An aqueous method is described for the isolation of highly purified nuclei from the ccrebral cortex of adult guinea pigs. Erythrocytes were removed by a short-time perfusion of the brain, myelin fragments by a rapid mechanical method, and blood capillaries by a centrifugal sieving through densc sucrose solutions. Thc nuclear preparation retained the activity of ATP:NMN adenylyltransfcrase. Recoveries of DNA in the P4I, P4II, PL and Ps preparations werc 30, 43, 8, and 7~, respectively. Microscopy and phase contrast microscopy showed a satisfactory removal of erythrocytes, myelin fragmcnts, capillaries, and cytoplasmic clcmcnts. Biochemical purity of samplcs was vcrificd by thc absence of several cytoplasmic enzyme activities. In thc electron microscopc, the majority of nuclei showed wcll-prescrved nuclear membrancs, with nuclcar pores, and werc providcd with a finely textured nuclcoplasm. Occasional contaminants wcrc elcmcnts of endoplasmic rcticulum and of the endothelium. Assortment of nuclci on a morphological basis showed that 55-65% and 47-53% of nuclei in the P4I and P4II preparations, rcsDcctivcly, consisted of neuronal nuclei. In thc PL preparation, the population of neuronal nuclei ranged between 72 and 83 ~, while 94--99 % of the nuclei in the Ps preparation consistcd of smaller nuclei, most likely of oligodcndroglial origin.