Name: assay for blood-brain barrier integrity in drosophila melanogaster
Uploaded: 2019-09-18T15:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Assay for Blood-brain Barrier Integrity in Drosophila melanogaster at JoVE.com

The authors thank Dr. F. Bryan Pickett and Dr. Rodney Dale for use of equipment for injection. This work was funded by research funding from Loyola University Chicago to M.D., D.T., and J.J.

1. Collection of Samples
<ol>
	<li>Embryo collection
	<ol>
		<li>In each embryo collection cage, use a minimum of 50 virgin females with 20&#8722;25 males for collections. Incubate these flies in a bottle with cornmeal-agar food (Table of Materials) for 1&#8722;2 days before beginning collections23. 
		NOTE: More flies can be used, but the female-to-male ratio should be kept at 2:1.</li>
		<li>Pre-warm apple juice agar plates (Table...

<ol>
	<li>Obermeier, B., Daneman, R., Ransohoff, R. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Development,+maintenance+and+disruption+of+the+blood-brain+barrier.">Development, maintenance and disruption of the blood-brain barrier.</a> Nature Medicine. 19 (12), 1584-1596 (2013).</li><li>Brightman, M. W., Reese, T. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Junctions+between+intimately+apposed+cell+membranes+in+the+vertebrate+brain.">Junctions between intimately apposed cell membranes in the vertebrate brain.</a> Journal of Cell Biology. 40 (3), 648-677 (1969).</li><li>Tietz, S., Engelhardt, B. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Brain+barriers:+Crosstalk+between+complex+tight+junctions+and+adherens+junctions.">Brain barriers: Crosstalk between complex tight junctions and adherens junctions.</a> Journal of Cell Biology. 209 (4), 493-506 (2015).</li><li>Hindle, S. J., Bainton, R. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Barrier+mechanisms+in+the+Drosophila+blood-brain+barrier.">Barrier mechanisms in the Drosophila blood-brain barrier.</a> Frontiers in Neuroscience. 8, 414 (2014).</li><li>Schwabe, T., Bainton, R. J., Fetter, R. D., Heberlein, U., Gaul, U. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=GPCR+signaling+is+required+for+blood-brain+barrier+formation+in+drosophila.">GPCR signaling is required for blood-brain barrier formation in drosophila.</a> Cell. 123 (1), 133-144 (2005).</li><li>Stork, T., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Organization+and+function+of+the+blood-brain+barrier+in+Drosophila.">Organization and function of the blood-brain barrier in Drosophila.</a> Journal of Neuroscience. 28 (3), 587-597 (2008).</li><li>Unhavaithaya, Y., Orr-Weaver, T. L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Polyploidization+of+glia+in+neural+development+links+tissue+growth+to+blood-brain+barrier+integrity.">Polyploidization of glia in neural development links tissue growth to blood-brain barrier integrity.</a> Genes &amp; Development. 26 (1), 31-36 (2012).</li><li>Schwabe, T., Li, X., Gaul, U. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Dynamic+analysis+of+the+mesenchymal-epithelial+transition+of+blood-brain+barrier+forming+glia+in+Drosophila.">Dynamic analysis of the mesenchymal-epithelial transition of blood-brain barrier forming glia in Drosophila.</a> Biology Open. 6 (2), 232-243 (2017).</li><li>Von Stetina, J. R., Frawley, L. E., Unhavaithaya, Y., Orr-Weaver, T. L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Variant+cell+cycles+regulated+by+Notch+signaling+control+cell+size+and+ensure+a+functional+blood-brain+barrier.">Variant cell cycles regulated by Notch signaling control cell size and ensure a functional blood-brain barrier.</a> Development. 145 (3), dev157115 (2018).</li><li>von Hilchen, C. M., Beckervordersandforth, R. M., Rickert, C., Technau, G. M., Altenhein, B. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Identity,+origin,+and+migration+of+peripheral+glial+cells+in+the+Drosophila+embryo.">Identity, origin, and migration of peripheral glial cells in the Drosophila embryo.</a> Mechanisms of Development. 125 (3-4), 337-352 (2008).</li><li>Beckervordersandforth, R. M., Rickert, C., Altenhein, B., Technau, G. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Subtypes+of+glial+cells+in+the+Drosophila+embryonic+ventral+nerve+cord+as+related+to+lineage+and+gene+expression.">Subtypes of glial cells in the Drosophila embryonic ventral nerve cord as related to lineage and gene expression.</a> Mechanisms of Development. 125 (5-6), 542-557 (2008).</li><li>Bellen, H. J., Lu, Y., Beckstead, R., Bhat, M. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Neurexin+IV,+caspr+and+paranodin--novel+members+of+the+neurexin+family:+encounters+of+axons+and+glia.">Neurexin IV, caspr and paranodin--novel members of the neurexin family: encounters of axons and glia.</a> Trends in Neurosciences. 21 (10), 444-449 (1998).</li><li>Baumgartner, S., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+Drosophila+neurexin+is+required+for+septate+junction+and+blood-nerve+barrier+formation+and+function.">A Drosophila neurexin is required for septate junction and blood-nerve barrier formation and function.</a> Cell. 87 (6), 1059-1068 (1996).</li><li>Banerjee, S., Pillai, A. M., Paik, R., Li, J., Bhat, M. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Axonal+ensheathment+and+septate+junction+formation+in+the+peripheral+nervous+system+of+Drosophila.">Axonal ensheathment and septate junction formation in the peripheral nervous system of Drosophila.</a> Journal of Neuroscience. 26 (12), 3319-3329 (2006).</li><li>Bhat, M. A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Axon-glia+interactions+and+the+domain+organization+of+myelinated+axons+requires+neurexin+IV/Caspr/Paranodin.">Axon-glia interactions and the domain organization of myelinated axons requires neurexin IV/Caspr/Paranodin.</a> Neuron. 30 (2), 369-383 (2001).</li><li>Faivre-Sarrailh, C., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Drosophila+contactin,+a+homolog+of+vertebrate+contactin,+is+required+for+septate+junction+organization+and+paracellular+barrier+function.">Drosophila contactin, a homolog of vertebrate contactin, is required for septate junction organization and paracellular barrier function.</a> Development. 131 (20), 4931-4942 (2004).</li><li>Salzer, J. L., Brophy, P. J., Peles, E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Molecular+domains+of+myelinated+axons+in+the+peripheral+nervous+system.">Molecular domains of myelinated axons in the peripheral nervous system.</a> Glia. 56 (14), 1532-1540 (2008).</li><li>von Hilchen, C. M., Bustos, A. E., Giangrande, A., Technau, G. M., Altenhein, B. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Predetermined+embryonic+glial+cells+form+the+distinct+glial+sheaths+of+the+Drosophila+peripheral+nervous+system.">Predetermined embryonic glial cells form the distinct glial sheaths of the Drosophila peripheral nervous system.</a> Development. 140 (17), 3657-3668 (2013).</li><li>Matzat, T., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Axonal+wrapping+in+the+Drosophila+PNS+is+controlled+by+glia-derived+neuregulin+homolog+Vein.">Axonal wrapping in the Drosophila PNS is controlled by glia-derived neuregulin homolog Vein.</a> Development. 142 (7), 1336-1345 (2015).</li><li>Limmer, S., Weiler, A., Volkenhoff, A., Babatz, F., Klambt, C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+Drosophila+blood-brain+barrier:+development+and+function+of+a+glial+endothelium.">The Drosophila blood-brain barrier: development and function of a glial endothelium.</a> Frontiers in Neuroscience. 8, 365 (2014).</li><li>Ho, T. Y., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Expressional+Profiling+of+Carpet+Glia+in+the+Developing+Drosophila+Eye+Reveals+Its+Molecular+Signature+of+Morphology+Regulators.">Expressional Profiling of Carpet Glia in the Developing Drosophila Eye Reveals Its Molecular Signature of Morphology Regulators.</a> Frontiers in Neuroscience. 13, 244 (2019).</li><li>DeSalvo, M. K., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+Drosophila+surface+glia+transcriptome:+evolutionary+conserved+blood-brain+barrier+processes.">The Drosophila surface glia transcriptome: evolutionary conserved blood-brain barrier processes.</a> Frontiers in Neuroscience. 8, 346 (2014).</li><li>. BDSC Cornmeal Food Available from: <a target="_blank" href="https://bdsc.indiana.edu/information/recipes/bloomfood.html">https://bdsc.indiana.edu/information/recipes/bloomfood.html</a> (2017)</li><li>Le, T., et al. <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+family+of+Drosophila+balancer+chromosomes+with+a+w-+dfd-GMR+yellow+fluorescent+protein+marker.">A new family of Drosophila balancer chromosomes with a w- dfd-GMR yellow fluorescent protein marker.</a> Genetics. 174 (4), 2255-2257 (2006).</li><li>Casso, D., Ramirez-Weber, F. A., Kornberg, T. B. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=GFP-tagged+balancer+chromosomes+for+Drosophila+melanogaster.">GFP-tagged balancer chromosomes for Drosophila melanogaster.</a> Mechanisms of Development. 88 (2), 229-232 (1999).</li><li>Halfon, M. S., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=New+fluorescent+protein+reporters+for+use+with+the+Drosophila+Gal4+expression+system+and+for+vital+detection+of+balancer+chromosomes.">New fluorescent protein reporters for use with the Drosophila Gal4 expression system and for vital detection of balancer chromosomes.</a> Genesis. 34 (1-2), 135-138 (2002).</li><li>Miller, D. F., Holtzman, S. L., Kaufman, T. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Customized+microinjection+glass+capillary+needles+for+P-element+transformations+in+Drosophila+melanogaster.">Customized microinjection glass capillary needles for P-element transformations in Drosophila melanogaster.</a> BioTechniques. 33 (2), 366-372 (2002).</li><li>Luong, D., Perez, L., Jemc, J. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Identification+of+raw+as+a+regulator+of+glial+development.">Identification of raw as a regulator of glial development.</a> PLoS One. 13 (5), e0198161 (2018).</li><li>Pinsonneault, R. L., Mayer, N., Mayer, F., Tegegn, N., Bainton, R. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Novel+models+for+studying+the+blood-brain+and+blood-eye+barriers+in+Drosophila.">Novel models for studying the blood-brain and blood-eye barriers in Drosophila.</a> Methods in Molecular Biology. 686, 357-369 (2011).</li><li>Love, C. R., Dauwalder, B., Barichello, T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Drosophila+as+a+Model+to+Study+the+Blood-Brain+Barrier.">Drosophila as a Model to Study the Blood-Brain Barrier.</a> Blood-Brain Barrier. , 175-185 (2019).</li><li>Lin, D. M., Goodman, C. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Ectopic+and+increased+expression+of+Fasciclin+II+alters+motoneuron+growth+cone+guidance.">Ectopic and increased expression of Fasciclin II alters motoneuron growth cone guidance.</a> Neuron. 13 (3), 507-523 (1994).</li><li>Sepp, K. J., Schulte, J., Auld, V. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Peripheral+glia+direct+axon+guidance+across+the+CNS/PNS+transition+zone.">Peripheral glia direct axon guidance across the CNS/PNS transition zone.</a> Developmental Biology. 238 (1), 47-63 (2001).</li><li>Brand, A. H., Perrimon, N. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Targeted+gene+expression+as+a+means+of+altering+cell+fates+and+generating+dominant+phenotypes.">Targeted gene expression as a means of altering cell fates and generating dominant phenotypes.</a> Development. 118 (2), 401-415 (1993).</li><li>Devraj, K., Guerit, S., Macas, J., Reiss, Y. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=An+In+Vivo+Blood-brain+Barrier+Permeability+Assay+in+Mice+Using+Fluorescently+Labeled+Tracers.">An In Vivo Blood-brain Barrier Permeability Assay in Mice Using Fluorescently Labeled Tracers.</a> Journal of Visualized Experiments. 132, e57038 (2018).</li><li>Fairchild, M. J., Smendziuk, C. M., Tanentzapf, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+somatic+permeability+barrier+around+the+germline+is+essential+for+Drosophila+spermatogenesis.">A somatic permeability barrier around the germline is essential for Drosophila spermatogenesis.</a> Development. 142 (2), 268-281 (2015).</li></ol>

This protocol provides a comprehensive description of the steps needed to assay for BBB integrity during the late embryonic and third instar larval stages of D. melanogaster development. Similar approaches have been described elsewhere to assay the integrity of the BBB during development, as well as in adult stages5,7,29,30. However, descriptions of procedures in materials and methods ...

During development, cell-cell communication and interactions are critical for the establishment of tissue and organ structure and function. In some cases, these cell-cell interactions seal off organs from the surrounding environment to ensure proper organ function. This is the case for the nervous system, which is insulated by the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Dysfunction of the BBB in humans has been linked to neurological disorders including epilepsy, and breakdown of the barrier has been observed in neurodegenerative diseases including multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis1. In mammals, the BBB is formed by tight junctions between endothelial cells2,3. Other animals, including the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, have a BBB composed of glial cells. These glial cells form a selectively permeable barrier to control movement of nutrients, waste products, toxins, and large molecules into and out of the nervous system4. This allows for the maintenance of the electrochemical gradient necessary to fire action potentials, allowing for mobility and coordination4. In D. melanogaster, the glia protect the nervous system from the potassium-rich, blood-like hemolymph5.
In the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS) of D. melanogaster, two outer glial layers, the subperineurial glia and the perineurial glia, as well as an outer network of extracellular matrix, the neural lamella, form the hemolymph-brain and hemolymph-nerve barrier6, referred to as the BBB throughout this article. During development subperineurial glia become polyploid and enlarge to surround the nervous system5,6,7,8,9,10,11. The subperineurial glia form septate junctions, which provide the main diffusion barrier between the hemolymph and the nervous system5,6,12. These junctions are molecularly similar to the septate-like junctions found at the paranodes of myelinating glia in vertebrates, and they perform the same function as tight junctions in the BBB of mammals13,14,15,16,17. The perineurial glia divide, grow, and wrap around the subperineurial glia to regulate the diffusion of metabolites and large molecules6,10,18,19. BBB formation is complete by 18.5 h after egg laying (AEL) at 25 &#176;C5,8. Previous studies have identified genes that are critical regulators of BBB formation20,21,22. To better understand the exact roles of these genes, it is important to examine the effect of mutation of these potential regulators on BBB integrity. While previous studies have outlined approaches for assaying BBB integrity in embryos and larvae, a comprehensive protocol for this assay has yet to be described5,7. This step-by-step protocol describes methods for assaying BBB integrity during D. melanogaster embryonic and third instar larval stages.

<table>
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>10 kDa sulforhodamine 101 acid chloride (Texas Red) Dextran</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher Scientific</td>
			<td>D1863</td>
			<td>Dextran should be diluted in autoclaved ddH2O to a concentration of 25 mg/mL.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>20 &#956;L Gel-Loading Pipette Tips</td>
			<td>Eppendorf</td>
			<td>22351656</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>100% Ethanol (200 proof)</td>
			<td>Pharmco-Aaper</td>
			<td>11000200</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Active Dry Yeast</td>
			<td>Red Star</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Agar</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>BP1423</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Agarose</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>BP160-500</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Air Compressor</td>
			<td>DeWalt</td>
			<td>D55140</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Apple Juice</td>
			<td>Mott&#39;s Natural Apple Juice</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Bleach</td>
			<td>Household Bleach</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>1-5% Hypochlorite</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Borosilicate Glass Capillaries</td>
			<td>World Precision Instruments</td>
			<td>1B100F-4</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Bottle Plugs</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>AS-277</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cell Strainers</td>
			<td>BD Falcon</td>
			<td>352350</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Confocal Microscope</td>
			<td>Olympus</td>
			<td>FV1000</td>
			<td>Samples imaged using 20x objective (UPlanSApo 20x/ 0.75)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cotton-Tipped Applicator</td>
			<td>Puritan</td>
			<td>19-062614</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Double-Sided Tape 1/2&#34;</td>
			<td>Scotch</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Dumont Tweezers; Pattern #5; .05 X .01mm Tip</td>
			<td>Roboz</td>
			<td>RS-5015</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fly Food Bottles</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>AS-355</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fly Food Vials</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>AS-515</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Foot Pedal</td>
			<td>Treadlite II</td>
			<td>T-91-S</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Gel Caster</td>
			<td>Bio-Rad</td>
			<td>1704422</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Gel Tray</td>
			<td>Bio-Rad</td>
			<td>1704436</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Glass Pipette</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>14673-010</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Glycerol</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>BP229-1</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Granulated sugar</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Purchased from grocery store.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Halocarbon Oil</td>
			<td>Lab Scientific, Inc.</td>
			<td>FLY-7000</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Light Source</td>
			<td>Schott</td>
			<td>Ace I</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Manipulator Stand</td>
			<td>World Precision Instruments</td>
			<td>M10</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Micromanipulator</td>
			<td>World Precision Instruments</td>
			<td>KITE-R</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Micropipette Puller</td>
			<td>Sutter Instrument Co.</td>
			<td>P-97</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Needle Holder</td>
			<td>World Precision Instruments</td>
			<td>MPH310</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Nightsea Filter Sets</td>
			<td>Electron Microscopy Science</td>
			<td>SFA-LFS-CY</td>
			<td>For visualization of YFP</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Nightsea Full Adapter System w/ Royal Blue Color Light Head</td>
			<td>Electron Microscopy Science</td>
			<td>SFA-RB</td>
			<td>For visualization of GFP</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Paintbrush</td>
			<td>Simply Simmons</td>
			<td>Chisel Blender #6</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Pipetter</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>13-683C</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Pneumatic Pump</td>
			<td>World Precision Instruments</td>
			<td>PV830</td>
			<td>This is also referred to as a microinjector or pressure regulator. Since the model used in our study is no longer available this is one alternative.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Potassium Chloride</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>BP366-500</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Potassium Phosphate Dibasic</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>BP363-500</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Small Embryo Collection Cages</td>
			<td>Genesee Scientific</td>
			<td>59-100</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sodium Chloride</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>BP358-212</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sodium Phosphate Dibasic Anhydrous</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>BP332-500</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Steel Base Plate</td>
			<td>World Precision Instruments</td>
			<td>5052</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Stereomicroscope</td>
			<td>Carl Zeiss</td>
			<td>Stemi 2000</td>
			<td>Used for tissue dissection.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Stereomicroscope with transmitted light source</td>
			<td>Baytronix</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Used for injection.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Tegosept (p-hydroxybenzoic acid, methyl ester)</td>
			<td>Genesee Scientific</td>
			<td>20-258</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Triton X-100</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>BP151-500</td>
			<td>Nonionic surfactant</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Vial Plugs</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>AS-273</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

assay for blood-brain barrier integrity in drosophila melanogaster

Proper nervous system development includes the formation of the blood-brain barrier, the diffusion barrier that tightly regulates access to the nervous system and protects neural tissue from toxins and pathogens. Defects in the formation of this barrier have been correlated with neuropathies, and the breakdown of this barrier has been observed in many neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, it is critical to identify the genes that regulate the formation and maintenance of the blood-brain barrier to identify potential therapeutic targets. In order to understand the exact roles these genes play in neural development, it is necessary to assay the effects of altered gene expression on the integrity of the blood-brain barrier. Many of the molecules that function in the establishment of the blood-brain barrier have been found to be conserved across eukaryotic species, including the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. Fruit flies have proven to be an excellent model system for examining the molecular mechanisms regulating nervous system development and function. This protocol describes a step-by-step procedure to assay for blood-brain barrier integrity during the embryonic and larval stages of D. melanogaster development.

The methods described here allow for the visualization of the integrity of the BBB throughout the CNS in D. melanogaster embryos and larvae (Figure 1). Upon completion of BBB formation in late embryogenesis, the BBB functions to exclude large molecules from the brain and VNC5. This protocol takes advantage of this function to assay BBB formation. When wild-type (Oregon R) late stage 17 (20&#8722;21 h old) embryos were injected with 10 kDa dextran conjugated t...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Assay for Blood-brain Barrier Integrity in Drosophila melanogaster at JoVE.com

Assay for Blood-brain Barrier Integrity in Drosophila melanogaster

Blood-brain barrier integrity is critical for nervous system function. In Drosophila melanogaster, the blood-brain barrier is formed by glial cells during late embryogenesis. This protocol describes methods to assay for blood-brain barrier formation and maintenance in D. melanogaster embryos and third instar larvae.

Assay for Blood-brain Barrier Integrity in Drosophila melanogaster

Proper nervous system development includes the formation of the blood-brain barrier, the diffusion barrier that tightly regulates access to the nervous ...

This method can help answer key questions regarding the genetic regulation of the formation and maintenance of the blood-brain barrier during multiple stages of drosophila development. This method can also be adapted to examine the permeability of other barriers, like the intestinal epithelium in a variety of organisms. The main advantage of this technique is that it allows evaluation of the blood-brain barrier function in live tissues.Visual demonstration of this method is critical, as the sample manipulations can be difficult and many steps require close attention to detail. For embryo collection place a minimum of 50 virgin females with 20 to 25 males per bottle with Corn Meal Agar food and incubate these flies for one to two days before beginning the collections. The day before the collection, warm apple juice agar plates at 25 degrees Celsius overnight.The next morning transfer the carbon dioxide anesthetized flies to a collection cage and place a pre-warmed apple juice agar plate with a small smear of yeast paste on the open end of the cage. Then secure the plate to the cage with the red sleeve. To clear older embryos, allow the flies to lay eggs on an apple juice agar plate for one hour at 25 degrees Celsius.At the end of the incubation, invert the cage mesh side down and tap the flies to the bottom of the cage. Replace the apple juice agar with a new pre-warmed apple juice agar plate with a small smear of yeast paste. Allow the flies to lay eggs on the new plate for another hour at 25 degrees Celsius.To collect late stage 17 embryos for injection, replace the apple juice agar plate with a new pre-warmed plate with a smear of yeast paste. And allow the flies to lay eggs on the plate at 25 degrees Celsius. After one hour, replace the plate and age the plate with collected embryos for 19 hours at 25 degrees Celsius so that the embryos will be 20 to 21 hours old at the time of imaging.At the end of the 19 hour incubation, remove the embryo collection plate from the incubator and cover the surface of the plate with PbTx. Use a paintbrush to loosen the embryos from the plate surface into a 70 micrometer nylon mesh strainer. And place the strainer with embryos in 50%bleach solution in a 100 millimeter Petri dish for five minutes with occasional agitation at room temperature to dechorionate them.At the end of the incubation, rinse the embryos three times by swirling the strainer in fresh PbTx, using a new Petri dish for each wash. Wash embryos to one side of the strainer with PbTx and use a glass pipette to transfer the embryos onto a 2%agarose gel slab. Remove the excess liquid with filter paper.Align six to eight embryos on the slab with the posteriors to the right and the dorsal sides facing up and firmly press a piece of double-sided tape affixed to a slide on top of the embryos. Then desiccate the embryos at room temperature for about 25 minutes before covering the specimens with Halocarbon oil. For larval collection, set up a cross with 5 to 10 virgin female flies of the desired genotype and half as many males of the desired genotype in a vial with Cornmeal Agar food.After five to seven days at 25 degrees Celsius, depending on the genotype, use forceps to gently collect wandering third instar larvae from the vial and rinse the larvae with PBS to remove any stuck food. Transfer the larvae to an apple juice agar plate for genotyping as necessary before using a paintbrush to dry the larvae on a tissue. Then use forceps to transfer six to eight larvae to a slide prepared with double-sided tape.Before the injection, use a micropipette puller to pull capillary tubes into a standard needle shape for D.Melanogaster injections and anchor the needles in clay in a Petri dish. For embryo injection, use a 20 microliter gel-loading pipette tip to load a prepared needle with 5 microliters of 10 kilodalton dextran conjugated to sulforhodamine 101 acid chloride and load the needle into a needle holder. Position the needle in a micromanipulator secured to a steel base and set the inject apparatus to 50 pounds per square inch and 5 to 10 milliseconds with a range of 10.Place the slide on the micromanipulator stage and brush the edge of the needle against the edge of the double-sided tape at a 45 degree angle to create a slightly angled tip broken just enough to allow flow of the 10 kilodalton dextran through the opening. Pump the foot pedal until the dye is at the tip of the needle. Align the needle so that it is parallel with the embryo and puncture the posterior end of the specimen.Pump the foot pedal to inject two nanoliters of dye into the specimen. Note the time of injection for incubation purposes and continue down the slide to inject additional specimens. For larval injection, make a slightly larger angled opening than that which is used for injecting embryos and angle the needle slightly downward toward the specimen before injecting the larvae with 220 nanoliters similar to as demonstrated for embryonic specimens.At the end of the 10 minute injection incubation, use a cotton tipped applicator to apply petroleum jelly on the right and left sides of the samples on the slide as a spacer. Position the cover slip on top and place the slide onto confocal microscope stage. Select the 20X objective and image the samples throughout the depth of each embryo.Then calculate the percentage of samples with a compromised blood-brain barrier according to the formula. Before beginning the dissection procedure, use nail polish to mount two cover slips spaced approximately 0.5 centimeters apart on a slide and place an injected larva into PBS on the slide at the end of the 30 minute incubation. Using one pair of forceps, grasp the larva halfway down the larval body and use a second pair of forceps to separate the anterior and posterior halves of the larva.Next, use one pair of forceps to grip the anterior region at the mouth hooks and use the second pair of forceps to invert the body wall over the tip of the first pair of forceps. The brain and ventral nerve cord will be exposed. Separate the brain and ventral nerve cord from the body wall by severing nerves if needed and remove the body wall from the slide.Cover the sample with 10 microliters of 80%glycerol. Then place a cover slip on top of the sample for imaging and image the samples to determine the percentage of samples with a compromised blood-brain barrier as demonstrated. When wild type late stage 17 embryos are injected with 10 kilodalton dextran conjugated to sulforhodamine 101 acid chloride fluorescent dye, the large dextran molecule is excluded from the ventral nerve cord, as expected.Heterozygous raw 1 mutant embryos exhibit an intact blood-brain barrier, similar to that observed in wild type control embryos. In contrast, homozygous raw 1 mutant embryos exhibit defects in the integrity of the blood-brain barrier, with the 10 kilodalton dextran flooding into the ventral nerve cord, indicating a failure of the blood-brain barrier to form. In wild type control larval samples, 10 kilodalton dextran fails to penetrate the blood-brain barrier and is excluded from the brain and ventral nerve cord.When attempting this procedure, proper aging of the embryos is critical to ensure the samples are examined at an age at which blood-brain barrier formation is expected to be complete. Following this procedure, mutants exhibiting a compromised blood-brain barrier can be furthered studied using genetics, immunohistochemistry, and microscopy to better understand gene function at the cellular level. This technique will allow researchers to identify additional genes that are critical for the establishment and maintenance of the blood-brain barrier.

assay-for-blood-brain-barrier-integrity-in-drosophila-melanogaster

Research

JoVE Journal

Developmental Biology

Assaying Blood Cell Populations of the Drosophila melanogaster Larva

In vertebrates, hematopoiesis is regulated by inductive microenvironments (niches). Likewise, in the invertebrate model organism&#160;Drosophila melanogaster, inductive microenvironments known as larval Hematopoietic Pockets (HPs) have been identified as anatomical sites for the development and regulation of blood cells (hemocytes), in particular of the self-renewing macrophage lineage.&#160;HPs are segmentally repeated pockets between the epidermis and muscle layers of the larva, which also comprise sensory neurons of the peripheral nervous system. In the larva, resident (sessile) hemocytes are exposed to anti-apoptotic, adhesive and proliferative cues from these sensory neurons and potentially other components of the HPs, such as the lining muscle and epithelial layers. During normal development, gradual release of resident hemocytes from the HPs fuels the population of circulating hemocytes, which culminates in the release of most of the resident hemocytes at the beginning of metamorphosis. Immune assaults, physical injury or mechanical disturbance trigger the premature release of resident hemocytes into circulation. The switch of larval hemocytes between resident locations and circulation raises the need for a common standard/procedure to selectively isolate and quantify these two populations of blood cells from single Drosophila larvae. Accordingly, this protocol describes an automated method to release and quantify the resident and circulating hemocytes from single larvae. The method facilitates ex vivo approaches, and may be adapted to serve a variety of developmental stages of Drosophila and other invertebrate organisms.

Assaying Blood Cell Populations of the Drosophila melanogaster Larva

Drosophila blood cells, or hemocytes, cycle between resident sites and circulation. In the larva, resident (sessile) hemocytes localize to inductive microenvironments, the Hematopoietic Pockets, while circulating hemocytes move freely in the hemolymph. The goal of this protocol is the standardized isolation and quantification of these two, behaviorally distinct but interchanging, hemocyte populations.

In vertebrates, hematopoiesis is regulated by inductive microenvironments (niches). Likewise, in the invertebrate model organism&#160;Drosophila ...

Analysis of Zebrafish Larvae Skeletal Muscle Integrity with Evans Blue Dye

The zebrafish model is an emerging system for the study of neuromuscular disorders. In the study of neuromuscular diseases, the integrity of the muscle membrane is a critical disease determinant. To date, numerous neuromuscular conditions display degenerating muscle fibers with abnormal membrane integrity; this is most commonly observed in muscular dystrophies. Evans Blue Dye (EBD) is a vital, cell permeable dye that is rapidly taken into degenerating, damaged, or apoptotic cells; in contrast, it is not taken up by cells with an intact membrane. EBD injection is commonly employed to ascertain muscle integrity in mouse models of neuromuscular diseases. However, such EBD experiments require muscle dissection and/or sectioning prior to analysis. In contrast, EBD uptake in zebrafish is visualized in live, intact preparations. Here, we demonstrate a simple and straightforward methodology for performing EBD injections and analysis in live zebrafish. In addition, we demonstrate a co-injection strategy to increase efficacy of EBD analysis. Overall, this video article provides an outline to perform EBD injection and characterization in zebrafish models of neuromuscular disease.

In this study, we describe a straightforward method to perform Evans Blue Dye (EBD) analysis on zebrafish larvae. This technique is a powerful tool for the characterization of skeletal muscle integrity and delineation of zebrafish models of muscular dystrophy, and is a valuable method for the development of novel therapeutics.

The zebrafish model is an emerging system for the study of neuromuscular disorders.  In the study of neuromuscular diseases, the integrity of the muscle ...

Rearing the Fruit Fly Drosophila melanogaster Under Axenic and Gnotobiotic Conditions

The influence of microbes on myriad animal traits and behaviors has been increasingly recognized in recent years. The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is a model for understanding microbial interactions with animal hosts, facilitated by approaches to rear large sample sizes of Drosophila under microorganism-free (axenic) conditions, or with defined microbial communities (gnotobiotic). This work outlines a method for collection of Drosophila embryos, hypochlorite dechorionation and sterilization, and transfer to sterile diet. Sterilized embryos are transferred to sterile diet in 50 ml centrifuge tubes, and developing larvae and adults remain free of any exogenous microbes until the vials are opened. Alternatively, flies with a defined microbiota can be reared by inoculating sterile diet and embryos with microbial species of interest. We describe the introduction of 4 bacterial species to establish a representative gnotobiotic microbiota in Drosophila. Finally, we describe approaches for confirming bacterial community composition, including testing if axenic Drosophila remain bacteria-free into adulthood.

Rearing the Fruit Fly Drosophila melanogaster Under Axenic and Gnotobiotic Conditions

A method for rearing Drosophila melanogaster under axenic and gnotobiotic conditions is presented. Fly embryos are dechorionated in sodium hypochlorite, transferred aseptically to sterile diet, and reared in closed containers. Inoculating diet and embryos with bacteria leads to gnotobiotic associations, and bacterial presence is confirmed by plating whole-body Drosophila homogenates.

The influence of microbes on myriad animal traits and behaviors has been increasingly recognized in recent years. The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is ...

Protocols for Visualizing Steroidogenic Organs and Their Interactive Organs with Immunostaining in the Fruit Fly Drosophila melanogaster

In multicellular organisms, a small group of cells is endowed with a specialized function in their biogenic activity, inducing a systemic response to&#160;growth and reproduction. In insects, the larval prothoracic gland (PG) and the adult female ovary play essential roles in biosynthesizing the principal steroid hormones called ecdysteroids. These ecdysteroidogenic organs are innervated from the nervous system, through&#160;which the timing of biosynthesis is affected by environmental cues. Here we describe a protocol for visualizing ecdysteroidogenic organs and their interactive organs in larvae and adults of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, which provides a suitable model system for studying steroid hormone biosynthesis and its regulatory mechanism. Skillful dissection allows us to maintain the positions of ecdysteroidogenic organs and their interactive organs including the brain, the ventral nerve cord, and other tissues. Immunostaining with antibodies against ecdysteroidogenic enzymes, along with transgenic fluorescence proteins driven by tissue-specific promoters, are available to label ecdysteroidogenic cells. Moreover, the innervations of the ecdysteroidogenic organs can also be labeled by specific antibodies or a collection of GAL4 drivers in various types of neurons. Therefore, the ecdysteroidogenic organs and their neuronal connections can be&#160;visualized simultaneously&#160;by immunostaining and transgenic techniques. Finally, we describe how to visualize germline stem cells, whose proliferation and maintenance are controlled by ecdysteroids. This method contributes to comprehensive understanding of steroid hormone biosynthesis and its neuronal regulatory mechanism.

Protocols for Visualizing Steroidogenic Organs and Their Interactive Organs with Immunostaining in the Fruit Fly Drosophila melanogaster

We describe a protocol for dissection, fixation, and immunostaining of steroidogenic organs in Drosophila larvae and adult females to study steroid hormone biosynthesis and its regulatory mechanism. In addition to steroidogenic organs, we visualize the innervation of steroidogenic organs as well as steroidogenic target cells such as germline stem cells.

In multicellular organisms, a small group of cells is endowed with a specialized function in their biogenic activity, inducing a systemic response ...

Dissection and Immunofluorescent Staining of Mushroom Body and Photoreceptor Neurons in Adult Drosophila melanogaster Brains

Nervous system development involves a sequential series of events that are coordinated by several signaling pathways and regulatory networks. Many of the proteins involved in these pathways are evolutionarily conserved between mammals and other eukaryotes, such as the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, suggesting that similar organizing principles exist during the development of these organisms. Importantly, Drosophila has been used extensively to identify cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating processes that are required in mammals including neurogenesis, differentiation, axonal guidance, and synaptogenesis. Flies have also been used successfully to model a variety of human neurodevelopmental diseases. Here we describe a protocol for the step-by-step microdissection, fixation, and immunofluorescent localization of proteins within the adult Drosophila brain. This protocol focuses on two example neuronal populations, mushroom body neurons and retinal photoreceptors, and includes optional steps to trace individual mushroom body neurons using Mosaic Analysis with a Repressible Cell Marker (MARCM) technique. Example data from both wild-type and mutant brains are shown along with a brief description of a scoring criteria for axonal guidance defects. While this protocol highlights two well-established antibodies for investigating the morphology of mushroom body and photoreceptor neurons, other Drosophila brain regions and the localization of proteins within other brain regions can also be investigated using this protocol.

Dissection and Immunofluorescent Staining of Mushroom Body and Photoreceptor Neurons in Adult Drosophila melanogaster Brains

This protocol describes the dissection and immunostaining of adult Drosophila melanogaster brain tissues. Specifically, this protocol highlights the use of Drosophila mushroom body and photoreceptor neurons as example neuronal subsets that can be accurately used to uncover general principles underlying many aspects of neuronal development.

Nervous system development involves a sequential series of events that are coordinated by several signaling pathways and regulatory networks. Many of the ...

An In Vivo Method to Study Mouse Blood-Testis Barrier Integrity

Spermatogenesis is the development of spermatogonia into mature spermatozoa in the seminiferous tubules of the testis. This process is supported by Sertoli cell junctions at the blood-testis barrier (BTB), which is the tightest tissue barrier in the mammalian body and segregates the seminiferous epithelium into two compartments, a basal and an adluminal. The BTB creates a unique microenvironment for germ cells in meiosis I/II and for the development of postmeiotic spermatids into spermatozoa via spermiogenesis. Here, we describe a reliable assay to monitor BTB integrity of mouse testis in vivo. An intact BTB blocks the diffusion of FITC-conjugated inulin from the basal to the apical compartment of the seminiferous tubules. This technique is suitable for studying gene candidates, viruses, or environmental toxicants that may affect BTB function or integrity, with an easy procedure and a minimal requirement of surgical skills compared to alternative methods.

An In Vivo Method to Study Mouse Blood-Testis Barrier Integrity

Here, we present a protocol to assess the blood-testis barrier integrity by injecting inulin-FITC into testes. This is an efficient in vivo method to study blood-testis barrier integrity that can be compromised by genetic and environmental elements.

Spermatogenesis is the development of spermatogonia into mature spermatozoa in the seminiferous tubules of the testis. This process is supported by ...

Methods to Test Endocrine Disruption in Drosophila melanogaster

In recent years there has been growing evidence that all organisms and the environment are exposed to hormone-like chemicals, known as endocrine disruptor chemicals (EDCs). These chemicals may alter the normal balance of endocrine systems and lead to adverse effects, as well as an increasing number of hormonal disorders in the human population or disturbed growth and reduced reproduction in the wildlife species. For some EDCs, there are documented health effects and restrictions on their use. However, for most of them, there is still no scientific evidence in this sense. In order to verify potential endocrine effects of a chemical in the full organism, we need to test it in appropriate model systems, as well as in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. Here we report detailed in vivo protocols to study endocrine disruption in Drosophila, addressing EDC effects on the fecundity/fertility, developmental timing, and lifespan of the fly. In the last few years, we used these Drosophila life traits to investigate the effects of exposure to 17-&#945;-ethinylestradiol (EE2), bisphenol A (BPA), and bisphenol AF (BPA F). Altogether, these assays covered all Drosophila life stages and made it possible to evaluate endocrine disruption in all hormone-mediated processes. Fecundity/fertility and developmental timing assays were useful to measure the EDC impact on the fly reproductive performance and on developmental stages, respectively. Finally, the lifespan assay involved chronic EDC exposures to adults and measured their survivorship. However, these life traits can also be influenced by several experimental factors that had to be carefully controlled. So, in this work, we suggest a series of procedures we have optimized for the right outcome of these assays. These methods allow scientists to establish endocrine disruption for any EDC or for a mixture of different EDCs in Drosophila, although to identify the endocrine mechanism responsible for the effect, further essays could be needed.

Methods to Test Endocrine Disruption in Drosophila melanogaster

Endocrine disruptor chemicals (EDCs) represent a serious problem for organisms and for natural environments. Drosophila melanogaster represents an ideal model to study EDC effects in vivo. Here, we present methods to investigate endocrine disruption in Drosophila, addressing EDC effects on fecundity, fertility, developmental timing, and lifespan of the fly.

In recent years there has been growing evidence that all organisms and the environment are exposed to hormone-like chemicals, known as endocrine disruptor ...

Generation of a Human iPSC-Based Blood-Brain Barrier Chip

The blood brain barrier (BBB) is formed by neurovascular units (NVUs) that shield the central nervous system (CNS) from a range of factors found in the blood that can disrupt delicate brain function. As such, the BBB is a major obstacle to the delivery of therapeutics to the CNS. Accumulating evidence suggests that the BBB plays a key role in the onset and progression of neurological diseases. Thus, there is a tremendous need for a BBB model that can predict penetration of CNS-targeted drugs as well as elucidate the BBB&#39;s role in health and disease.
We have recently combined organ-on-chip and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technologies to generate a BBB chip fully personalized to humans. This novel platform displays cellular, molecular, and physiological properties that are suitable for the prediction of drug and molecule transport across the human BBB. Furthermore, using patient-specific BBB chips, we have generated models of neurological disease and demonstrated the potential for personalized predictive medicine applications. Provided here is a detailed protocol demonstrating how to generate iPSC-derived BBB chips, beginning with differentiation of iPSC-derived brain microvascular endothelial cells (iBMECs) and resulting in mixed neural cultures containing neural progenitors, differentiated neurons, and astrocytes. Also described is a procedure for seeding cells into the organ chip and culturing of the BBB chips under controlled laminar flow. Lastly, detailed descriptions of BBB chip analyses are provided, including paracellular permeability assays for assessing drug and molecule permeability as well as immunocytochemical methods for determining the composition of cell types within the chip.

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a multicellular neurovascular unit tightly regulating brain homeostasis. By combining human iPSCs and organ-on-chip technologies, we have generated a personalized BBB chip, suitable for disease modeling and CNS drug penetrability predictions. A detailed protocol is described for the generation and operation of the BBB chip.

The blood brain barrier (BBB) is formed by neurovascular units (NVUs) that shield the central nervous system (CNS) from a range of factors found in the ...

Whole Animal Imaging of Drosophila melanogaster using Microcomputed Tomography

Biomedical imaging tools permit investigation of molecular mechanisms across spatial scales, from genes to organisms. Drosophila melanogaster, a well-characterized model organism, has benefited from the use of light and electron microscopy to understand gene function at the level of cells and tissues. The application of imaging platforms that allow for an understanding of gene function at the level of the entire intact organism would further enhance our knowledge of genetic mechanisms. Here a whole animal imaging method is presented that outlines the steps needed to visualize Drosophila at any developmental stage using microcomputed tomography (&#181;-CT). The advantages of &#181;-CT include commercially available instrumentation and minimal hands-on time to produce accurate 3D information at micron-level resolution without the need for tissue dissection or clearing methods. Paired with software that accelerate image analysis and 3D rendering, detailed morphometric analysis of any tissue or organ system can be performed to better understand mechanisms of development, physiology, and anatomy for both descriptive and hypothesis testing studies. By utilizing an imaging workflow that incorporates the use of electron microscopy, light microscopy, and &#181;-CT, a thorough evaluation of gene function can be performed, thus furthering the usefulness of this powerful model organism.

Whole Animal Imaging of Drosophila melanogaster using Microcomputed Tomography

A protocol is presented that allows for the visualization of intact Drosophila melanogaster at any stage of development using microcomputed tomography.

Biomedical imaging tools permit investigation of molecular mechanisms across spatial scales, from genes to organisms. Drosophila melanogaster, a ...

Imaging Live Brain Explants from &lt;em&gt;Drosophila melanogaster&lt;/em&gt; Third Instar Larvae

Live-Cell Imaging of Drosophila melanogaster Third Instar Larval Brains

Drosophila neural stem cells (neuroblasts, NBs hereafter) undergo asymmetric divisions, regenerating the self-renewing neuroblast, while also forming a differentiating ganglion mother cell (GMC), which will undergo one additional division to give rise to two neurons or glia. Studies in NBs have uncovered the molecular mechanisms underlying cell polarity, spindle orientation, neural stem cell self-renewal, and differentiation. These asymmetric cell divisions are readily observable via live-cell imaging, making larval NBs ideally suited for investigating the spatiotemporal dynamics of asymmetric cell division in living tissue. When properly dissected and imaged in nutrient-supplemented medium, NBs in explant brains robustly divide for 12-20 h. Previously described methods are technically difficult and may be challenging to those new to the field. Here, a protocol is described for the preparation, dissection, mounting, and imaging of live third-instar larval brain explants using fat body supplements. Potential problems are also discussed, and examples are provided for how this technique can be used.

Author Spotlight: Investigating Asymmetric Cell Division Dynamics: A Protocol for Live-Imaging of Drosophila Larval Brain Explants 

Here, we discuss a workflow to prepare, dissect, mount, and image live explant brains from Drosophila melanogaster third instar larvae to observe the cellular and subcellular dynamics under physiological conditions.

Drosophila neural stem cells (neuroblasts, NBs hereafter) undergo asymmetric divisions, regenerating the self-renewing neuroblast, while also forming a ...