Diese Arbeit wurde vom NCI R01 CA120659 (RS) unterstützt.

1. Ein Matrigel-Based Rohr Formation Assay zur vaskulären Aktivität von Tumorzellen Beurteilen <ol><li> Vorbereitung der Tumorzellen und mikrovaskulären Endothelzellen: Hirntumor-Zellen wie U87-Zellen, Melanomzellen B16F1, Brustkrebs MDA-MB-435, und die Zellen des Darms HCT116 wurden in DMEM ergänzt mit 10% FBS und Penicillin / Streptomycin (alle von Invitrogen ). Endothelial Zelllinie humanen mikrovaskulären Endothelzellen (HMVECs) wurden in EBM2 Medium (Lonza) mit 1 pg / ml Hydrocortison und 1 ng / ml epidermal growth factor, 10% FBS und Penicillin / Streptomycin kultiviert. Die Zellen wurden mit PBS dreimal gewaschen und getrennt mit 0,05% Trypsin / EDTA (Invitrogen). Nach Zentrifugation mit 2.000 rpm für 5 min wurden Zellpellets erneut mit PBS gewaschen. Dann wurden die pelletierten Zellen mit einer Zählkammer gezählt. </li><li> Matrigel Zubereitung: Ein Aliquot von Wachstumsfaktor-reduzierten Matrigel (BD Bioscience) bis bei Raumtemperatur erwärmt. Bevor vollständig aufgetaut war es auf Eis überführt und seine Flüssigkeit wurde auf Eis für mindestens 10 min gehalten. Dann wurden 50 ul der Matrigel wurde 96-Well-Platten auf horizontaler Ebene, dass die Matrigel gleichmäßig zu verteilen ermöglicht ausplattiert und inkubiert für 30 min bei 37 ° C. </li><li> Rohr Bildung: Cells (1-2 x 10 4) wurden mit serumfreiem DMEM für Tumorzellen oder EBM-2 für Endothelzellen resuspendiert und lud auf der Oberseite des Matrigel. Wenn dieser Test zur Messung der Wirkung von einigen Agenten auf Tubulus Entwicklung verwendet wurde, wurden diese Mittel (Stimulatoren oder Inhibitoren), die Serum-freiem Medium aufgenommen. Jede bedingte Gruppe enthalten 4-6 Brunnen. </li><li> Bild-und Daten-Analyse: Nach der Inkubation bei 37 ° C über Nacht, wurde jede Vertiefung direkt unter dem Mikroskop analysiert. Wenn Tubuli zur Fixierung benötigt wurden, wurden 100 ul 10% igem Formalin Kochsalzlösung-basierte Lösung vorsichtig hinzugefügt und zehn Minuten später war es soweit für die Analyse. Unter einem Mikroskop mit 10x Phasenkontrast, wurden Tubuli in jedes Feld abgebildet und einem Durchschnitt von Tubuli 3 bis 5 zufälligen Feldern in jeder Vertiefung wurde gezählt. </li></ol> 2. Repräsentative Ergebnisse: HMVECs wurden als positive Kontrolle verwendet, da diese Röhren aus klarem längliche Zellkörper, die Polygon-Netzwerk zu bilden verbinden entwickelt wurden. B16F1, U87 und MDA-MB-435 Zellen entwickelt vaskulären Tubuli ähnlich denen von HMVECs gebildet, aber HCT116 Zellen nicht (Abbildung 1). Eine Zelle dosisabhängig tube formation wurde in U87-Zellen getestet. Wie in Abbildung 2 gezeigt, gebildet 10.000 Zellen abgesetzt Tubuli. Sobald die Zellen wurden verdoppelt, war eine solide Gefäßnetz vergleichbar mit denen in HMVECs gesehen. Im Gegensatz dazu konnte Zellen weniger als 5.000 bis eine vaskuläre Phänotyp zu bilden. <img src="/files/ftp_upload/3040/3040fig1.jpg" alt="Abbildung 1"/> Abbildung 1. Rohr-Bildung durch HMVECs, U87, MDA-MB-435 und B16F1 Zellen induziert, aber nicht HCT116-Zellen. Alle Zellen (2 x 10 4) wurden auf Matrigel geladen und über Nacht inkubiert. Tubuli wurden aufgenommen mit Phasenkontrast. HMVECs wurden als positive Kontrolle verwendet. Ein Vertreter von 3-5 Felder zu sehen war. Bar: 100 um. <img src="/files/ftp_upload/3040/3040fig2.jpg" alt="Abbildung 2"/> Abbildung 2. U87-Zell-induzierte Tubuli in einer Zellzahl-abhängigen Weise. Verschiedene Zahlen von U87-Zellen als in den Ecken angegeben wurden tube formation verwendet. HMVECs wurden für eine positive Kontrolle verwendet. Bar: 100 mm.

<ol>
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Keine Interessenskonflikte erklärt.

Um für diesen Test erfolgreich zu sein, sollte die Qualität der Matrigel zuerst getestet werden. Eine kleine Probe von BD Bioscience erhalten werden, um Vorlauf der Test unter Verwendung von HMVECs. Verschiedene Produkte können Batch-Display ungleichen Qualitäten, in denen einige viel nicht bieten eine optimale Voraussetzung für tube formation. Zweitens sollten alle Blasen vermieden werden, wenn ein Aliquot von Matrigel in 96-Well-Platten geladen werden, da Blasen Tubulus Bildung stören können. Wenn kleine Bläsc...

<table border="1"><tbody><tr><th> Name des Reagenzes </th><th> Firma </th><th> Katalog-Nummer </th></tr><tr><td> DMEM </td><td> Invitrogen </td><td> 11995 </td></tr><tr><td> FBS </td><td> Invitrogen </td><td> 16000-044 </td></tr><tr><td> Growth factor-reduziert Matrigel </td><td> BD Bioscience </td><td> 47743-720 </td></tr><tr><td> EBM2 kit </td><td> Lonza </td><td> CC-3156 </td></tr><tr><td> Nikon ECLIPSE TS100 Mikroskop </td><td> Nikon </td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

a matrigel-based tube formation assay to assess the vasculogenic activity of tumor cells

Im Laufe der letzten Jahrzehnte, mit einem Rohr-Assay growth factor-reduzierten Matrigel wurde in der Regel eingesetzt, um die angiogene Aktivität des vaskulären endothelialen Zellen in vitro 1-5 demonstrieren. Allerdings hat vor kurzem immer mehr Belege dafür ergeben, dass dieser Test nicht beschränkt auf vaskuläre Verhalten für Endothelzellen zu testen. Stattdessen hat sie auch benutzt worden, um die Fähigkeit einer Reihe von Tumorzellen zu einer vaskulären Phänotyp 6-8 Entwicklung zu testen. Diese Fähigkeit wurde in Übereinstimmung mit ihren vaskulogene Verhalten in xenotransplantierten Tiere, ein Verfahren, wie vaskulogene Mimikry (VM) 9 bekannt sind, identifiziert. Es gibt eine Vielzahl von Nachweisen dafür, dass Tumor-Zell-vermittelten VM spielt eine wichtige Rolle bei der Tumorentwicklung, unabhängig von Endothelzellen Angiogenese 6, 10-13. So wurden zum Beispiel Tumorzellen im Blut durchströmt, vaskuläre Kanalbildung in Gewebeproben aus Melanomen und Glioblastom-Patienten 8, 10, 11 zu beteiligen. Hier haben wir beschrieben, diese röhrenförmigen Netz-Assay als ein nützliches Instrument bei der Auswertung von vaskulären Aktivität von Tumorzellen. Wir fanden, dass einige Tumorzelllinien wie Melanom B16F1 Zellen, Glioblastom U87-Zellen, und Brustkrebs MDA-MB-435 Zellen in der Lage, vaskuläre Tubuli bilden; einige aber auch nicht wie Darmkrebs HCT116-Zellen. Darüber hinaus ist dieses vaskulären Phänotyp abhängig Zellzahlen auf dem Matrigel beschichtet. Daher kann dieser Test als leistungsstarkes Dienstprogramm für die vaskuläre Potenzial einer Vielzahl von Zelltypen einschließlich vaskulärer Zellen, Tumorzellen sowie anderen Zellen Bildschirm dienen.

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about A Matrigel-Based Tube Formation Assay to Assess the Vasculogenic Activity of Tumor Cells at JoVE.com

A Matrigel-Based Tube Formation Assay to Assess the Vasculogenic Activity of Tumor Cells

Ein Rohr-Assay wird verwendet, um vaskuläre Aktivität von Tumorzellen zu bewerten.

Ein Matrigel-Based Rohr Formation Assay zur vaskulären Aktivität von Tumorzellen Beurteilen

Over the past several decades, a tube formation assay using growth factor-reduced Matrigel has been typically employed to demonstrate the angiogenic ...

a-matrigel-based-tube-formation-assay-to-assess-vasculogenic-activity

Research

JoVE Journal

Biology

66.0K Aufrufe.  University of Massachusetts. Ein Rohr-Assay wird verwendet, um vaskuläre Aktivität von Tumorzellen zu bewerten.

Serie: A Matrigel-Based Tube Formation Assay to Assess the Vasculogenic Activity of Tumor Cells

An Assay for Measuring the Activity of Escherichia coli Inducible Lysine Decarboxyase

Escherichia coli is an enteric bacterium that is capable of growing over a wide range of pH values (pH 5 - 9)1 and, incredibly, is able to survive extreme acid stresses including passage through the mammalian stomach where the pH can fall to as low as pH 1 - 22. To enable such a broad range of acidic pH survival, E. coli possesses four different inducible amino acid decarboxylases that decarboxylate their substrate amino acids in a proton-dependent manner thus raising the internal pH. The decarboxylases include the glutamic acid decarboxylases GadA and GadB3, the arginine decarboxylase AdiA4, the lysine decarboxylase LdcI5, 6 and the ornithine decarboxylase SpeF7. All of these enzymes utilize pyridoxal-5'-phospate as a co-factor8 and function together with inner-membrane substrate-product antiporters that remove decarboxylation products to the external medium in exchange for fresh substrate2. In the case of LdcI, the lysine-cadaverine antiporter is called CadB. Recently, we determined the X-ray crystal structure of LdcI to 2.0 &#197;, and we discovered a novel small-molecule bound to LdcI the stringent response regulator guanosine 5'-diphosphate,3'-diphosphate (ppGpp) 14. The stringent response occurs when exponentially growing cells experience nutrient deprivation or one of a number of other stresses9. As a result, cells produce ppGpp which leads to a signaling cascade culminating in the shift from exponential growth to stationary phase growth10. We have demonstrated that ppGpp is a specific inhibitor of LdcI 14. Here we describe the lysine decarboxylase assay, modified from the assay developed by Phan et al.11, that we have used to determine the activity of LdcI and the effect of pppGpp/ppGpp on that activity. The LdcI decarboxylation reaction removes the &alpha;-carboxy group of L-lysine and produces carbon dioxide and the polyamine cadaverine (1,5-diaminopentane)5. L-lysine and cadaverine can be reacted with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzensulfonic acid (TNBS) at high pH to generate N,N'-bistrinitrophenylcadaverine (TNP-cadaverine) and N,N&#8242;-bistrinitrophenyllysine (TNP-lysine), respectively11. The TNP-cadaverine can be separated from the TNP-lysine as the former is soluble in organic solvents such as toluene while the latter is not (See Figure 1). The linear range of the assay was determined empirically using purified cadaverine.

An Assay for Measuring the Activity of Escherichia coli Inducible Lysine Decarboxyase

The activity of the inducible lysine decarboxylase is monitored by reacting the substrate L-lysine and the product cadaverine with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzensulfonic acid to form adducts that have differential solubility in toluene.

Ein Assay zur Messung der Aktivität von Escherichia coli Inducible Lysin Decarboxyase

Escherichia coli is an enteric bacterium that is capable of growing over a wide range of pH values (pH 5 - 9)1 and, incredibly, is able to survive extreme ...

Forschung

Biologie

Clonogenic Assay: Adherent Cells

The clonogenic (or colony forming) assay has been established for more than 50 years; the original paper describing the technique was published in 19561. Apart from documenting the method, the initial landmark study generated the first radiation-dose response curve for X-ray irradiated mammalian (HeLa) cells in culture1. Basically, the clonogenic assay enables an assessment of the differences in reproductive viability (capacity of cells to produce progeny; i.e. a single cell to form a colony of 50 or more cells) between control untreated cells and cells that have undergone various treatments such as exposure to ionising radiation, various chemical compounds (e.g. cytotoxic agents) or in other cases genetic manipulation. The assay has become the most widely accepted technique in radiation biology and has been widely used for evaluating the radiation sensitivity of different cell lines. Further, the clonogenic assay is commonly used for monitoring the efficacy of radiation modifying compounds and for determining the effects of cytotoxic agents and other anti-cancer therapeutics on colony forming ability, in different cell lines. A typical clonogenic survival experiment using adherent cells lines involves three distinct components, 1) treatment of the cell monolayer in tissue culture flasks, 2) preparation of single cell suspensions and plating an appropriate number of cells in petri dishes and 3) fixing and staining colonies following a relevant incubation period, which could range from 1-3 weeks, depending on the cell line. Here we demonstrate the general procedure for performing the clonogenic assay with adherent cell lines with the use of an immortalized human keratinocyte cell line (FEP-1811)2. Also, our aims are to describe common features of clonogenic assays including calculation of the plating efficiency and survival fractions after exposure of cells to radiation, and to exemplify modification of radiation-response with the use of a natural antioxidant formulation.

The applicability of the clonogenic assay for evaluating reproductive viability has been established for more than 50 years. Here we demonstrate the general procedure for performing the clonogenic assay with adherent cells.

Klonogene Test: adhärenter Zellen

The clonogenic (or colony forming) assay has been established for more than 50 years; the original paper describing the technique was published in 19561. ...

Ex Vivo Culture of Primary Human Fallopian Tube Epithelial Cells

Epithelial ovarian cancer is a leading cause of female cancer mortality in the United States. In contrast to other women-specific cancers, like breast and uterine carcinomas, where death rates have fallen in recent years, ovarian cancer cure rates have remained relatively unchanged over the past two decades 1. This is largely due to the lack of appropriate screening tools for detection of early stage disease where surgery and chemotherapy are most effective 2, 3. As a result, most patients present with advanced stage disease and diffuse abdominal involvement. This is further complicated by the fact that ovarian cancer is a heterogeneous disease with multiple histologic subtypes 4, 5. Serous ovarian carcinoma (SOC) is the most common and aggressive subtype and the form most often associated with mutations in the BRCA genes. Current experimental models in this field involve the use of cancer cell lines and mouse models to better understand the initiating genetic events and pathogenesis of disease 6, 7. Recently, the fallopian tube has emerged as a novel site for the origin of SOC, with the fallopian tube (FT) secretory epithelial cell (FTSEC) as the proposed cell of origin 8, 9. There are currently no cell lines or culture systems available to study the FT epithelium or the FTSEC. Here we describe a novel ex vivo culture system where primary human FT epithelial cells are cultured in a manner that preserves their architecture, polarity, immunophenotype, and response to physiologic and genotoxic stressors. This ex vivo model provides a useful tool for the study of SOC, allowing a better understanding of how tumors can arise from this tissue, and the mechanisms involved in tumor initiation and progression.

Ex Vivo Culture of Primary Human Fallopian Tube Epithelial Cells

The fallopian tube (FT) is emerging as an alternative site of origin for serous ovarian carcinoma (SOC). This protocol describes a novel method for the isolation and ex vivo culture of fallopian tube epithelial cells. This system recapitulates the in vivo epithelium and allows the study of SOC pathogenesis.

Ex vivo-Kultur von primären humanen Eileiter Epithelzellen

Epithelial ovarian cancer is a leading cause of female cancer mortality in the United States. In contrast to other women-specific cancers, like breast and ...

Assaying the Kinase Activity of LRRK2 in vitro

Leucine Rich Repeat Kinase 2 (LRRK2) is a 2527 amino acid member of the ROCO family of proteins, possessing a complex, multidomain structure including a GTPase domain (termed ROC, for Ras of Complex proteins) and a kinase domain1. The discovery in 2004 of mutations in LRRK2 that cause Parkinson's disease (PD) resulted in LRRK2 being the focus of a huge volume of research into its normal function and how the protein goes awry in the disease state2,3. Initial investigations into the function of LRRK2 focused on its enzymatic activities4-6. Although a clear picture has yet to emerge of a consistent alteration in these due to mutations, data from a number of groups has highlighted the importance of the kinase activity of LRRK2 in cell death linked to mutations7,8. Recent publications have reported inhibitors targeting the kinase activity of LRRK2, providing a key experimental tool9-11. In light of these data, it is likely that the enzymatic properties of LRRK2 afford us an important window into the biology of this protein, although whether they are potential drug targets for Parkinson's is open to debate.
A number of different approaches have been used to assay the kinase activity of LRRK2. Initially, assays were carried out using epitope tagged protein overexpressed in mammalian cell lines and immunoprecipitated, with the assays carried out using this protein immobilised on agarose beads4,5,7. Subsequently, purified recombinant fragments of LRRK2 in solution have also been used, for example a GST tagged fragment purified from insect cells containing residues 970 to 2527 of LRRK212. Recently, Dani&euml;ls et al. reported the isolation of full length LRRK2 in solution from human embryonic kidney cells, however this protein is not widely available13. In contrast, the GST fusion truncated form of LRRK2 is commercially available (from Invitrogen, see table 1 for details), and provides a convenient tool for demonstrating an assay for LRRK2 kinase activity. Several different outputs for LRRK2 kinase activity have been reported. Autophosphorylation of LRRK2 itself, phosphorylation of Myelin Basic Protein (MBP) as a generic kinase substrate and phosphorylation of an artificial substrate - dubbed LRRKtide, based upon phosphorylation of threonine 558 in Moesin - have all been used, as have a series of putative physiological substrates including &alpha;-synuclein, Moesin and 4-EBP14-17. The status of these proteins as substrates for LRRK2 remains unclear, and as such the protocol described below will focus on using MBP as a generic substrate, noting the utility of this system to assay LRRK2 kinase activity directed against a range of potential substrates.

Assaying the Kinase Activity of LRRK2 in vitro

Leucine Rich Repeat Kinase 2 is a large multidomain kinase, mutations in which are the most common genetic cause of Parkinson's disease. Analysis of the kinase activity of this protein has proven to be a crucial tool in understanding the biology and dysfunction of this protein. In this paper, in vitro assaying of the kinase activity of LRRK2 and a selection of its mutants is described, providing an experimental system to examine phosphorylation of putative substrates and potential dysfunction of LRRK2 in disease.

Untersuchen der Kinase-Aktivität von LRRK2 In-vitro-</em

Leucine Rich Repeat Kinase 2 (LRRK2) is a 2527 amino acid member of the ROCO family of proteins, possessing a complex, multidomain structure including a ...

Isolation of Immune Cells from Primary Tumors

Tumors create a unique immunosuppressive microenvironment (tumor microenvironment, TME) whereby leukocytes are recruited into the tumor by various chemokines and growth factors 1,2. However, once in the TME, these cells lose the ability to promote anti-tumor immunity and begin to support tumor growth and down-regulate anti-tumor immune responses 3-4. Studies on tumor-associated leukocytes have mainly focused on cells isolated from tumor-draining lymph nodes or spleen due to the inherent difficulties in obtaining sufficient cell numbers and purity from the primary tumor. While identifying the mechanisms of cell activation and trafficking through the lymphatic system of tumor bearing mice is important and may give insight to the kinetics of immune responses to cancer, in our experience, many leukocytes, including dendritic cells (DCs), in tumor-draining lymph nodes have a different phenotype than those that infiltrate tumors 5,6 . Furthermore, we have previously demonstrated that adoptively-transferred T cells isolated from the tumor-draining lymph nodes are not tolerized and are capable of responding to secondary stimulation in vitro unlike T cells isolated from the TME, which are tolerized and incapable of proliferation or cytokine production 7,8. Interestingly, we have shown that changing the tumor microenvironment, such as providing CD4+ T helper cells via adoptive transfer, promotes CD8+ T cells to maintain pro-inflammatory effector functions 5. The results from each of the previously mentioned studies demonstrate the importance of measuring cellular responses from TME-infiltrating immune cells as opposed to cells that remain in the periphery. To study the function of immune cells which infiltrate tumors using the Miltenyi Biotech isolation system9, we have modified and optimized this antibody-based isolation procedure to obtain highly enriched populations of antigen presenting cells and tumor antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes. The protocol includes a detailed dissection of murine prostate tissue from a spontaneous prostate tumor model (TRansgenic Adenocarcinoma of the Mouse Prostate -TRAMP) 10 and a subcutaneous melanoma (B16) tumor model followed by subsequent purification of various leukocyte populations.

In this report, we describe a protocol for isolating highly purified populations of leukocytes that infiltrate tumors. This protocol is adapted from the Miltenyi Biotech protocol to enhance yield and purity for isolating cells from complex tumor tissue.

Isolierung von Immunzellen aus Primärtumoren

Tumors create a unique immunosuppressive microenvironment (tumor microenvironment, TME) whereby leukocytes are recruited into the tumor by various ...

A Semi-quantitative Approach to Assess Biofilm Formation Using Wrinkled Colony Development

Biofilms, or surface-attached communities of cells encapsulated in an extracellular matrix, represent a common lifestyle for many bacteria. Within a biofilm, bacterial cells often exhibit altered physiology, including enhanced resistance to antibiotics and other environmental stresses 1. Additionally, biofilms can play important roles in host-microbe interactions. Biofilms develop when bacteria transition from individual, planktonic cells to form complex, multi-cellular communities 2. In the laboratory, biofilms are studied by assessing the development of specific biofilm phenotypes. A common biofilm phenotype involves the formation of wrinkled or rugose bacterial colonies on solid agar media 3. Wrinkled colony formation provides a particularly simple and useful means to identify and characterize bacterial strains exhibiting altered biofilm phenotypes, and to investigate environmental conditions that impact biofilm formation. Wrinkled colony formation serves as an indicator of biofilm formation in a variety of bacteria, including both Gram-positive bacteria, such as Bacillus subtilis 4, and Gram-negative bacteria, such as Vibrio cholerae 5, Vibrio parahaemolyticus 6, Pseudomonas aeruginosa 7, and Vibrio fischeri 8.
The marine bacterium V. fischeri has become a model for biofilm formation due to the critical role of biofilms during host colonization: biofilms produced by V. fischeri promote its colonization of the Hawaiian bobtail squid Euprymna scolopes 8-10. Importantly, biofilm phenotypes observed in vitro correlate with the ability of V. fischeri cells to effectively colonize host animals: strains impaired for biofilm formation in vitro possess a colonization defect 9,11, while strains exhibiting increased biofilm phenotypes are enhanced for colonization 8,12. V. fischeri therefore provides a simple model system to assess the mechanisms by which bacteria regulate biofilm formation and how biofilms impact host colonization.
In this report, we describe a semi-quantitative method to assess biofilm formation using V. fischeri as a model system. This method involves the careful spotting of bacterial cultures at defined concentrations and volumes onto solid agar media; a spotted culture is synonymous to a single bacterial colony. This 'spotted culture' technique can be utilized to compare gross biofilm phenotypes at single, specified time-points (end-point assays), or to identify and characterize subtle biofilm phenotypes through time-course assays of biofilm development and measurements of the colony diameter, which is influenced by biofilm formation. Thus, this technique provides a semi-quantitative analysis of biofilm formation, permitting evaluation of the timing and patterning of wrinkled colony development and the relative size of the developing structure, characteristics that extend beyond the simple overall morphology.

We provide a simple, semi-quantitative method to investigate biofilm formation in vitro. This method takes advantage of the Zeiss stemi 2000-C Dissecting Microscope (with camera attachment) to monitor both the timing and pattern of biofilm formation, as assessed by the development of wrinkled colonies.

Ein semi-quantitativer Ansatz, um die Biofilmbildung Mit Wrinkled Colony Entwicklung zu bewerten

Biofilms, or surface-attached communities of cells encapsulated in an extracellular matrix, represent a common lifestyle for many bacteria. Within a ...

Endothelial Cell Tube Formation Assay for the In Vitro Study of Angiogenesis

Angiogenesis is a vital process for normal tissue development and wound healing, but is also associated with a variety of pathological conditions. Using this protocol, angiogenesis may be measured in vitro in a fast, quantifiable manner. Primary or immortalized endothelial cells are mixed with conditioned media and plated on basement membrane matrix. The endothelial cells form capillary like structures in response to angiogenic signals found in conditioned media. The tube formation occurs quickly with endothelial cells beginning to align themselves within 1&#160;hr and lumen-containing tubules beginning to appear within 2 hr. Tubes can be visualized using a phase contrast inverted microscope, or the cells can be treated with calcein AM prior to the assay and tubes visualized through fluorescence or confocal microscopy. The number of branch sites/nodes, loops/meshes, or number or length of tubes formed can be easily quantified as a measure of in vitro angiogenesis. In summary, this assay can be used to identify genes and pathways that are involved in the promotion or inhibition of angiogenesis in a rapid, reproducible, and quantitative manner.

Endothelial Cell Tube Formation Assay for the In Vitro Study of Angiogenesis

The tube formation assay is a fast, quantifiable method for measuring in vitro angiogenesis. Endothelial cells are combined with conditioned media and plated on basement membrane extract. Tube formation occurs within hours and newly formed tubules easily quantified.

Endothelzellen Schlauchbildung Assay für die<em&gt; In-vitro-</em&gt; Studium der Angiogenese

Angiogenesis is a vital process for normal tissue development and wound healing, but is also associated with a variety of pathological conditions. Using ...

The Soft Agar Colony Formation Assay

Anchorage-independent growth is the ability of transformed cells to grow independently of a solid surface, and is a hallmark of carcinogenesis. The soft agar colony formation assay is a well-established method for characterizing this capability in vitro and is considered to be one of the most stringent tests for malignant transformation in cells. This assay also allows for semi-quantitative evaluation of this capability in response to various treatment conditions. Here, we will demonstrate the soft agar colony formation assay using a murine lung carcinoma cell line, CMT167, to demonstrate the tumor suppressive effects of two members of the Wnt signaling pathway, Wnt7A and Frizzled-9 (Fzd-9). Concurrent overexpression of Wnt7a and Fzd-9 caused an inhibition of colony formation in CMT167 cells. This shows that expression of Wnt7a ligand and its Frizzled-9 receptor is sufficient to suppress tumor growth in a murine lung carcinoma model.

The soft agar colony formation assay is a method used to confirm cellular anchorage-independent growth in vitro. The goal of this protocol is to illustrate a stringent method for the detection of the tumorigenic potential of transformed cells and the tumor suppressive effects of proteins on transformed cells.

Die Soft-Agar Koloniebildungstest

Anchorage-independent growth is the ability of transformed cells to grow independently of a solid surface, and is a hallmark of carcinogenesis. The soft ...

Quantitative Immunofluorescence Assay to Measure the Variation in Protein Levels at Centrosomes

Centrosomes are small but important organelles that serve as the poles of mitotic spindle to maintain genomic integrity or assemble primary cilia to facilitate sensory functions in cells. The level of a protein may be regulated differently at centrosomes than at other .cellular locations, and the variation in the centrosomal level of several proteins at different points of the cell cycle appears to be crucial for the proper regulation of centriole assembly. We developed a quantitative fluorescence microscopy assay that measures relative changes in the level of a protein at centrosomes in fixed cells from different samples, such as at different phases of the cell cycle or after treatment with various reagents. The principle of this assay lies in measuring the background corrected fluorescent intensity corresponding to a protein at a small region, and normalize that measurement against the same for another protein that does not vary under the chosen experimental condition. Utilizing this assay in combination with BrdU pulse and chase strategy to study unperturbed cell cycles, we have quantitatively validated our recent observation that the centrosomal pool of VDAC3 is regulated at centrosomes during the cell cycle, likely by proteasome-mediated degradation specifically at centrosomes.

Here, a novel quantitative fluorescence assay is developed to measure changes in the level of a protein specifically at centrosomes by normalizing that protein&#8217;s fluorescence intensity to that of an appropriate internal standard.

Quantitative Immunfluoreszenz-Assay, um die Variation der Protein-Ebene an Zentrosomen Messen

Centrosomes are small but important organelles that serve as the poles of mitotic spindle to maintain genomic integrity or assemble primary cilia to ...

In Vitro Assay to Measure Phosphatidylethanolamine Methyltransferase Activity

Phosphatidylethanolamine methyltransferases are biosynthetic enzymes that catalyze the transfer of one or more methyl group(s) from S-adenosyl-L-methionine onto phosphatidylethanolamine, monomethyl-phosphatidylethanolamine, or dimethyl-phosphatidylethanolamine to give either monomethyl-phosphatidylethanolamine, dimethyl-phosphatidylethanolamine or phosphatidylcholine. These enzymes are ubiquitous in animal cells, fungi, and are also found in approximately 10% of bacteria. They fulfill various important functions in cell physiology beyond their direct role in lipid metabolism such as in insulin resistance, diabetes, atherosclerosis, cell growth, or virulence. The present manuscript reports on a simple cell-free enzymatic assay that measures the transfer of tritiated methyl group(s) from S-[Methyl-3H]adenosyl-L-methionine onto phosphatidylethanolamine using whole cell extracts as an enzyme source. The resulting methylated forms of phosphatidylethanolamine are hydrophobic and thus, can be separated from water soluble S-[Methyl-3H]adenosyl-L-methionine by organic extraction. This assay can potentially be applied to any other cell types and used to test inhibitors/drugs specific to a phosphatidylethanolamine methyltransferase of interest without the need to purify the enzyme.

In Vitro Assay to Measure Phosphatidylethanolamine Methyltransferase Activity

The present report describes an in vitro enzymatic assay to measure phosphatidylethanolamine methyltransferase activity using Leishmania cell extracts. This assay is based on the transfer of a radioactive methyl group from S-[Methyl-3H]adenosyl-L-methionine onto endogenous phosphatidylethanolamine.