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Nonhuman Primate Tissue Bank

The NIA Nonhuman Primate Tissue Bank is a repository of tissues collected from nonhuman primate (NHP) species under a contractual arrangement with the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center (WNPRC). The NIA supports the three R’s of research (Replacement, Reduction, & Refinement) through maximizing the use of existing banked samples from NHPs and providing tissues for aging research.

Tissues from the NIA Nonhuman Primate Tissue Bank are available at no cost to investigators conducting aging research studies funded by the NIH, other United States (U.S.) government agencies, and U.S. non-profit organizations. Studies conducted at for-profit entities are not eligible unless they are funded through federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBTT) programs. NIA cannot distribute NHP tissue outside of the U.S. or U.S. territories.

Callitrichid Trichrome Heart
Photomicrograph of a section of heart from a geriatric Callitrichid stained with Massan’s trichrome to emphasize the severe interstitial fibrosis (blue) within the myocardium (pink) of the left ventricle. 

Available tissue

The NIA Nonhuman Primate Tissue Bank collects and archives tissue from necropsies performed at National Primate Research Centers, universities, and research facilities with primate colonies nationwide.

  • The age range is wide and includes both geriatric and adult control NHPs.
  • The six species represented in the Bank are macaques, marmosets, and a small selection of tamarins, baboons and green monkeys.
  • 30+ tissue types are available including: Adipose, Thoracic Aorta, Bone, Brain (one hemisphere fixed and serially sectioned and one hemisphere serially sectioned and frozen), Ileocecocolic Junction, Colon, Esophagus, Eye, Heart, Jejunum, Kidney, Liver, Lung, Lymph nodes, Mammary, Muscle, Ovary, Pancreas, Prostate, Salivary gland, Serum, Skin, Spleen, Stomach, Testes, Thymus, Tongue, Trachea, and Uterus. Additional tissue types are available in limited quantities for some species, sexes, and ages.
  • Tissues are collected and stored as: (1) fresh frozen (approximately 1 g of tissue per vial), stored at –80°C; (2) formalin fixed and embedded in paraffin blocks; or (3) fresh frozen blocks in OCT medium, stored at –80°C. Fixed tissues are distributed as unstained sections on glass slides or paraffin scrolls. Slides may be stained upon request.
  • Health data available.
  • Tissues can be used for several applications, including but not limited to: morphology studies, RNA/DNA isolation and sequencing, protein extraction and analysis, immunohistochemistry, and in situ hybridization.
  • How to request tissue

    To request tissues from the Nonhuman Primate Tissue Bank, use the request form below and email it to Heidi Brogdon brogdonh@mail.nih.gov.
    Clearly indicate on the form the species, age, gender, tissue type, and quantities requested.

    Once you submit the Request Form, you will receive an email within 2 business days. If you do not receive an email, contact Heidi Brogdon.

    Note: If there is a problem with the tissue you receive, you must contact Heidi Brogdon within 24 hours. NIA will only replace orders if they were not filled correctly by the distribution center or if they were lost in shipping.

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How to acknowledge the resource

The following language should be used for the required acknowledgment of this NIA resource in publications such as peer reviewed manuscripts, pre-publications (e.g. BioRXiv), conference abstracts, conference posters, and conference presentations that use materials from the NIA Nonhuman Primate Tissue Bank:

“This research was made possible in part using biomaterials from the NIA Nonhuman Primate Tissue Bank (Nonhuman Primate Tissue Bank | National Institute on Aging (nih.gov) at the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison under contractual agreement with the National Institute on Aging (NIA).”

Please inform Dr. Tiziana Cogliati tiziana.cogliati@nih.gov and Dr. Heather Simmons niatissuebank@primate.wisc.edu when you have a research paper published electronically or in press or when conference abstracts/posters/presentations are accepted.

How to donate tissues

Donations of NHP samples to the NIA Nonhuman Primate Tissue Bank are highly desired. All materials and procedures for sample collection are provided and the costs for shipping are covered. Both young adult and aged animals are accepted. Contact niatissuebank@primate.wisc.edu for more information or to receive a sample collection kit.

nia.nih.gov

An official website of the National Institutes of Health