University of Montréal

5 ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN JoVE

Neuroscience

Assessment of Vascular Regeneration in the CNS Using the Mouse Retina

Khalil Miloudi¹, Agnieszka Dejda², François Binet³, Eric Lapalme², Agustin Cerani², Przemyslaw Sapieha^1,2,3

¹Department of Neurology-Neurosurgery, McGill University, ²Department of Biochemistry, Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital Research Centre, University of Montréal, ³Department of Ophthalmology, Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital Research Centre, University of Montréal

The rodent retina has long been recognized as an accessible window to the brain. In this technical paper we provide a protocol that employs the mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy to study the mechanisms that lead to failure of vascular regeneration within the central nervous system after ischemic injury. The described system can also be harnessed to explore strategies to promote regrowth of functional blood vessels within the retina and CNS.

Neuroscience

The Use of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy as a Tool for the Measurement of Bi-hemispheric Transcranial Electric Stimulation Effects on Primary Motor Cortex Metabolism

Sara Tremblay¹, Vincent Beaulé¹, Sébastien Proulx², Louis-Philippe Lafleur¹, Julien Doyon¹, Małgorzata Marjańska³, Hugo Théoret¹

¹Department of Psychology, University of Montréal, ²Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, ³Center for Magnetic Resonance Research and Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota

This article aims to describe a basic protocol for combining transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) with proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H-MRS) measurements to investigate the effects of bilateral stimulation on primary motor cortex metabolism.

Immunology and Infection

Generation of Lymphocytic Microparticles and Detection of their Proapoptotic Effect on Airway Epithelial Cells

Chun Yang^*1, Wei Xiong^*2, Qian Qiu², Houda Tahiri¹, Carmen Gagnon¹, Guoxiang Liu², Pierre Hardy¹

¹Departments of Pediatrics and Pharmacology, University of Montréal, ²Department of Pulmonology, Chongqing Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University

Cell membrane–shed microparticles (MPs) are active biological vesicles that can be isolated and their pathophysiological effects investigated in various models. Here we describe a method for generating MPs derived from T lymphocytes (LMPs) and for demonstrating their proapoptotic effect on airway epithelial cells.

Biochemistry

Voltage-clamp Fluorometry in Xenopus Oocytes Using Fluorescent Unnatural Amino Acids

Tanja Kalstrup¹, Rikard Blunck^1,2

¹Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Montréal, ²Department of Physics, University of Montréal

This article describes an enhancement of conventional Voltage-Clamp Fluorometry (VCF) where Fluorescent Unnatural Amino Acids (fUAA) are used instead of maleimide dyes, to probe structural rearrangements in ion channels. The procedure includes Xenopus oocyte DNA injection, RNA/fUAA coinjection, and simultaneous current and fluorescence measurements.

Biochemistry

In Vitro Ubiquitination and Deubiquitination Assays of Nucleosomal Histones

Louis Masclef^*1, Uriarte Maxime^*1, Oumaima Ahmed¹, Nadine Sen Nkwe¹, Haithem Barbour¹, Nicholas V.G. Iannantuono¹, Amina Boubekeur¹, Salima Daou^1,2, El Bachir Affar^1,2

¹Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital Research Center and Department of Medicine, University of Montréal, ²Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health System

Ubiquitination is a post-translational modification that plays important roles in cellular processes and is tightly coordinated by deubiquitination. Defects in both reactions underlie human pathologies. We provide protocols for conducting ubiquitination and deubiquitination reaction in vitro using purified components.