Name: parabiosis in mice: a detailed protocol
Uploaded: 2013-10-06T21:30:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Parabiosis in Mice: A Detailed Protocol at JoVE.com

The authors would like to thank Adriane Mosley and Libuse Jerabek (Stanford) for assistance with the surgical technique.

All animal studies were performed according to the guidelines of UCLA&#39;s animal care and use committee and the National Institutes of Health Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. The duration of the procedure described below is approximately 45-60 min from beginning to end.
1. Preparation of Surgical Field
<ol>
	<li>Perform procedure in a clean animal surgery room.</li>
	<li>Equipment: isoflurane Vaporizer, Gaymer T Pump with heating pad.</li>
	<li>Sterile tools: two curved fo...

<ol>
	<li>Bert, P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Exp&#233;riences+et+consid&#233;rations+sur+la+greffe+animale.">Exp&#233;riences et consid&#233;rations sur la greffe animale.</a> Journal de l'Anatomie et de la Physiologie. 1, 69-87 .</li><li>Bunster, E., Meyer, R. K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Improved+methods+of+parabiosis.">Improved methods of parabiosis.</a> Anat. Rec. 57, 339-380 (1933).</li><li>Waskow, C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Generation+of+parabiotic+mice+for+the+study+of+DC+and+DC+precursor+circulation.">Generation of parabiotic mice for the study of DC and DC precursor circulation.</a> Methods Mol. Biol. 595, 413-428 (2010).</li><li>Finerty, 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=Parabiosis+in+physiological+studies.">Parabiosis in physiological studies.</a> Physiol. Rev. 32, 277-302 (1952).</li><li>Aicher, A., Heeschen, C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Nonbone+marrow-derived+endothelial+progenitor+cells:+what+is+their+exact+location.">Nonbone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells: what is their exact location.</a> Circ. Res. 101, e102 (2007).</li><li>Abe, S., Boyer, 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=Cells+derived+from+the+circulation+contribute+to+the+repair+of+lung+injury.">Cells derived from the circulation contribute to the repair of lung injury.</a> Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. 170, 1158-1163 (2004).</li><li>Donskoy, E., Goldschneider, I. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Thymocytopoiesis+is+maintained+by+blood-borne+precursors+throughout+postnatal+life.+A+study+in+parabiotic+mice.">Thymocytopoiesis is maintained by blood-borne precursors throughout postnatal life. A study in parabiotic mice.</a> J. Immunol. 148, 1604-1612 (1992).</li><li>Powell, A. E., Anderson, E. 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=Fusion+between+Intestinal+epithelial+cells+and+macrophages+in+a+cancer+context+results+in+nuclear+reprogramming.">Fusion between Intestinal epithelial cells and macrophages in a cancer context results in nuclear reprogramming.</a> Cancer Res. 71, 1497-1505 (2011).</li><li>Duyverman, A. M., Kohno, M., 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+transient+parabiosis+skin+transplantation+model+in+mice.">A transient parabiosis skin transplantation model in mice.</a> Nat. Protoc. 7, 763-770 (2012).</li><li>Ajami, B., Bennett, J. L., 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=Local+self-renewal+can+sustain+CNS+microglia+maintenance+and+function+throughout+adult+life.">Local self-renewal can sustain CNS microglia maintenance and function throughout adult life.</a> Nat. Neurosci. 10, 1538-1543 (2007).</li><li>Weissman, I. L., Jerabek, L., 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=Tolerance+and+the+H-Y+antigen:+Requirement+for+male+T+cells,+but+not+B+cells,+to+induce+tolerance+in+neonatal+female+mice.">Tolerance and the H-Y antigen: Requirement for male T cells, but not B cells, to induce tolerance in neonatal female mice.</a> Transplantation. 37, 3-6 (1984).</li></ol>

The parabiosis method discussed here presents minimal technical difficulties and results in low mortality rates. The attachment of knee and elbow joints is a significant improvement of the Bunster and Meyer technique. However, the procedure remains invasive thus maintenance of sterile conditions throughout the surgery is imperative. To further prevent infection of the surgical site, it is important that the parabiosed animals receive a combination of antibiotics and be monitored regularly. To ensure firm support and prev...

Parabiosis, the surgical joining of two organisms, was first described in 1864 by Paul Bert as a way to develop a model to study shared circulatory systems and consisted of the joining of the skin and muscular walls of two rats1. Parabiosis promotes formation of microvasculature at the site of inflammation3 and has had several applications in physiological studies, such as the hormonal communication between the pituitary gland and gonads as well as the role of the kidney in hypertension4. It has been further employed to investigate the recruitment and integration of progenitor cells in neovascularization5, migration of hematopoietic stem cells6, and lymphocyte trafficking7, as well as the role and kinetics of circulating inflammatory or stem cells in tumor metastasis8,9, and neurodegenerative disease10.
One significant advantage of parabiosis lies in that the partnered animals share common circulating antigens, allowing cell migration and neovascularization without triggering an immunological reaction. Importantly, Weissman et al. have shown that parabiosis between male and female mice does not lead to formation of anti H-Y antibodies11.
In the original protocol described by Paul Bert the two animals were joined together through connection of the skin and muscle walls1. This method however, caused significant strain to the animals and resulted in high mortality due to infection of the wound. Since then the parabiosis technique has been revised by several groups with the most predominant being the protocol proposed by Bunster and Meyer in 19332. Their method included joining of the scapula joints, body cavities, and skin, permitting better support and less pain for the animals. At the same time, the new method resulted in minimal post-operative care and significantly decreased mortality rates. The protocol described herein is a modification of the Bunster and Meyer technique that is less invasive and allows firmer joining. Namely, mice are connected through the elbow and knee joints as well as the skin. This joining prevents extension of the skin and therefore causes less pain and complications. Here we describe the joining of a wild type (WT) adult mouse to a constitutive GFP expressing mouse. We show that two weeks following surgery we can achieve 50% of blood chimerism demonstrating the efficacy of this surgical procedure to create a shared circulatory system.

<table border="1">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Name of equipment</td>
			<td>Company</td>
			<td>Catalog number</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Isoflurane-Phoenix</td>
			<td>Clipper</td>
			<td>NDC 57319-559-06</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Posi-Seal Induction Chamber</td>
			<td>Molecular Imaging Products</td>
			<td>AS-01-0530-SM</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Portable Anesthesia System</td>
			<td>Molecular Imaging Products</td>
			<td>AS-01-0007</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Gaymer T Pump</td>
			<td>Gaymar Industries, Inc</td>
			<td>TP650</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Warming Blanket (Heating pad)</td>
			<td>Kent Scientific Corp</td>
			<td>TP-22G</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Curved forceps</td>
			<td>Roboz</td>
			<td>RS-5101</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Scissors</td>
			<td>Fine Science Tools (FST)</td>
			<td>FST 14063-09</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Needle holder</td>
			<td>FST</td>
			<td>FST 12501-13</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Electrical shaver</td>
			<td>Oster</td>
			<td>Golden A5</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

parabiosis in mice: a detailed protocol

Parabiosis is a surgical union of two organisms allowing sharing of the blood circulation. Attaching the skin of two animals promotes formation of microvasculature at the site of inflammation. Parabiotic partners share their circulating antigens and thus are free of adverse immune reaction. First described by Paul Bert in 18641, the parabiosis surgery was refined by Bunster and Meyer in 1933 to improve animal survival2. In the current protocol, two mice are surgically joined following a modification of the Bunster and Meyer technique. Animals are connected through the elbow and knee joints followed by attachment of the skin allowing firm support that prevents strain on the sutured skin. Herein, we describe in detail the parabiotic joining of a ubiquitous GFP expressing mouse to a wild type (WT) mouse. Two weeks after the procedure, the pair is separated and GFP positive cells can be detected by flow cytometric analysis in the blood circulation of the WT mouse. The blood chimerism allows one to examine the contribution of the circulating cells from one animal in the other.

The anticipated outcome of parabiosis of two organisms is the equal contribution of each animal's circulatory system to a common blood circulation (Figure 2). One can easily verify the successful equilibration of the blood of the parabiosed WT and GFP positive mice by flow cytometric analysis. Here, venous blood was obtained from the tails of both parabionts at 2 weeks after the surgery and was fractionated for peripheral blood cells (to exclude erythrocytes). The fractionated hematopoietic-derived cell ...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Parabiosis in Mice: A Detailed Protocol at JoVE.com

Parabiosis in Mice: A Detailed Protocol

Parabiotic joining of two organisms leads to the development of a shared circulatory system. In this protocol, we describe the surgical steps to form a parabiotic connection between a wild-type mouse and a constitutive GFP-expressing mouse.

Parabiosis is a surgical union of two organisms allowing sharing of the blood circulation. Attaching the skin of two animals promotes formation of ...

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