Universidade Federal De Minas Gerais

4 ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN JoVE

Neuroscience

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) in Mice

Eduardo de Souza Nicolau¹, Kevin Augusto Farias de Alvarenga¹, Helia Tenza-Ferrer¹, Matheus Carvalho Alves Nogueira¹, Fernanda Donizete Rezende¹, Nycolle Ferreira Nicolau¹, Mélcar Collodetti¹, Débora Marques de Miranda¹, Luiz Alexandre Viana Magno¹, Marco Aurélio Romano-Silva¹

¹Centro de Tecnologia em Medicina Molecular (CTMM), Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a therapeutic technique proposed to treat psychiatric diseases. An animal model is essential for understanding the specific biological alterations evoked by tDCS. This protocol describes a tDCS mouse model that uses a chronically implanted electrode.

Biology

Quantitative Analysis of Viscoelastic Properties of Red Blood Cells Using Optical Tweezers and Defocusing Microscopy

Lucas Barreto^*1,2, Fran Gomez^*1,2, Pedro S. Lourenço^1,2, Douglas G. Freitas^1,2, Juliana Soares^1,3, Clemilson Berto-Junior^4,5, Ubirajara Agero⁶, Nathan B. Viana^1,2, Bruno Pontes^1,2,3,7

¹Centro Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem - CENABIO, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, ²Instituto de Física, Programa de Pós-graduação Multidisciplinar em Física Aplicada, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, ³Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas Biofísica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, ⁴Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro - Campus Macaé, ⁵Faculdade de Medicina, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Endocrinologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, ⁶Instituto de Ciências Exatas, Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, ⁷Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro

Here, an integrated protocol based on optical tweezers and defocusing microscopy is described to measure the rheological properties of cells. This protocol has wide applicability in studying the viscoelastic properties of erythrocytes under variable physio-pathological conditions.

Immunology and Infection

In Vitro Assay of Plasmodium-Infected Red Blood Cell Killing by Cytotoxic Lymphocytes

Luna de Lacerda^*1, Guilherme Castro^*1,2, Cristopher Gomes¹, Caroline Junqueira¹

¹Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, ²Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais

Here we describe a new method to help elucidate the mechanisms of cellular immunity to Plasmodium during the blood stage of infection. This is an in vitro assay that measures infected red blood cell killing by cytotoxic lymphocytes.

Biology

Studying Orthodontic Tooth Movement in Mice

José Alcides Almeida de Arruda¹, João Pacheco Colares², Mariana de Souza Santos³, Victor Zanetti Drumond⁴, Talita Martins⁵, Carolina Bosso André², Flávio Almeida Amaral⁶, Ildeu Andrade Jr.⁷, Tarcília Aparecida Silva⁸, Soraia Macari²

¹Department of Oral Diagnosis and Pathology, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, ²Department of Restorative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, ³Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Biological Science Institute, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, ⁴Private Clinic, ⁵Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, School of Engineering, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, ⁶Laboratory of Immunopharmacology, Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Biological Science Institute, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, ⁷Department of Orthodontics, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, ⁸Department of Oral Surgery, Pathology and Clinical Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais

Here, we present a protocol for studying orthodontic tooth movement (OTM), serving as a suitable model for investigating the mechanisms of bone adaptation, root resorption, and the response of bone cells to mechanical stimuli. This comprehensive guide provides detailed information on the OTM model, micro-computed tomography acquisition, and subsequent analysis.