Name: a functional motor unit in the culture dish: co-culture of spinal cord explants and muscle cells
Uploaded: 2012-04-12T12:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about A Functional Motor Unit in the Culture Dish: Co-culture of Spinal Cord Explants and Muscle Cells at JoVE.com

Our work is supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF), the Swiss Initiative in Systems Biology (SystemsX.ch), the Muscular Dystrophy Association USA (MDA), the Association Fran&ccedil;aise contre les Myopathies (AFM), the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation (UMDF), the Gebert-R&uuml;f Foundation Rare Diseases Programme (GRF), the Swiss Society for Research of the Muscle Diseases (SSEM/FSRMM), the Swiss Life "Jubil&auml;umsstiftung f&uuml;r Volksgesundheit und medizinische Forschung", the Roche Research Foundation and the University of Basel.

1. Preparation of the Primary Human Muscle Cell Culture
<ol>
 <li>Establish the human muscle cell cultures according to the explantation-re-explantation technique4. First, remove non-muscle tissue from the biopsies. Then, embed 1 mm3 muscle explants in a coagulum of plasma, which allows fibroblasts to emerge from the explants.</li>
 <li>The embedded explants are transferred onto a plasma-gelatin coated dish and let them grow in normal growth medium (MEM supplemented with 25% medium 199, 10% fetal ...

<ol>
	<li>Delaporte, C., Dautreaux, B., Fardeau, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Human+myotube+differentiation+in+vitro+in+different+culture+conditions.">Human myotube differentiation in vitro in different culture conditions.</a> Biol. Cell. 57, 17-22 (1986).</li><li>Kobayashi, T., Askanas, V., Engel, W. K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Human+muscle+cultured+in+monolayer+and+cocultured+with+fetal+rat+spinal+cord:+importance+of+dorsal+root+ganglia+for+achieving+successful+functional+innervation.">Human muscle cultured in monolayer and cocultured with fetal rat spinal cord: importance of dorsal root ganglia for achieving successful functional innervation.</a> J. Neurosci. 7, 3131-3141 (1987).</li><li>Braun, S., Croizat, B., Lagrange, M. C., Warter, J. M., Poindron, P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Constitutive+muscular+abnormalities+in+culture+in+spinal+muscular+atrophy.">Constitutive muscular abnormalities in culture in spinal muscular atrophy.</a> Lancet. 345, 694-695 (1995).</li><li>Askanas, V., Engel, W. K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+new+program+for+investigating+adult+human+skeletal+muscle+grown+aneurally+in+tissue+culture.">A new program for investigating adult human skeletal muscle grown aneurally in tissue culture.</a> Neurology. 25, 58-67 (1975).</li><li>Guettier-Sigrist, S., Coupin, G., Warter, J. M., Poindron, P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cell+types+required+to+efficiently+innervate+human+muscle+cells+in+vitro.">Cell types required to efficiently innervate human muscle cells in vitro.</a> Exp. Cell Res. 259, 204-212 (2000).</li><li>Lefebvre, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Identification+and+characterization+of+a+spinal+muscular+atrophy-determining+gene.">Identification and characterization of a spinal muscular atrophy-determining gene.</a> Cell. 80, 155-165 (1995).</li><li>Schrank, B. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Inactivation+of+the+survival+motor+neuron+gene,+a+candidate+gene+for+human+spinal+muscular+atrophy,+leads+to+massive+cell+death+in+early+mouse+embryos.">Inactivation of the survival motor neuron gene, a candidate gene for human spinal muscular atrophy, leads to massive cell death in early mouse embryos.</a> Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 94, 9920-9925 (1997).</li><li>Hsieh-Li, H. 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+mouse+model+for+spinal+muscular+atrophy.">A mouse model for spinal muscular atrophy.</a> Nat. Genet. 24, 66-70 (2000).</li><li>Monani, U. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+human+centromeric+survival+motor+neuron+gene+(SMN2)+rescues+embryonic+lethality+in+Smn(-/-)+mice+and+results+in+a+mouse+with+spinal+muscular+atrophy.">The human centromeric survival motor neuron gene (SMN2) rescues embryonic lethality in Smn(-/-) mice and results in a mouse with spinal muscular atrophy.</a> Hum. Mol. Genet. 9, 333-339 (2000).</li><li>Sleigh, J. N., Gillingwater, T. H., Talbot, K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+contribution+of+mouse+models+to+understanding+the+pathogenesis+of+spinal+muscular+atrophy.">The contribution of mouse models to understanding the pathogenesis of spinal muscular atrophy.</a> Dis. Model. Mech. 4, 457-467 (2011).</li><li>Durbeej, M., Campbell, K. P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Muscular+dystrophies+involving+the+dystrophin-glycoprotein+complex:+an+overview+of+current+mouse+models.">Muscular dystrophies involving the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex: an overview of current mouse models.</a> 12, 349-361 (2002).</li><li>Schnabel, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Neuroscience:+Standard+model.">Neuroscience: Standard model.</a> Nature. 454, 682-685 (2008).</li><li>Benatar, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Lost+in+translation:+treatment+trials+in+the+SOD1+mouse+and+in+human+ALS.">Lost in translation: treatment trials in the SOD1 mouse and in human ALS.</a> Neurobiol. Dis. 26, 1-13 (2007).</li><li>Dorchies, O. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Normal+innervation+and+differentiation+of+X-linked+myotubular+myopathy+muscle+cells+in+a+nerve-muscle+coculture+system.">Normal innervation and differentiation of X-linked myotubular myopathy muscle cells in a nerve-muscle coculture system.</a> Neuromuscul. Disord. 11, 736-746 (2001).</li><li>McFerrin, J., Engel, W. K., Askanas, V. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Impaired+innervation+of+cultured+human+muscle+overexpressing+betaAPP+experimentally+and+genetically:+relevance+to+inclusion-body+myopathies.">Impaired innervation of cultured human muscle overexpressing betaAPP experimentally and genetically: relevance to inclusion-body myopathies.</a> Neuroreport. 9, 3201-3205 (1998).</li></ol>

A physiological in vitro tool to study muscle cell function in normal and pathological context is of highest interest for the myologists, because muscle cell cultures usually do not recapitulate the importance of multiple cells and cell-type connections. The addition of purified motor neurons to muscle cells is not enough to achieve a functional motor unit since the presence of Schwann cells is required for the innervation to be efficient5 and it is not topologically (3D + special distribution) releva...

<table border="1">
 <tbody>
 <tr>
 <td>Name of reagent</td>
 <td>Company</td>
 <td>Catalog Number</td>
 </tr>
 
 <tr>
 <td>HBSS</td>
 <td>Gibco/Invitrogen</td>
 <td>14170</td>
 </tr>

 <tr>
 <td>MEM</td>
 <td>Gibco/Invitrogen</td>
 <td>31095</td>
 </tr>

 <tr>
 <td>Medium 199 </td>
 <td>Gibco/Invitrogen</td>
 <td>31153</td>
 </tr>

 <tr>
 <td>Fetal Bovine Serum</td>
 <td>Fetal Clone Perbio</td>
 <td>SH30066.03</td>
 </tr>

 <tr>
 <td>Insuline</td>
 <td>Sigma</td>
 <td>I9278</td>
 </tr>

 <tr>
 <td>Human EGF</td>
 <td>Sigma</td>
 <td>E9644</td>
 </tr>

 <tr>
 <td>Human FGF</td>
 <td>Sigma</td>
 <td>F0291</td>
 </tr>

 <tr>
 <td>Penicillin/streptomycin solution</td>
 <td>Gibco</td>
 <td>15140</td>
 </tr>
 </tbody>
</table>

a functional motor unit in the culture dish: co-culture of spinal cord explants and muscle cells

Human primary muscle cells cultured aneurally in monolayer rarely contract spontaneously because, in the absence of a nerve component, cell differentiation is limited and motor neuron stimulation is missing1. These limitations hamper the in vitro study of many neuromuscular diseases in cultured muscle cells. Importantly, the experimental constraints of monolayered, cultured muscle cells can be overcome by functional innervation of myofibers with spinal cord explants in co-cultures.
Here, we show the different steps required to achieve an efficient, proper innervation of human primary muscle cells, leading to complete differentiation and fiber contraction according to the method developed by Askanas2. To do so, muscle cells are co-cultured with spinal cord explants of rat embryos at ED 13.5, with the dorsal root ganglia still attached to the spinal cord slices. After a few days, the muscle fibers start to contract and eventually become cross-striated through innervation by functional neurites projecting from the spinal cord explants that connecting to the muscle cells. This structure can be maintained for many months, simply by regular exchange of the culture medium.
The applications of this invaluable tool are numerous, as it represents a functional model for multidisciplinary analyses of human muscle development and innervation. In fact, a complete de novo neuromuscular junction installation occurs in a culture dish, allowing an easy measurement of many parameters at each step, in a fundamental and physiological context.
Just to cite a few examples, genomic and/or proteomic studies can be performed directly on the co-cultures. Furthermore, pre- and post-synaptic effects can be specifically and separately assessed at the neuromuscular junction, because both components come from different species, rat and human, respectively. The nerve-muscle co-culture can also be performed with human muscle cells isolated from patients suffering from muscle or neuromuscular diseases3, and thus can be used as a screening tool for candidate drugs. Finally, no special equipment but a regular BSL2 facility is needed to reproduce a functional motor unit in a culture dish. This method thus is valuable for both the muscle as well as the neuromuscular research communities for physiological and mechanistic studies of neuromuscular function, in a normal and disease context.

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about A Functional Motor Unit in the Culture Dish: Co-culture of Spinal Cord Explants and Muscle Cells at JoVE.com

A Functional Motor Unit in the Culture Dish: Co-culture of Spinal Cord Explants and Muscle Cells

Cultured muscle cells are an inadequate model to recapitulate innervated muscle in vivo. A functional motor unit can be reproduced in vitro by innervation of differentiated human primary muscle cells using rat embryo spinal cord explants. This article describes how co-cultures of spinal cord explants and muscle cells are established.

Human primary muscle cells cultured  aneurally in monolayer rarely contract spontaneously because, in the absence of  a nerve component, cell ...

Research

JoVE Journal

Neuroscience

Dissection and Culture of Commissural Neurons from Embryonic Spinal Cord

Commissural neurons have been widely used to investigate the mechanisms underlying axon guidance during embryonic spinal cord development. The cell bodies ...

Dissection and Culture of Chick Statoacoustic Ganglion and Spinal Cord Explants in Collagen Gels for Neurite Outgrowth Assays

The sensory organs of the chicken inner ear are innervated by the peripheral processes of statoacoustic ganglion (SAG) neurons. Sensory organ innervation ...

Chicken Embryo Spinal Cord Slice Culture Protocol

Slice cultures can facilitate the manipulation of  embryo development both pharmacologically and through gene manipulations. In  this reduced system, ...

Analysis of Developing Tooth Germ Innervation Using Microfluidic Co-culture Devices

Innervation plays a key role in the development, homeostasis and regeneration of organs and tissues. However, the mechanisms underlying these phenomena ...

Zebrafish In Situ Spinal Cord Preparation for Electrophysiological Recordings from Spinal Sensory and Motor Neurons

Zebrafish In Situ Spinal Cord Preparation for Electrophysiological Recordings from Spinal Sensory and Motor Neurons

Zebrafish, first introduced as a developmental model, have gained popularity in many other fields. The ease of rearing large numbers of rapidly developing ...

Spinal Cord Neurons Isolation and Culture from Neonatal Mice

We present a protocol for the isolation and culture of spinal cord neurons. The neurons are obtained from neonatal C57BL/6 mice and are isolated on ...

Laminectomy and Spinal Cord Window Implantation in the Mouse

This protocol describes a method for spinal cord laminectomy and glass window implantation for in vivo imaging of the mouse spinal cord. An integrated ...

Identifying Cell Surface Markers of Primary Neural Stem and Progenitor Cells by Metabolic Labeling of Sialoglycan

Neural stem and progenitor cells (NSPCs) are the cellular basis for the complex structures and functions of the brain. They are located in specialized ...

Direct Injection of a Lentiviral Vector Highlights Multiple Motor Pathways in the Rat Spinal Cord

Introducing proteins of interest into cells in the nervous system is challenging due to innate biological barriers that limit access to most molecules. ...

Conversion of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs) into Functional Spinal and Cranial Motor Neurons Using PiggyBac Vectors

Conversion of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells iPSCs into Functional Spinal and Cranial Motor Neurons Using PiggyBac Vectors

We describe here a method to obtain functional spinal and cranial motor neurons from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Direct conversion into ...