obtained from local surgeries as the reference material. Based on our experience, we argue that if moderately cooled and protected from vibration, BrainCases help secure human brain tissue and thus slice quality also without perfusion. Transport of cooled, non-sliced specimens is a valid option, although some inferiority concerning inducibility of network oscillations might result from this method. Taken together, long-distance transport of alive human brain tissue is feasible without quality cutbacks and thus a promising strategy to counter the problem of limited availability.