University of Hertfordshire

4 ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN JoVE

Neuroscience

In Vitro Recording of Mesenteric Afferent Nerve Activity in Mouse Jejunal and Colonic Segments

Sara Nullens¹, Annemie Deiteren², Wen Jiang³, Christopher Keating⁴, Hannah Ceuleers¹, Sven Francque⁵, David Grundy³, Joris G. De Man¹, Benedicte Y. De Winter¹

¹Laboratory of Experimental Medicine and Pediatrics, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Antwerp, ²Visceral Pain Group, Discipline of Medicine, University of Adelaide, ³Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sheffield, ⁴Department of Pharmacy, Pharmacology and Postgraduate Medicine, University of Hertfordshire, ⁵Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Antwerp University Hospital

Mesenteric afferent nerves convey information from the gastrointestinal tract towards the brain regarding normal homeostasis as well as pathophysiology. Gastrointestinal afferent nerve activity can be assessed by mounting isolated intestinal segments with attached afferent nerves into an organ bath, isolating the nerve, and assessing basal as well as stimulated activity.

Biology

Imaging Calcium Dynamics in Subpopulations of Mouse Pancreatic Islet Cells

Alexander Hamilton^1,2, Elisa Vergari¹, Caroline Miranda³, Andrei I. Tarasov^1,4,5

¹Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Oxford, ²Lund University Diabetes Centre, Unit of Molecular Metabolism, Clinical Research Centre, Malmö University HospitalMalmö, ³Institute of Neuroscience of Physiology, Department of Physiology, Metabolic Research Unit, University of Göteborg, ⁴Oxford National Institute for Health Research, Biomedical Research Centre, ⁵Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire

Here, we present a protocol for imaging and quantifying calcium dynamics in heterogeneous cell populations, such as pancreatic islet cells. Fluorescent reporters are delivered into the peripheral layer of cells within the islet, which is then immobilized and imaged, and per-cell analysis of the dynamics of fluorescence intensity is performed.

Bioengineering

Electrowetting-based Digital Microfluidics Platform for Automated Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay

Nikolay Dimov¹, Martin B. McDonnell¹, Ian Munro¹, Daniel K. McCluskey¹, Ian D. Johnston¹, Christabel K. L. Tan¹, Loïc Coudron¹

¹School of Engineering and Computer Science, University of Hertfordshire

Electrowetting-based digital microfluidic is a technique that utilizes a voltage-driven change in the apparent contact angle of a microliter-volume droplet to facilitate its manipulation. Combining this with functionalized magnetic beads enables the integration of multiple laboratory unit operations for sample preparation and identification of pathogens using Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA).

Biology

Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization on DNA Halo Preparations to Reveal Whole Chromosomes, Telomeres and Gene Loci

Lauren S. Godwin¹, Emily Roberts², Joanna M. Bridger¹, Helen A. Foster²

¹Laboratory of Nuclear and Genomic Health, Centre for Genome Engineering and Maintenance, Division of Biosciences, Department of Life Sciences, College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, ²Biosciences, Department of Clinical, Pharmaceutical and Biological Science, School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire

Combining DNA halo preparations with fluorescence in situ hybridization enables high-resolution analysis of genomic interactions with the nucleoskeleton. Attached genome leads to hybridized fluorescent signals located within the residual extracted nuclei, whereas non-attached genome is in the halo of DNA surrounding the residual nuclei.