Isolation and transfection of primary culture bovine retinal pericytes

Abstract

This protocol describes an enzymatic approach for isolating homogeneous cultures of pericytes from retinas of bovine source. In summary, retinas are dissected, washed, digested, fi ltered, cultured in specifi c media to select for pericytes, and fi nally expanded for a low passage culture of about 14 million bovine retinal pericytes (BRP) within 4–6 weeks. This protocol also describes a liposomal-based technique for transfection of BRPs.