这项工作是通过科克南疗养院维多利亚大学医院乳腺基金，爱尔兰癌症协会（CRI07TAN）和科克癌症研究中心资助。复制不称职的重组腺病毒5 CMV启动子的转录调控下的粒子是一个样的礼物，格拉斯哥大学的教授安德鲁贝克。

媒体和试剂的制备<ol><li> 抗生素溶液 磷酸盐缓冲液（PBS 200 U / ml青霉素，200μg/ mL链霉素，5微克/毫升fungizone） </li><li> 收集和处理介质 贝科的改良Eagle培养基（DMEM）200 U / ml青霉素，200μg/ mL链霉素，5微克/毫升fungizone </li><li> 培养基 收集培养基中含有10％热灭活胎牛血清</li></ol>一，组织收集和储存病人组织收集科克教学医院的临床研究伦理委员会，并获得批准的是从患者手术前一天获得的知情同意。接受部分切除恶性疾病的患者肝组织。 <ol><li>在手术切除时获得新鲜的病人组织。 </li><li>组织是在收集媒体储存在4 ° C冷藏（组织可以存储高达12 h无生存能力的重大损失，但是立即处理建议）。 </li></ol>二。组织切片的制备及文化切片使用vibratome（徕卡，德国）。组织切片系统是根据制造商的说明使用。组织切片准备进行下一个无菌罩使用70％2 - 丙醇清洗工具。层厚设定为2000微米，并削减在22-26 RPM使用往复式刀片。 <ol><li>组织是在抗生素溶液冲洗三次。 </li><li>组织是连接到安装阶段使用无毒胶粘剂（Dermabond）。 </li><li>层厚切片是在22-26 RPM实现。 </li><li>片保持在6孔培养皿中（每孔片）在培养基在37℃，5％CO 2饱和湿度环境中。 </li></ol>三。基因传递到组织切片<ol><li>片是预先在37 ° C 2 H事先治疗。 </li><li>培养液是治疗介质取代。 </li><li>切片直接注射病毒载体（25μL病毒颗粒Ad5.CMVluc [1 × 10 9]）。另外，粒子可能被添加到中等，被动输液。 </li><li>经过两个小时的潜伏期，血清添加到中等。 </li></ol>四。发光分析基因表达分析<ol><li>片注入100μL荧光素底物（3毫克/毫升）。 </li><li> 6孔培养皿放在舞台上，孵育10 min。 </li><li>切片成像灵敏度高（图1）5分钟。 </li></ol>五，代表性的成果<img src="/files/ftp_upload/2378/2378fig1.jpg" alt="图1" /> 图1。使用IVIS检测系统对患者肝片的生物发光成像。

<ol>
	<li>van de Bovenkamp, M., Groothuis, G. M., Draaisma, A. L., Merema, M. T., Bezuijen, J. I., van Gils, M. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Precision-cut+liver+slices+as+a+new+model+to+study+toxicity-induced+hepatic+stellate+cell+activation+in+a+physiologic+milieu.">Precision-cut liver slices as a new model to study toxicity-induced hepatic stellate cell activation in a physiologic milieu.</a> Toxicol Sci. 85, 632-638 (2005).</li><li>Speirs, V., Green, A. R., Walton, D. S., Kerin, M. J., Fox, J. N., Carleton, P. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Short-term+primary+culture+of+epithelial+cells+derived+from+human+breast+tumours.">Short-term primary culture of epithelial cells derived from human breast tumours.</a> Br J Cancer. 78, 1421-1429 (1998).</li><li>Kirby, T. O., Rivera, A., Rein, D., Wang, M., Ulasov, I., Breidenbach, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+novel+ex+vivo+model+system+for+evaluation+of+conditionally+replicative+adenoviruses+therapeutic+efficacy+and+toxicity.">A novel ex vivo model system for evaluation of conditionally replicative adenoviruses therapeutic efficacy and toxicity.</a> Clin Cancer Res. 10, 8697-8703 (2004).</li><li>Josserand, V., Texier-Nogues, I., Huber, P., Favrot, M. C., Coll, J. L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Non-invasive+in+vivo+optical+imaging+of+the+lacZ+and+luc+gene+expression+in+mice.">Non-invasive in vivo optical imaging of the lacZ and luc gene expression in mice.</a> Gene Ther. 14, 1587-1593 (2007).</li></ol>

我们描述了一个前患者体内的组织培养方法和生物发光检测系统交付非固定的人体组织内的基因进行评估。该方法提供了一个简单，重复性的方式，培养组织切片。它有很大的潜力，因为它允许成各种人体组织，其中包括恶性组织成完整的人体组织的基因传递的研究，基因传递的分析和关于尊重个人的患者之间的变异程度高的影响，可以提供重要的信息基因的吸收。成功的转基因表?...

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">	
		
		<div>
		<table border="1">
		<thead>
		<tr>
		<th>Material Name</th>
		<th>Type</th>
		<th>Company</th>
		<th>Catalogue Number</th>
		<th>Comment</th>
		</tr>
		</thead>
		<tbody>
		
<tr>
<td>DMEM</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
<td>D6429</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>PBS</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
<td>D8537</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Firefly Luciferin</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Biosynth, Switzerland</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Dermabond</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Johnson &amp; Johnson</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Vibrotome</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Leica microsystems</td>
<td>VT 1000 A</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>		</tbody>
		</table>
		</div>

ex vivo culture of patient tissue &amp; examination of gene delivery

本视频介绍了病人组织，利用体外基因传递的研究模型。新鲜病人在手术时获得的组织切片和保持文化。 体外模型系统可以完整的病人组织和使用IVIS检测系统通过生物 ​​发光成像分析基因表达的基因进入实物交割。发光检测系统演示，而不需要为组织牺牲在个别切片基因表达的快速，准确的量化。这片组织文化系统可用于多种组织类型，包括正常的和恶性的组织，并允许我们研究的异质性和完整的组织，个别患者之间的变异程度高的影响。这个模型系统可用于在某些情况下，作为动物模型的替代性和互补的临床前模式进入临床试验之前。

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Ex Vivo Culture of Patient Tissue & Examination of Gene Delivery at JoVE.com

Ex Vivo Culture of Patient Tissue &amp; Examination of Gene Delivery

本文介绍了文化基因传递研究和基因表达的后续分析使用IVIS生物发光成像的患者的组织切片。

患者组织及基因传递考试前的体外培养

This video describes the use of patient tissue as an ex vivo model for the study of gene delivery.  Fresh patient tissue obtained at the time of surgery ...

ex-vivo-culture-of-patient-tissue-examination-of-gene-delivery

Research

JoVE Journal

Medicine

Ex Vivo Culture of Patient Tissue &amp; Examination of Gene Delivery

11.1K 次观看.  University College Cork. 本文介绍了文化基因传递研究和基因表达的后续分析使用IVIS生物发光成像的患者的组织切片。

视频: Ex Vivo Culture of Patient Tissue & Examination of Gene Delivery

Ex Vivo Infection of Live Tissue with Oncolytic Viruses

Oncolytic Viruses (OVs) are novel therapeutics that selectively replicate in and kill tumor cells1. Several clinical trials evaluating the effectiveness of a variety of oncolytic platforms including HSV, Reovirus, and Vaccinia OVs as treatment for cancer are currently underway2-5. One key characteristic of oncolytic viruses is that they can be genetically modified to express reporter transgenes which makes it possible to visualize the infection of tissues by microscopy or bio-luminescence imaging6,7. This offers a unique advantage since it is possible to infect tissues from patients ex vivo prior to therapy in order to ascertain the likelihood of successful oncolytic virotherapy8. To this end, it is critical to appropriately sample tissue to compensate for tissue heterogeneity and assess tissue viability, particularly prior to infection9. It is also important to follow viral replication using reporter transgenes if expressed by the oncolytic platform as well as by direct titration of tissues following homogenization in order to discriminate between abortive and productive infection. The object of this protocol is to address these issues and herein describes 1. The sampling and preparation of tumor tissue for cell culture 2. The assessment of tissue viability using the metabolic dye alamar blue 3. Ex vivo infection of cultured tissues with vaccinia virus expressing either GFP or firefly luciferase 4. Detection of transgene expression by fluorescence microscopy or using an In Vivo Imaging System (IVIS) 5. Quantification of virus by plaque assay. This comprehensive method presents several advantages including ease of tissue processing, compensation for tissue heterogeneity, control of tissue viability, and discrimination between abortive infection and bone fide viral replication.

Ex Vivo Infection of Live Tissue with Oncolytic Viruses

Oncolytic viruses are promising for cancer therapeutics. The ability to ascertain the infectability of live tissue specimens obtained from patients prior to treatment is a unique advantage of this therapeutic approach. This protocol describes how to process tissues for ex vivo infection with oncolytic virus and subsequent viral quantification.

前溶瘤病毒的活组织的体内感染

Oncolytic Viruses (OVs) are novel therapeutics that selectively replicate in and kill tumor cells1. Several clinical trials evaluating the effectiveness ...

科研

医学

An Orthotopic Bladder Cancer Model for Gene Delivery Studies

Bladder cancer is the second most common cancer of the urogenital tract and novel therapeutic approaches that can reduce recurrence and progression are needed. The tumor microenvironment can significantly influence tumor development and therapy response. It is therefore often desirable to grow tumor cells in the organ from which they originated. This protocol describes an orthotopic model of bladder cancer, in which MB49 murine bladder carcinoma cells are instilled into the bladder via catheterization. Successful tumor cell implantation in this model requires disruption of the protective glycosaminoglycan layer, which can be accomplished by physical or chemical means. In our protocol the bladder is treated with trypsin prior to cell instillation. Catheterization of the bladder can also be used to deliver therapeutics once the tumors are established. This protocol describes the delivery of an adenoviral construct that expresses a luciferase reporter gene. While our protocol has been optimized for short-term studies and focuses on gene delivery, the methodology of mouse bladder catheterization has broad applications.

Implantation of cancer cells into the organ of origin can serve as a useful preclinical model to evaluate novel therapies. MB49 bladder carcinoma cells can be grown within the bladder following intravesical instillation. This protocol demonstrates catheterization of the mouse bladder for the purpose of tumor implantation and adenoviral delivery.

原位膀胱癌模型的基因传递研究

Bladder cancer is the second most common cancer of the urogenital tract and novel therapeutic approaches that can reduce recurrence and progression are ...

Human Dupuytren's Ex Vivo Culture for the Study of Myofibroblasts and Extracellular Matrix Interactions

Organ fibrosis or &#8220;scarring&#8221; is known to account for a high death toll due to the extensive amount of disorders and organs affected (from cirrhosis to cardiovascular diseases). There is no effective treatment and the in vitro tools available do not mimic the in vivo situation rendering the progress of the out of control wound healing process still enigmatic.
To date, 2D and 3D cultures of fibroblasts derived from DD patients are the main experimental models available. Primary cell cultures have many limitations; the fibroblasts derived from DD are altered by the culture conditions, lack cellular context and interactions, which are crucial for the development of fibrosis and weakly represent the derived tissue. Real-time PCR analysis of fibroblasts derived from control and DD samples show that little difference is detectable. 3D cultures of fibroblasts include addition of extracellular matrix that alters the native conditions of these cells. 
As a way to characterize the fibrotic, proliferative properties of these resection specimens we have developed a 3D culture system, using intact human resections of the nodule part of the cord. The system is based on transwell plates with an attached nitrocellulose membrane that allows contact of the tissue with the medium but not with the plastic, thus, preventing the alteration of the tissue. No collagen gel or other extracellular matrix protein substrate is required. The tissue resection specimens maintain their viability and proliferative properties for 7 days. This is the first &#8220;organ&#8221; culture system that allows human resection specimens from DD patients to be grown ex vivo and functionally tested, recapitulating the in vivo situation.

Human Dupuytren&#039;s Ex Vivo Culture for the Study of Myofibroblasts and Extracellular Matrix Interactions

Dupuytren&#8217;s disease (DD) is a fibroproliferative disease of the palm of the hand. Here, we present a protocol to culture resection specimens from DD in a three-dimensional (3D) culture system. Such short-term culture system allows preservation of the 3D structure and molecular properties of the fibrotic tissue.

人掌腱膜挛缩的<em&gt;离体</em&gt;文化为肌成纤维细胞的研究和细胞外基质相互作用

Organ fibrosis or &#8220;scarring&#8221; is known to account for a high death toll due to the extensive amount of disorders and organs affected (from ...

Ex vivo Live Imaging of Lung Metastasis and Their Microenvironment

Metastasis is a major cause for cancer-related morbidity and mortality. Metastasis is a multistep process and due to its complexity, the exact cellular and molecular processes that govern metastatic dissemination and growth are still elusive. Live imaging allows visualization of the dynamic and spatial interactions of cells and their microenvironment. Solid tumors commonly metastasize to the lungs. However, the anatomical location of the lungs poses a challenge to intravital imaging. This protocol provides a relatively simple and quick method for ex vivo live imaging of the dynamic interactions between tumor cells and their surrounding stroma within lung metastasis. Using this method, the motility of cancer cells as well as interactions between cancer cells and stromal cells in their microenvironment can be visualized in real time for several hours. By using transgenic fluorescent reporter mice, a fluorescent cell line, injectable fluorescently labeled molecules and/or antibodies, multiple components of the lung microenvironment can be visualized, such as blood vessels and immune cells. To image the different cell types, a spinning disk confocal microscope that allows long-term continuous imaging with rapid, four-color image acquisition has been used. Time-lapse movies compiled from images collected over multiple positions and focal planes show interactions between live metastatic and immune cells for at least 4 hr. This technique can be further used to test chemotherapy or targeted therapy. Moreover, this method could be adapted for the study of other lung-related pathologies that may affect the lung microenvironment.

Ex vivo Live Imaging of Lung Metastasis and Their Microenvironment

We describe a relatively simple method for ex vivo live imaging of the tumor cell-stroma interactions within lung metastasis, utilizing fluorescent reporters in mice. Using spinning-disk confocal microscopy, this technique enables visualization of live cells for at least 4 hr and could be adapted to study other inflammatory lung conditions.

体外肺转移及微环境的实时成像

Metastasis is a major cause for cancer-related morbidity and mortality. Metastasis is a multistep process and due to its complexity, the exact cellular ...

Generation of Microtumors Using 3D Human Biogel Culture System and Patient-derived Glioblastoma Cells for Kinomic Profiling and Drug Response Testing

The use of patient-derived xenografts for modeling cancers has provided important insight into cancer biology and drug responsiveness. However, they are time consuming, expensive, and labor intensive. To overcome these obstacles, many research groups have turned to spheroid cultures of cancer cells. While useful, tumor spheroids or aggregates do not replicate cell-matrix interactions as found in vivo. As such, three-dimensional (3D) culture approaches utilizing an extracellular matrix scaffold provide a more realistic model system for investigation. Starting from subcutaneous or intracranial xenografts, tumor tissue is dissociated into a single cell suspension akin to cancer stem cell neurospheres. These cells are then embedded into a human-derived extracellular matrix, 3D human biogel, to generate a large number of microtumors. Interestingly, microtumors can be cultured for about a month with high viability and can be used for drug response testing using standard cytotoxicity assays such as 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and live cell imaging using Calcein-AM. Moreover, they can be analyzed via immunohistochemistry or harvested for molecular profiling, such as array-based high-throughput kinomic profiling, which is detailed here as well. 3D microtumors, thus, represent a versatile high-throughput model system that can more closely replicate in vivo tumor biology than traditional approaches.

Patient-derived xenografts of glioblastoma multiforme can be miniaturized into living microtumors using 3D human biogel culture system. This in vivo-like 3D tumor assay is suitable for drug response testing and molecular profiling, including kinomic analysis.

Microtumors使用3D人体Biogel培养体系和病人源性胶质母细胞瘤的Kinomic剖析和药物反应测试的生成

The use of patient-derived xenografts for modeling cancers has provided important insight into cancer biology and drug responsiveness. However, they are ...

Breast Milk Enhances Growth of Enteroids: An Ex Vivo Model of Cell Proliferation

Human small intestinal enteroids are derived from the crypts and when grown in a stem cell niche contain all of the epithelial cell types. The ability to establish human enteroid ex vivo culture systems are important to model intestinal pathophysiology and to study the particular cellular responses involved. In recent years, enteroids from mice and humans are being cultured, passaged, and banked away for future use in several laboratories across the world. This enteroid platform can be used to test the effects of various treatments and drugs and what effects are exerted on different cell types in the intestine. Here, a protocol for establishing primary stem cell-derived small intestinal enteroids derived from neonatal mice and premature human intestine is provided. Moreover, this enteroid culture system was utilized to test the effects of species-specific breast milk. Mouse breast milk can be obtained efficiently using a modified human breast pump and expressed mouse milk can then be used for further research experiments. We now demonstrate the effects of expressed mouse, human, and donor breast milk on the growth and proliferation of enteroids derived from neonatal mice or premature human small intestine.

Breast Milk Enhances Growth of Enteroids: An Ex Vivo Model of Cell Proliferation

This protocol describes how to establish an enteroid culture system from neonatal mouse or premature human intestine as well as an efficient method to collect milk from mice.

母乳促进 Enteroids 的生长: 一个前体细胞增殖模型

Human small intestinal enteroids are derived from the crypts and when grown in a stem cell niche contain all of the epithelial cell types. The ability to ...

A Small Animal Model of Ex Vivo Normothermic Liver Perfusion

There is a significant shortage of liver allografts available for transplantation, and in response the donor criteria have been expanded. As a result, normothermic ex vivo liver perfusion (NEVLP) has been introduced as a method to evaluate and modify organ function. NEVLP has many advantages in comparison to hypothermic and subnormothermic perfusion including reduced preservation injury, restoration of normal organ function under physiologic conditions, assessment of organ performance, and as a platform for organ repair, remodeling, and modification. Both murine and porcine NEVLP models have been described. We demonstrate a rat model of NEVLP and use this model to show one of its important applications &#8212; the use of a therapeutic molecule added to liver perfusate. Catalase is an endogenous reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger and has been demonstrated to decrease ischemia-reperfusion in the eye, brain, and lung. Pegylation has been shown to target catalase to the endothelium. Here, we added pegylated-catalase (PEG-CAT) to the base perfusate and demonstrated its ability to mitigate liver preservation injury. An advantage of our rodent NEVLP model is that it is inexpensive in comparison to larger animal models. A limitation of this study is that it does not currently include post-perfusion liver transplantation. Therefore, prediction of the function of the organ post-transplantation cannot be made with certainty. However, the rat liver transplant model is well established and certainly could be used in conjunction with this model. In conclusion, we have demonstrated an inexpensive, simple, easily replicable NEVLP model using rats. Applications of this model can include testing novel perfusates and perfusate additives, testing software designed for organ evaluation, and experiments designed to repair organs.

A Small Animal Model of Ex Vivo Normothermic Liver Perfusion

There is a significant liver donor shortage, and criteria for liver donors have been expanded. Normothermic ex vivo liver perfusion (NEVLP) has been developed to evaluate and modify organ function. This study demonstrates a rat model of NEVLP and tests the ability of pegylated-catalase, to mitigate liver preservation injury.

体外常温肝灌注的小动物模型

There is a significant shortage of liver allografts available for transplantation, and in response the donor criteria have been expanded. As a result, ...

Adeno-Associated Virus-Mediated Delivery of CRISPR for Cardiac Gene Editing in Mice

The clustered, regularly interspaced, short, palindromic repeat (CRISPR) system has greatly facilitated genome engineering in both cultured cells and living organisms from a wide variety of species. The CRISPR technology has also been explored as novel therapeutics for a number of human diseases. Proof-of-concept data are highly encouraging as exemplified by recent studies that demonstrate the feasibility and efficacy of gene editing-based therapeutic approach for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) using a murine model. In particular, intravenous and intraperitoneal injection of the recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) serotype rh.74 (rAAVrh.74) has enabled efficient cardiac delivery of the Staphylococcus aureus CRISPR-associated protein 9 (SaCas9) and two guide RNAs (gRNA) to delete a genomic region with a mutant codon in exon 23 of mouse Dmd gene. This same approach can also be used to knock out the gene-of-interest and study their cardiac function in postnatal mice when the gRNA is designed to target the coding region of the gene. In this protocol, we show in detail how to engineer rAAVrh.74-CRISPR vector and how to achieve highly efficient cardiac delivery in neonatal mice.

Here we provide a detailed protocol to carry out in vivo cardiac gene editing in mice using recombinant Adeno-Associated Virus(rAAV)-mediated delivery of CRISPR. This protocol offers a promising therapeutic strategy to treat dystrophic cardiomyopathy in Duchenne muscular dystrophy and can be used to generate cardiac-specific knockout in postnatal mice.

腺相关病毒介导的 CRISPR 在小鼠心脏基因编辑中的传递

The clustered, regularly interspaced, short, palindromic repeat (CRISPR) system has greatly facilitated genome engineering in both cultured cells and ...

Lentiviral Vector-mediated Gene Therapy of Hepatocytes Ex Vivo for Autologous Transplantation in Swine

Gene therapy is an ideal choice to cure many inborn errors of metabolism of the liver. Ex-vivo, lentiviral vectors have been used successfully in the treatment of many hematopoietic diseases in humans, as their use offers stable transgene expression due to the vector&#39;s ability to integrate into the host genome. This method demonstrates the application of ex vivo gene therapy of hepatocytes to a large animal model of hereditary tyrosinemia type I. This process consists of 1) isolation of primary hepatocytes from the autologous donor/recipient animal, 2) ex vivo gene delivery via hepatocyte transduction with a lentiviral vector, and 3) autologous transplant of corrected hepatocytes via portal vein injection. Success of the method generally relies upon efficient and sterile removal of the liver resection, careful handling of the excised specimen for isolation of viable hepatocytes sufficient for re-engrafting, high-percentage transduction of the isolated cells, and aseptic surgical procedures throughout to prevent infection. Technical failure at any of these steps will result in low yield of viable transduced hepatocytes for autologous transplant or infection of the donor/recipient animal. The pig model of human type 1 hereditary tyrosinemia (HT-1) chosen for this approach is uniquely amenable to such a method, as even a small percentage of engraftment of corrected cells will lead to repopulation of the liver with healthy cells based on a powerful selective advantage over native-diseased hepatocytes. Although this growth selection will not be true for all indications, this approach is a foundation for expansion into other indications and allows for manipulation of this environment to address additional diseases, both within the liver and beyond, while controlling for exposure to viral vector and opportunity for off-target toxicity and tumorigenicity.

Lentiviral Vector-mediated Gene Therapy of Hepatocytes Ex Vivo for Autologous Transplantation in Swine

This protocol is intended to describe porcine hepatocyte isolation and ex vivo gene delivery to cure models of metabolic diseases via autologous cell transplantation. Although this particular model enjoys unique advantages that favor successful therapy, the application is a relevant foundation to address additional diseases and indications.

猪自体移植肝细胞外细胞外细胞基因治疗

Gene therapy is an ideal choice to cure many inborn errors of metabolism of the liver. Ex-vivo, lentiviral vectors have been used successfully in the ...

Ex Vivo Corneal Organ Culture Model for Wound Healing Studies

The cornea has been used extensively as a model system to study wound healing. The ability to generate and utilize primary mammalian cells in two dimensional (2D) and three dimensional (3D) culture has generated a wealth of information not only about corneal biology but also about wound healing, myofibroblast biology, and scarring in general. The goal of the protocol is an assay system for quantifying myofibroblast development, which characterizes scarring. We demonstrate a corneal organ culture ex vivo model using pig eyes. In this anterior keratectomy wound, corneas still in the globe are wounded with a circular blade called a trephine. A plug of approximately 1/3 of the anterior cornea is removed including the epithelium, the basement membrane, and the anterior part of the stroma. After wounding, corneas are cut from the globe, mounted on a collagen/agar base, and cultured for two weeks in supplemented-serum free medium with stabilized vitamin C to augment cell proliferation and extracellular matrix secretion by resident fibroblasts. Activation of myofibroblasts in the anterior stroma is evident in the healed cornea. This model can be used to assay wound closure, the development of myofibroblasts and fibrotic markers, and for toxicology studies. In addition, the effects of small molecule inhibitors as well as lipid-mediated siRNA transfection for gene knockdown can be tested in this system.

A protocol for an ex vivo corneal organ culture model useful for wound healing studies is described. This model system can be used to assess the effects of agents to promote regenerative healing or drug toxicity in an organized 3D multicellular environment.