Christina Vagena-Pantoula, Hajime Fukui, Julien Vermot
{"title":"Manipulating Mechanical Forces in the Developing Zebrafish Heart Using Magnetic Beads.","authors":"Christina Vagena-Pantoula, Hajime Fukui, Julien Vermot","doi":"10.3791/67604","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3791/67604","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Mechanical forces continuously provide feedback to heart valve morphogenetic programs. In zebrafish, cardiac valve development relies on heart contraction and physical stimuli generated by the beating heart. Intracardiac hemodynamics, driven by blood flow, emerge as fundamental information shaping the development of the embryonic heart. Here, we describe an effective method to manipulate mechanical forces in vivo by grafting a 30 µm to 60 µm diameter magnetic bead in the cardiac lumen. The insertion of the bead is conducted through microsurgery in anesthetized larvae without perturbing heart function and enables artificial alteration of the boundary conditions, thereby modifying flow forces in the system. As a result, the presence of the bead amplifies the mechanical forces experienced by endocardial cells and can directly trigger mechanical stimulus-dependent calcium influx. This approach facilitates the investigation of mechanotransduction pathways that govern heart development and can provide insights into the role of mechanical forces in cardiac valve morphogenesis.</p>","PeriodicalId":48787,"journal":{"name":"Jove-Journal of Visualized Experiments","volume":" 215","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143014334","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Quantifying Pulmonary Microvascular Density in Mice Across Lobules.","authors":"Chunyan Li, Zhu Wang, Junrong Du, Tao Jia","doi":"10.3791/66681","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3791/66681","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The abnormal alternation of pulmonary angiogenesis is related to lung microvascular dysfunction and is deeply linked to vascular wall integrity, blood flow regulation, and gas exchange. In murine models, lung lobes exhibit significant differences in size, shape, location, and vascularization, yet existing methods lack consideration for these variations when quantifying microvascular density. This limitation hinders the comprehensive study of lung microvascular dysfunction and the potential remodeling of microvasculature circulation across different lobules. Our protocol addresses this gap by employing two sectioning methods to quantify pulmonary microvascular density changes, leveraging the size, shape, and distribution of airway branches across distinct lobes in mice. We then utilize Isolectin B4 (IB4) staining to label lung microvascular endothelial cells on different slices, followed by unbiased microvascular density analysis using the freely available software ImageJ. The results presented here highlight varying degrees of microvascular density changes across lung lobules with aging, comparing young and old mice. This protocol offers a straightforward and cost-effective approach for unbiased quantification of pulmonary microvascular density, facilitating research on both physiological and pathological aspects of lung microvasculature.</p>","PeriodicalId":48787,"journal":{"name":"Jove-Journal of Visualized Experiments","volume":" 215","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143014415","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Russell W Cochrane, Rob A Robino, Leonardo M R Ferreira
{"title":"Generation of Human Chimeric Antigen Receptor Regulatory T Cells.","authors":"Russell W Cochrane, Rob A Robino, Leonardo M R Ferreira","doi":"10.3791/67200","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3791/67200","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has reshaped the face of cancer treatment, leading to record remission rates in previously incurable hematological cancers. These successes have spurred interest in adapting the CAR platform to a small yet pivotal subset of CD4<sup>+</sup> T cells primarily responsible for regulating and inhibiting the immune response, regulatory T cells (Tregs). The ability to redirect Tregs' immunosuppressive activity to any extracellular target has enormous implications for creating cell therapies for autoimmune disease, organ transplant rejection, and graft-versus-host disease. Here, we describe in detail methodologies for bona fide Treg isolation from human peripheral blood, genetic modification of human Tregs utilizing either lentivirus or CRISPR/Cas9-aided knock-in using adeno-associated virus-mediated homologous directed repair (HDR) template delivery, and ex vivo expansion of stable human CAR Tregs. Lastly, we describe the assessment of human CAR Treg phenotypic stability and in vitro suppressive function, which provides insights into how the human CAR Tregs will behave in preclinical and clinical applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":48787,"journal":{"name":"Jove-Journal of Visualized Experiments","volume":" 215","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143014162","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Xun Mingjuan, Lin Han, Yu Caiyuan, Pang Bo, Wang Yongzhi, Yan Jun
{"title":"Surgical Transplantation of Tumor Cells into the Spinal Cord of Mice.","authors":"Xun Mingjuan, Lin Han, Yu Caiyuan, Pang Bo, Wang Yongzhi, Yan Jun","doi":"10.3791/67269","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3791/67269","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Spinal cord gliomas are commonly malignant tumors of the spinal cord, leading to a high rate of disability. However, uniform treatment guidelines and comprehensive data on spinal cord gliomas remain limited due to the lack of suitable preclinical animal models. Developing a simple and reproducible animal model has become essential for advancing basic and translational research. A murine model is ideal, as the murine spinal cord shares structural similarities with the human spinal cord. This protocol describes the generation of a reproducible murine model of spinal cord glioma by directly injecting tumor cells into the intervertebral space using the spinous process of the seventh cervical vertebra as a guide. Compared to other methods, this approach is more effective and convenient, involving a smaller incision, reduced invasiveness and blood loss, faster recovery, and more stable tumor formation. This model is expected to advance the understanding of disease mechanisms, optimize surgical strategies, and support the development of therapeutic drugs for spinal cord gliomas.</p>","PeriodicalId":48787,"journal":{"name":"Jove-Journal of Visualized Experiments","volume":" 214","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2024-12-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142972877","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Chessboard-like Burn Wound Healing Model of Mice Based on Digital Heating Device.","authors":"Yeling Ou, Jing Wang, Luoyao Wang, Longjiang Ding, Sili Han, Linglin Zhang","doi":"10.3791/67375","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3791/67375","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Severe burn injuries are among the most traumatic and physically debilitating conditions, impacting nearly every organ system and resulting in considerable morbidity and mortality. Given their complexity and the involvement of multiple organs, various animal models have been created to replicate different facets of burn injury. Methods used to produce burned surfaces vary among experimental animal models. This study describes a simple, cost-effective, and user-friendly mouse burn model for creating consistent full-thickness burns using a digital heating device. The tip of this device was applied to the dorsum of mice for 10 s at 97 °C to establish a chessboard-like burn and examine wound healing under the treatment of an experimental dressing. Skin samples were collected for histological analysis, including Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) staining and Masson's staining. Wound healing was assessed through analysis of the wound area and microscopic examination of inflammatory infiltration, re-epithelialization, and granulation tissue formation. The mouse burn injury model can serve as a fundamental tool in studying the pathophysiology of thermal injuries and evaluating therapeutic interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":48787,"journal":{"name":"Jove-Journal of Visualized Experiments","volume":" 214","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2024-12-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142972868","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Ginger Moxibustion, A Non-pharmacological Treatment, for Diarrhea in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.","authors":"Linsen Gu, Fanyi Yuan, Shishuang Yu, Yijia Xia, Ke Liu, Jurong Zeng, Chuantao Zhang","doi":"10.3791/67224","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3791/67224","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a common and frequently occurring disease in the elderly population, and it tends to progressively worsen. Diarrhea is a common extrapulmonary complication in patients with COPD. Diarrhea can cause dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, weakness, and a loss of appetite, among other adverse consequences, which seriously affect the quality of life and nutritional status of patients. These consequences are not conducive to improving airway obstruction in COPD patients. At present, modern medicine has poor curative effects, fails to control symptoms fully, causes a relapse after drug withdrawal, has side effects, and increases the medication burden of patients. Ginger moxibustion is a unique non-pharmacological therapy of traditional Chinese medicine, which is safe and effective in controlling diarrhea, has few side effects, and is easy to accept. It is, therefore, an ideal alternative therapy. This article aims to introduce the protocol of ginger moxibustion for treating diarrhea in COPD patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":48787,"journal":{"name":"Jove-Journal of Visualized Experiments","volume":" 214","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2024-12-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142972871","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Visualizing the DNA Damage Response in Purkinje Cells Using Cerebellar Organotypic Cultures.","authors":"Sharone Naor, Yael Ziv, Yosef Shiloh","doi":"10.3791/67167","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3791/67167","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cerebellar Purkinje cells (PCs) exhibit a unique interplay of high metabolic rates, specific chromatin architecture, and extensive transcriptional activity, making them particularly vulnerable to DNA damage. This necessitates an efficient DNA damage response (DDR) to prevent cerebellar degeneration, often initiated by PC dysfunction or loss. A notable example is the genome instability syndrome, ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T), marked by progressive PC depletion and cerebellar deterioration. Investigating DDR mechanisms in PCs is vital for elucidating the pathways leading to their degeneration in such disorders. However, the complexity of isolating and cultivating PCs in vitro has long hindered research efforts. Murine cerebellar organotypic (slice) cultures offer a feasible alternative, closely mimicking the in vivo tissue environment. Yet, this model is constrained to DDR indicators amenable to microscopic imaging. We have refined the organotypic culture protocol, demonstrating that fluorescent imaging of protein-bound poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) chains, a rapid and early DDR indicator, effectively reveals DDR dynamics in PCs within these cultures, in response to genotoxic stress.</p>","PeriodicalId":48787,"journal":{"name":"Jove-Journal of Visualized Experiments","volume":" 214","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2024-12-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142972878","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Dennis Hasenklever, Joana C Pohlentz, Tom Berwanger, Emmanuel J Kokarakis, Tanvir Hassan, Kerstin Schipper, Anna Matuszyńska, Ilka M Axmann, Daniel C Ducat
{"title":"Assembly and Quantification of Co-Cultures Combining Heterotrophic Yeast with Phototrophic Sugar-Secreting Cyanobacteria.","authors":"Dennis Hasenklever, Joana C Pohlentz, Tom Berwanger, Emmanuel J Kokarakis, Tanvir Hassan, Kerstin Schipper, Anna Matuszyńska, Ilka M Axmann, Daniel C Ducat","doi":"10.3791/67311","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3791/67311","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>With the increasing demand for sustainable biotechnologies, mixed consortia containing a phototrophic microbe and heterotrophic partner species are being explored as a method for solar-driven bioproduction. One approach involves the use of CO2-fixing cyanobacteria that secrete organic carbon to support the metabolism of a co-cultivated heterotroph, which in turn transforms the carbon into higher-value goods or services. In this protocol, a technical description to assist the experimentalist in the establishment of a co-culture combining a sucrose-secreting cyanobacterial strain with a fungal partner(s), as represented by model yeast species, is provided. The protocol describes the key prerequisites for co-culture establishment: Defining the media composition, monitoring the growth characteristics of individual partners, and the analysis of mixed cultures with multiple species combined in the same growth vessel. Basic laboratory techniques for co-culture monitoring, including microscopy, cell counter, and single-cell flow cytometry, are summarized, and examples of nonproprietary software to use for data analysis of raw flow cytometry standard (FCS) files in line with FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) principles are provided. Finally, commentary on the bottlenecks and pitfalls frequently encountered when attempting to establish a co-culture with sugar-secreting cyanobacteria and a novel heterotrophic partner is included. This protocol provides a resource for researchers attempting to establish a new pair of co-cultured microbes that includes a cyanobacterium and a heterotrophic microbe.</p>","PeriodicalId":48787,"journal":{"name":"Jove-Journal of Visualized Experiments","volume":" 214","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2024-12-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142972867","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Thi Xuan Thuy Tran, Hue Vy An Tran, In-Jeong Lee, Jong-Young Kwak
{"title":"Establishing a Three-Dimensional Coculture Module of Epithelial Cells Using Nanofibrous Membranes.","authors":"Thi Xuan Thuy Tran, Hue Vy An Tran, In-Jeong Lee, Jong-Young Kwak","doi":"10.3791/67780","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3791/67780","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Technical hurdles in a culture of epithelial cells include dedifferentiation and loss of function. Biomimetic three-dimensional (3D) cell culture methods can enhance cell culture efficiency. This study introduces an advanced two-layered culture system intended to cultivate epithelial cells as tissue-like layers with the culture of fibroblasts within a 3D environment. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) nanofibrous membranes (NMs) were fabricated via electrospinning and utilized as a physiologically relevant extracellular matrix for the culture of epithelial cells and fibroblasts, respectively. In the upper insert wells, lung epithelial cells were cultivated on the PVA NM, and in the lower chambers, fibroblasts were cultured on the PCL NM. This configuration eliminates direct cell-cell contact and facilitates the examination of paracrine signaling mediated by soluble factors. Confocal microscopy was employed to analyze the distribution, growth pattern, and expression of intracellular proteins, including zona occludens in epithelial cells. Z-stacking techniques enabled detailed 3D reconstructions, providing precise insights into the integrity of tight junctions and spatial organization within the epithelial layer. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) assessed the morphological characteristics of cell types on the nanofibrous membranes. SEM imaging revealed intricate cell surface structures and interactions with the nanofibers, offering a comprehensive perspective on cellular architecture and cell interaction with nanofibrous structure. The Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay is a simple method for measuring epithelial cell and fibroblast growth rates over time. It provides the proliferative behaviors and potential synergistic effects of coculturing these cells. These findings highlight the effectiveness of a simple insert co-culture system for simultaneous culture of fibroblasts and epithelial cells, which is crucial in various physiological and pharmacological contexts, including epithelial tissue regeneration, tumor microenvironment with endothelial, immune, and other stroma cells, toxicity assay, and drug activity test.</p>","PeriodicalId":48787,"journal":{"name":"Jove-Journal of Visualized Experiments","volume":" 214","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2024-12-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142972869","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Matthias Leung, Rakesh Radhakrishnan, Anjelynt Lor, Dorothy Li, Drew Yochim, Swati More, Glenn P Lobo
{"title":"Quantitative Analysis of Dietary Vitamin A Metabolites in Murine Ocular and Non-Ocular Tissues Using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography.","authors":"Matthias Leung, Rakesh Radhakrishnan, Anjelynt Lor, Dorothy Li, Drew Yochim, Swati More, Glenn P Lobo","doi":"10.3791/67034","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3791/67034","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are a superfamily of transmembrane proteins that initiate signaling cascades through activation of its G protein upon association with its ligand. In all mammalian vision, rhodopsin is the GPCR responsible for the initiation of the phototransduction cascade. Within photoreceptors, rhodopsin is bound to its chromophore 11-cis-retinal and is activated through the light-sensitive isomerization of 11-cis-retinal to all-trans-retinal, which activates the transducin G protein, resulting in the phototransduction cascade. While phototransduction is well understood, the processes that are involved in the supply of dietary vitamin A precursors for 11-cis-retinal generation in the eye, as well as diseases resulting in disruption of this supply, are not yet fully understood. Once vitamin A precursors are absorbed into the intestine, they are stored in the liver as retinyl esters and released into the bloodstream as all-trans-retinol bound to retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4). This circulatory RBP4-retinol will be absorbed by systemic organs, such as the liver, lungs, kidney, and eye. Hence, a method for the quantification of the various metabolites of dietary vitamin A in the eye and systemic organs is critical to the study of proper rhodopsin GPCR function. In this method, we present a comprehensive extraction and analytical method for vitamin A analysis in murine tissue. Through normal-phase, high-performance liquid chromatography analysis, all relevant isomers of retinaldehydes, retinols, and retinyl esters can be detected simultaneously through a single run, which allows for the efficient use of experimental samples and increases internal reliability across different vitamin A metabolites within the same sample. With this comprehensive method, investigators will be able to better assess systemic vitamin A supply in rhodopsin GPCR function.</p>","PeriodicalId":48787,"journal":{"name":"Jove-Journal of Visualized Experiments","volume":" 214","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2024-12-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142972874","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}