Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Specimens

Bay Biosciences provides high quality, clinical grade, matched cryogenically preserved sera (serum), K2EDTA plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) bio-fluids samples from Alzheimer’s disease.

Moreover, the K2EDTA plasma, serum and CSF bio-fluid specimens are processed from Alzheimer’s disease patient’s peripheral whole-blood using customized collection and processing protocols.

Furthermore, the matched samples are collected from unique patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and are provided to a valued pharmaceutical customer for research, diagnostics, discovery and drug development.

What is CSF?

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a clear liquid that is produced mostly in the ventricles of the brain. It surrounds and protects the brain and the spinal cord, which make up the central nervous system (CNS).

CSF acts as a shock absorber, cushion or buffer, providing basic mechanical and immunological protection to the brain inside the skull. CSF also serves a vital function in the cerebrospinal autoregulation of cerebral blood flow.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) surrounds and protects the brain and the spinal cord. About 500 to 600 mL of clear, watery CSF forms in the ventricles of the brain every day. The body continually circulates the fluid and then absorbs it into the blood.

This fluid has several functions. It protects the brain by acting as a cushion and can remove harmful substances, including drugs. 

CSF helps keep the pressure in the skull cavity and spinal canal at constant levels. It also transports hormones from the glands that produce them to parts of the brain that need them.

The Blood-Brain Barrier

The brain and the bloodstream are separated by the blood-brain barrier. This barrier stops large molecules, toxins, and most blood cells traveling from the blood into the brain. The spinal cord and bloodstream also have a blood-spinal cord barrier.

If a patient has a condition that affects the CNS, it will disrupt the blood-brain barrier, which changes in the composition of the spinal fluid can usually detect.

Uses of CSF

A CSF analysis is used to measure different substances in the cerebrospinal fluid. It may include tests to diagnose:

Autoimmune conditions, such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and Guillain-Barre syndrome, can lead to an inflammatory response that researchers can detect by the presence of autoantibodies in the CSF.

Doctors can also identify certain cancers, including leukemia, as the CSF analysis test may reveal increased numbers of white blood cells. Doctors also use the CSF analysis test to check for primary and metastatic cancerous tumors in the CNS.

The CSF analysis test can also diagnose Alzheimer’s disease, by measuring levels of amyloid beta 1-42 (Aß1-42) and p- and t- tau proteins.

In cases of infectious diseases causing meningitis and encephalitis, doctors use a CSF test to find out if the cause is viral, fungal, bacterial, or due to a parasite, which will influence the course of treatment.

How is CSF Taken?

To obtain a Your doctor will use a procedure called a spinal tap or lumbar puncture. They’ll take a sample of cerebrospinal fluid with a long, thin needle.

You’ll get a local anesthetic to numb the skin in the area, and the needle will go in between two of your vertebrae, the bones that surround your spinal cord and make up your spine. They’ll take a tablespoon or two of the fluid for testing.

It usually takes about 45 minutes.You’ll rest for a while afterward and someone may tell you not to do anything strenuous for about a day. You may have a headache afterward but tell your doctor if it lasts more than a few hours.

What is a Lumbar Puncture?

If a doctor suspects that a patient has a condition affecting the CNS, or that cancer that may have spread to the CNS, the doctor may send the patient for a lumbar puncture to obtain a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) sample.

Lumbar Puncture Procedure

Doctors usually perform a lumbar puncture on a patient who is lying still in a fetal position. The doctor will clean the skin of the person’s lower back and inject a local anesthesia.

After back is numb, the doctor will insert a hollow needle into the spinal canal, containing the spinal cord between two vertebrae. This part of the procedure is called the “opening.”

The doctor will collect samples of cerebrospinal fluid CSF in sterile vials before withdrawing the needle; they will then apply a sterile dressing and pressure as part of the closing.

The procedure usually takes about 30 minutes and may be uncomfortable for some patients.

Following are the signs and symptoms of conditions that affect the CNS:

  • Changes in consciousness and mental state
  • Depression and mood swings
  • Dizziness
  • Confusion, hallucinations, or seizures
  • Nausea
  • Numbness or tremor
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Speech difficulties
  • Walking difficulties

Related Procedures

Sometimes a patient can’t have a lumbar puncture because of a back deformity, infection, or possible brain herniation. In these cases, a more invasive CSF collection method that requires hospitalization might be used, such as one of the following:

  • During a ventricular puncture, your doctor drills a hole into your skull and inserts a needle directly into one of the ventricles of your brain.
  • A ventricular shunt or drain can collect CSF from a tube that your doctor places in your brain. This is done to release high fluid pressure.
  • During a cisternal puncture, your doctor inserts a needle into the back of your skull.

CSF collection is often combined with other procedures. For example, dye might be inserted into your CSF for a myelogram. This is an X-ray or computerized tomography (CT) scan of your brain and spine.

Risks of Lumbar Puncture Procedure

Some patients experience a headache between 24 and 48 hours after the procedure. People have described the pain as a dull or throbbing pain at the front of the head, sometimes spreading to the neck and shoulders.

Over-the-counter medications can help alleviate soreness, but if the pain is severe or is accompanied by sickness and vomiting, it is important to seek medical attention.

To reduce the risk of developing a post-lumbar puncture headache, a patient will be asked to lie on their back quietly and not lift their head for 1 to 2 hours after the procedure.

The lumbar puncture is performed below the end of the spinal cord where there are small strands of nerves. Sometimes, the needle can make contact with a small vein, causing a traumatic tap.

If this happens, a small amount of blood may leak into one or more of the samples, which may impact the results.

Some patients experience lower back pain in the area where the procedure took place, while others may also feel pain in the back of their legs. Doctors usually recommend over-the-counter pain relievers, and the pain usually subsides in a few days.

A person may also experience some bruising and swelling related to a small amount of leaking fluid collecting under the skin. This tends to go away without treatment.

Results of CSF Tests

The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) sample that is collected during a lumbar puncture will contain protein and glucose and may also contain white blood cells. It will be examined to detect any disruption to the normal flow of CSF or damage to the blood-brain barrier.

Diagnostic tests performed on the CSF look at the following:

  • Color, clarity, and pressure during collection
  • Glucose levels
  • Gram stain and culture, if an infection is suspected
  • Numbers of different types of cells present (differential cell count)
  • Protein levels
  • Total number of cells present (cell count)

Depending on the results of the test and the signs and symptoms the patient experienced, a doctor may perform further tests.

These fall into the following four broad categories:

  • Chemical tests: These detect or measure the chemical substances in the CSF, including levels of protein and glucose, which usually correlate with their concentration in the blood.
  • Cell count and differential: Any cells present may be counted and identified under a microscope.
  • Infectious disease tests: Numerous tests can identify microorganisms if an infection is suspected. 
  • Physical characteristics: These include measuring the pressure of the CSF flow and checking whether the color and consistency are normal.

If analysis of the CSF identifies any irregularities, a doctor will recommend further tests to help make a diagnosis.

Biospecimens

Bay Biosciences is, indeed a global leader in providing researchers with high quality, clinical grade, fully characterized human tissue samples, bio-specimens, and human bio-fluid collections.

Specifically, aamples available include cancer (tumor) tissue, cancer serum, cancer plasma, cancer, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and human tissue samples from most other therapeutic areas and diseases.

Moreover, Bay Biosciences maintains and manages its own biorepository, the human tissue bank (biobank) consisting of thousands of diseased samples (specimens) and from normal healthy donors available in all formats and types.

In fact, our biobank procures and stores fully consented, de-identified and institutional review boards (IRB) approved human tissue samples and matched controls.

Additionally, all our human tissue collections, human specimens and human bio-fluids are provided with detailed, samples associated patient’s clinical data.

In particular, critical patient’s clinical data includes information relating to their past and current disease, treatment history, lifestyle choices, biomarkers, and genetic information.

Moreover, researchers find patient’s data extremely valuable and use it to help identify new effective treatments (drug discovery & development) in oncology, and other therapeutic areas and diseases.

Specifically, Bay Biosciences banks wide variety of human tissue samples and biological samples, including cryogenically preserved at – 80°C.

For example fresh frozen tissue samples, tumor tissue samples, formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE), tissue slides, with matching human bio-fluids, whole blood and blood-derived products such as serum, plasma and PBMC.

Furthermore, Bay Biosciences is a global leader in collecting and providing human tissue samples according to the specified requirements and customized, tailor-made collection protocols.

Therefore, please contact us anytime to discuss your special research projects and customized human tissue sample requirements.

Types of Biospecimens

Bay Biosciences provides human tissue samples (human specimens) from diseased and normal healthy donors which includes:

  • Firstly, Peripheral whole-blood
  • Secondly, Amniotic fluid
  • Third, Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL)
  • Moreover, Sputum
  • Furthermore, Pleural effusion
  • Next, Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
  • Also, Serum (sera)
  • Likewise, Plasma
  • In addition, Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC)
  • For example, Saliva
  • Also, Buffy coat
  • Moreover, Urine
  • Furthermore, stool samples
  • Next, Aqueous humor
  • Likewise, Vitreous humor
  • Lastly, Kidney stones (renal calculi)
  • Finally, Other bodily fluids from most diseases including cancer.

Moreover, we can also procure most human bio-specimens, furthermore; we offer special collections and requests for human samples that are difficult to find. All our human tissue samples are procured through IRB-approved clinical protocols and procedures.

In addition to the standard processing protocols, Bay Biosciences can also provide human plasma, serum, and PBMC bio-fluid samples using custom processing protocols. Additionally you buy donor-specific collections in higher volumes and specified sample aliquots from us.

Furthermore, Bay Biosciences also provides human samples from normal healthy donors; volunteers, for controls and clinical research, contact us Now.

 

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