Name: isolation of primary human decidual cells from the fetal membranes of term placentae
Uploaded: 2018-04-30T14:45:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Isolation of Primary Human Decidual Cells from the Fetal Membranes of Term Placentae at JoVE.com

The authors would like to thank the donors, the RCWIH BioBank, and the Mount Sinai Hospital/UHN Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology for the human specimens used in this study. We would like to thank the members of the Lye lab, particularly Dr. Caroline Dunk for her help with the method development. This work is supported by the Burroughs Welcome Fund (grant #1013759).

Placentae are collected from healthy term, not in labor women undergoing elective cesarean sections. The Collection, processing, and disposable of human samples adhere to the guidelines of the Mount Sinai Hospital Ethics board. A written consent is obtained from each patient. This study is approved by the Research Ethics Board at Mount Sinai Hospital.
1. Preparations
NOTE: All steps must be conducted under a fume hood and all surgical equipment must be sterilized via ...

<ol>
	<li>Brosens, N., Hayashi, N., White, J. O. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Progesterone+receptor+regulates+decidual+prolactin+expression+in+differentiating+human+endometrial+stromal+cells.">Progesterone receptor regulates decidual prolactin expression in differentiating human endometrial stromal cells.</a> Endocrinology. 140, 4809-4820 (1999).</li><li>Bell, S. C., D'Arcangues, C., Frase, I. S., Newton, J. R., Odlind, V. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Decidualization and relevance to menstruation. , 187-212 (1990).</li><li>Kariya, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Interleukin-1+inhibits+in+vitro+decidualization+of+human+endometrial+stromal+cells.">Interleukin-1 inhibits in vitro decidualization of human endometrial stromal cells.</a> Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. 73, 1170-1174 (1991).</li><li>Dimitriadis, E., Robb, L., Salamonsen, L. 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The protocol described here demonstrates a cost and time effective method for isolating primary decidual cells collected from the fetal membranes of whole human term placentae that is highly accessible and straightforward. The success of this protocol is dependent on two critical factors, (1) efficiency of decidual scraping from the chorion layer of the fetal membranes and (2) the care with which the decidual cells are handled throughout the protocol. It is important that chorion tissue contamination is controlled by ens...

The endometrium, one of the most active adult female tissues, undergoes dramatic remodeling each menstrual cycle in response to stimulation by ovarian hormones, estrogen (E2) and progesterone (P4). The decidua, also known as the pregnant endometrium, is a critically important reproductive tissue that is formed by the end of the postovulatory phase as a result of P4-driven differentiation following the E2-dominant proliferative phase. Decidual cells are responsible for the secretion of hormonal factors for successful blastocyst implantation and for development of the utero-placental interface for maintaining maternal tolerance to the fetal allograft.
Decidualization is required for implantation and subsequent remodeling of the decidual spiral arteries. Endometrial stromal cells undergo decidualization, under the control of P4 and cAMP, during the late luteal phase of the menstrual cycle1. This process is initiated around the blood vessels and spreads throughout the stroma, suggesting its role in vasculature remodeling and leukocyte trafficking regulation. This cellular transformation is characterized by a circular morphology, increased nuclear size, and expansion of the rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus2. Decidualized stromal cells are capable of producing paracrine factors supporting blastocyst implantation and characterized by the secretion of numerous hormones (i.e. prolactin), angiogenic growth factors, insulin growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1), prostaglandin (PG) E (stimulator of intracellular cAMP), cytokines, extracellular matrix components and nutrients essential for placental implantation and development3,4,5,6.
The decidual cell population is not solely comprised of decidualized stromal cells but also contains large, pregnancy-specific decidual leukocyte populations. Decidualization involves transient localized oedema and influx of Natural killer (NK) cells, T-cells, dendritic cells, and macrophages. The largest leukocyte subpopulation is the uterine NK cells, comprising approximately 50-70% of all maternal leukocytes infiltrating the decidua which are a source of cytokines and angiogenic factors which may aid in the decidualization process and increase in number throughout pregnancy7. Macrophages, being the second largest subpopulation of immune cells, are found around the implantation site and increase during pregnancy8. They are a source of cytokines and growth factors such as colony stimulating factor (CSF-1)9, tumor necrosis factor &#945; (TNF&#945;)10 and prostaglandin (PG) E11.
Throughout pregnancy, and before term labor, the decidua is a major source of cytokines and chemokines responsible for maternal peripheral leukocyte activation and subsequent migration into the uterine tissues to initiate labor. Animal studies showed that numerous pro-inflammatory cytokines are up-regulated in the mouse decidua during labor, such as TNF-a, IL-6, IL-12, and IL-1b12. In the human decidua, pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1b, IL-6 and IL-8 (major neutrophil chemoattractant) exhibit higher expression during labor compared to not in labor13. These secreted cytokines result in an activation and influx of leukocytes into the decidual tissues14; an increase in decidual macrophage and neutrophil infiltration in both the human and rat is seen during term labor, with decidual infiltration preceding myometrial 4-fold greater, indicating a cascade of activation between this two-adjacent uterine tissues15. These infiltrating leukocytes produce PGs capable of activating synchronous contractions of the myometrium16, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) to initiate membrane rupture17,18, as well as pro-inflammatory cytokines to amplify the uterine activation process (&#39;cytokine storm&#39;).
Due to many important functions of decidual cells, such as playing a critical role in the implantation process, maintaining maternal-fetal tolerance in early gestation and participating in the activation of labor at term, different pathologies can arise during pregnancy. For instance, (1) infertility due to recurrent implantation failure and recurrent pregnancy loss can result from a failure of decidual maturation; (2) intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and preeclampsia due to improper development and dysfunction of the decidua/placenta or compromised vascular transformation at the decidual-myometrial junction; as well as (3) preterm birth which can result from premature decidual activation.
In light of these major disorders, coupled with the ethical and practical limitations of human in vivo studies, establishing primary human decidual cell lines is essential for in vitro analysis with the purpose of better understanding and improving clinical management of pregnancy complications. Therefore, the objective of our research was to develop a protocol which allows for the isolation of human primary decidual cells with high cell yield and viability collected from the fetal membranes of term placentae. This current protocol clearly describes a time- and cost-effective method for isolating of specific subtypes of decidual cells which be used for a variety of in vitro analyses. Characterization of the abundance and phenotype of decidual sub-populations at term and comparison to first or second trimester is crucial to defining their roles throughout human gestation.

<table>
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Hank&#8217;s balanced salt solution with calcium and magnesium</td>
			<td>Prepared in facility (LTRI)</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Hank&#8217;s balanced salt solution without calcium and magnesium</td>
			<td>Prepared in facility (LTRI)</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Diaper pads</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>D9542</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Large surgical scissors</td>
			<td>AL Medical</td>
			<td>2018-12-20.</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Large surgical forceps</td>
			<td>Fine Science Tools</td>
			<td>11000-18</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Plastic disposable cell scraper (25 cm)</td>
			<td>Sarstedt</td>
			<td>83.183</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>250 mm (size 60 mesh) metal sieve</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>S1020-5EA</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Disposable scalpel with plastic handle (#21)</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>08-927-5D</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sterile plastic petri dish (diameter 10 cm)</td>
			<td>Sarstedt</td>
			<td>82.1473.001</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sterile specimen container (urine cup, 4.5 oz)</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>25384-146</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Nylon filter (70 mm)</td>
			<td>VWR/Corning</td>
			<td>21008-952</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Erythrocyte lysis buffer</td>
			<td>Qiagen</td>
			<td>79217</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Trypan blue, 0.4% solution</td>
			<td>Lonza</td>
			<td>17-942E</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Parafilm</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>13-374-10</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Hemocytometer</td>
			<td>Reichert</td>
			<td>1490</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Roswell Park Memorial Institute (RPMI) 1640 culture media</td>
			<td>Invitrogen</td>
			<td>11835-055</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fetal bovine serum</td>
			<td>Wisent</td>
			<td>080-150</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Normocin (50mg/ mL)</td>
			<td>Invivogen</td>
			<td>ant-nr-1</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Plastic top filtration unit (0.22 mm membrane, 500 mL)</td>
			<td>Millipore</td>
			<td>SCGPT05RE</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Collagenase 2, lyophilized powder</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>C6885</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Soy bean trypsin inhibitor, powder</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>T9003-250mg</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>DNase powder</td>
			<td>Roche</td>
			<td>10104159001</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Bovine serum albumin (BSA powder)</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>BP1600-100</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Spinning disc confocal microscope - Leica DMI 6000B</td>
			<td>Leica</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Imaging Flow cytometer - Image Stream MK2</td>
			<td>Amnis</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>IDEA software</td>
			<td>Millipore Sigma</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>APC-conjugated Vimentin antibody</td>
			<td>R&#38;D Systems</td>
			<td>IC2105A</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>APC H7-conjugated CD45 antibody</td>
			<td>BD</td>
			<td>641399</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>FITC-conjugated Cytokeratin antibody</td>
			<td>MACs Miltenyi Biotec</td>
			<td>130-080-101</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>PerCP -conjugated Cytokeratin 7 antibody</td>
			<td>Novus</td>
			<td>NBP2-47941PCP</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>eFluor450 Fixable Viability dye</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>65-0863-14</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Vimentin primary antibody</td>
			<td>Santa Cruz</td>
			<td>sc-7558</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>CD45 primary antibody</td>
			<td>Dako</td>
			<td>M0701</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cytokeratin primary antibody</td>
			<td>Dako</td>
			<td>M0821</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cytokeratin 7 primary antibody</td>
			<td>Dako</td>
			<td>M7018</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Mouse IgG</td>
			<td>Santa Cruz</td>
			<td>sc-2025</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Goat IgG</td>
			<td>Santa Cruz</td>
			<td>sc-2028</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Alexa Fluor 546 secondary antibody</td>
			<td>Invitrogen</td>
			<td>A10036</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Alexa Fluor 594 secondary antibody</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>A-11058</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>DAPI</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>D9542</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

isolation of primary human decidual cells from the fetal membranes of term placentae

The decidua, also known as the pregnant endometrium, is a critically important reproductive tissue. Decidual cells, comprised mainly of decidualized stromal cells and immune cells, are responsible for the secretion of hormonal and inflammatory factors which are critical for successful blastocyst implantation, placental development and play a role in the initiation of labor at term and preterm. Many pregnancy complications can arise from perturbations of a fine balance of different cell populations comprising decidua. Alterations in the proportion of specific decidual cell types may disrupt these crucial processes and increase the risk of developing serious complications of pregnancy, such as embryo implantation failure, intrauterine growth restriction, preeclampsia and preterm labor. The protocol outlined here demonstrates a cost and time effective method for the isolation of primary human decidual cells collected from the fetal membranes of term placentae. By combining enzymatic digestion and gentle mechanical disruption of the decidual tissue, a high yield of decidual cells was obtained with virtually no chorion contamination. Importantly, isolated decidual cells were characterized (stromal cells (55-60%), leukocytes (35%), epithelial (1%) or trophoblast (0.01%) cells) and maintained high viability (80%) which was confirmed by multicolor imaging flow cytometry assay. This protocol is specific to the decidua parietalis and can be adapted to first and second trimester placentae. Once isolated, decidual cells can be used for a multitude of experimental applications aiming to understand the role of different decidual cell sub-populations in pregnancy complications.

To validate the efficiency and viability of the isolated cells, they were characterized by two methods: flow cytometry and immunocytochemistry (ICC). 4 cell populations were targeted; decidualized stromal cells were detected by the anti-vimentin antibody, pan-leukocyte marker CD45 was used to identify decidual immune cells, cytokeratin was used to detect epithelial/endothelial cells and finally, cytokeratin 7 was used to detect any potential trophoblast (chorion or placental) contaminatio...

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Isolation of Primary Human Decidual Cells from the Fetal Membranes of Term Placentae

This protocol demonstrates a method for the isolation of primary human decidual cells collected from the fetal membranes of term placentae which can be used for a variety of applications (i.e. immunocytochemistry, flow cytometry, etc.) aiming to study the role of different cell populations in pregnancy complications.

The decidua, also known as the pregnant endometrium, is a critically important reproductive tissue. Decidual cells, comprised mainly of decidualized ...

The overall goal of this cell isolation protocol is to develop a method for isolating primary decidual cells with high yield end cell viability. This method can help answer key questions in the field of human reproduction, such as the deciduous role in blastocyst implantation and labor initiation. It can also provide insight into various pregnancy related pathologies.The main advantage of this technique is that it provides a time and cost effective method for the isolation of primary decidual cells with high viability end yields. To begin, leave five 50 milliliter tubes on a rack and two bottles of HBSS and HBSS in the fume hood. Then pipette 25 milliliters of HBSS in the appropriately labeled tube.Next, lay overlapping diapers in the fume hood. Then, take the term placenta out of the container and place it in the fume hood. Position the placenta on the diaper pad with the maternal side up.If the placenta is maternal side down, use an additional diaper to flip the placenta. Look for the point of membrane rupture and make incisions using scissors and forceps to allow the membrane to unfold and lay flat on the fume hood surface. Then use a cell scraper to gently scrape the decidual tissue off of the chorion.Transfer the tissue to a 50 milliliter tube containing 25 milliliters of HBSS Remember to also collect small blood clots, as these also contain some decidual cells. Gently shake the 50 milliliter tube to wash the collected tissue, then pass the tissue through a 250 micrometer metal sieve. Repeat the washing process twice with HBSS followed by two washes with HBSS in fresh tubes.Chorion contamination is easily visible due to its threadlike shape and lighter color and can be removed after washing. After washing, place the tissue in a sterile 50 milliliter tube containing 20 milliliters of enzymatic digestion solution to digest the entire decidua obtained from the whole term fetal membrane. Use paraffin film to seal the cap of the tube.Then incubate the tube at 37 degrees Celsius in a shaking water bath. Set the timer for 20 minutes. Once the incubation is over, remove the paraffin film.Use 70%ethanol to sterilize the surface of the tube containing the digested tissue and place it under the fume hood. Shake the tube briefly. Next, pass the cell suspension through a metal sieve into a new sterile specimen container.Dilute the cell suspension with an equal volume of culture medium to stop the enzymatic reaction. Transfer the cell suspension to a new 50 milliliter tube. Then centrifuge the cells at 420 G for 11 minutes at four degrees Celsius.If required, place the remaining undigested tissue into a new 50 milliliter tube containing 20 milliliters of fresh enzymatic digestion solution and repeat the digestion process. If the digestion is performed a second time, leave the first tube with the cell suspension on ice. Once the second digestion is complete, combine both cell suspensions.After centrifugation, carefully aspirate the supernatant. A manual pipette may be required to remove the supernatant. Then, re-suspend the cell pellet in wash buffer.After washing the cells, repeat the centrifugation process. At the end of the centrifugation process, aspirate the supernatant and re-suspend the cell pellet in five milliliters of wash buffer and 35 milliliters of erythrocyte lysis buffer. In order to lyse the red blood cells, briefly vortex the tube at the beginning and at the end of the incubation.Then, incubate the cell suspension on ice for 20 minutes. After incubation, repeat the centrifugation process. Post-centrifugation, aspirate the supernatant and re-suspend the pellet in 40 milliliters of wash buffer, then pass the cells through a 70 micrometer nylon filter to exclude cell clumps.Repeat the centrifugation process. Aspirate the supernatant once centrifugation is done. Then re-suspend the cell pellet in 10 milliliters of culture medium.Count the number of cells with a hemocytometer using the Trypan blue dye exclusion method. In order to determine the cell type composition of the decidual cell population, a multi-color imaging flow cytometry gating strategy has been developed. The analysis shows exclusion of cell doublets and cell debris using serial gating.Once a debris-free single cell population is obtained, cell viability is determined using a fixable viability dye. The analysis demonstrates 80%viability of the total decidual cell population, indicated by the blue gating. Next, the isolated decidual cells are stained with fluorophore conjugated mouse monoclonal antibodies.This is to analyze the presence of stromal, immune, epithelial and trophoblast cell markers and the viability dye. These markers will determine the decidual cell types. Flow cytometry fluorescent images demonstrate a positively stained cell for all four markers and viability dye.These markers are then used to determine the percentage of each cell type in the decidual cell population. Interestingly, the Vimentin positive stromal cells constitute the highest population of cells, while there are virtually no trophoblast cells. These results demonstrate the purity and high viability of the isolated primary human decidual cells.Here, the dot plots obtained show the gating for the positive cell type populations. Fluorescent minus one controls are used to accurately gate the true positive decidual cell populations. Next, captured spinning disk confocal microscopy images are used to validate the flow cytometric results by showing that the decidual cell population is primarily composed of Vimentin positive stromal cells with no trophoblast cell contamination.Once mastered, this technique can be completed in three hours. Following this procedure, the decidual cells can be analyzed in a variety of ways to examine gene and protein expression, which can better help us understand the cellular changes occurring in pregnancy complications.

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Research

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Medicine

Isolation of Human Islets from Partially Pancreatectomized Patients

Investigations into the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes and islets of Langerhans malfunction 1 have been hampered by the limited availability of type 2 diabetic islets from organ donors2. Here we share our protocol for isolating islets from human pancreatic tissue obtained from type 2 diabetic and non-diabetic patients who have undergone partial pancreatectomy due to different pancreatic diseases (benign or malignant pancreatic tumors, chronic pancreatitis, and common bile duct or duodenal tumors). All patients involved gave their consent to this study, which had also been approved by the local ethics committee. The surgical specimens were immediately delivered to the pathologist who selected soft and healthy appearing pancreatic tissue for islet isolation, retaining the damaged tissue for diagnostic purposes. We found that to isolate more than 1,000 islets, we had to begin with at least 2 g of pancreatic tissue. Also essential to our protocol was to visibly distend the tissue when injecting the enzyme-containing media and subsequently mince it to aid digestion by increasing the surface area.
To extend the applicability of our protocol to include the occasional case in which a large amount (&gt;15g) of human pancreatic tissue is available , we used a Ricordi chamber (50 ml) to digest the tissue. During digestion, we manually shook the Ricordi chamber3 at an intensity that varied by specimen according to its level of tissue fibrosis. A discontinous Ficoll gradient was then used to separate the islets from acinar tissue. We noted that the tissue pellet should be small enough to be homogenously resuspended in Ficoll medium with a density of 1.125 g/ml. After isolation, we cultured the islets under stress free conditions (no shaking or rotation) with 5% CO2 at 37 &deg;C for at least 48 h in order to facilitate their functional recovery. Widespread application of our protocol and its future improvement could enable the timely harvesting of large quantities of human islets from diabetic and clinically matched non-diabetic subjects, greatly advancing type 2 diabetes research.

The supply of type 2 diabetic islets for research is insufficient. Here we share our protocol for isolating islets from patients undergoing partial pancreatectomy. This approach represents a unique venue for obtaining islets from type 2 diabetic and clinically matched non-diabetic subjects in adequate numbers for basic and clinical studies.

Investigations into the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes and islets of Langerhans malfunction 1 have been hampered by the limited availability of type 2 ...

Skin Punch Biopsy Explant Culture for Derivation of Primary Human Fibroblasts

Tissues and cell lines derived from an individual with disease are ideal sources to study disease-related cellular phenotypes. Patient-derived fibroblasts in this protocol have been successfully used in the derivation of induced pluripotent stem cells to model disease1. Early passages of these fibroblasts can also be used for cell-based functional assays to study specific disease pathways, mechanisms2 and subsequent drug screening approaches. The advantage of the presented protocol over enzymatic procedures are 1) the reproducibility of the technique from small amounts of tissue derived from older patients, e.g. patients affected with Parkinson's disease, 2) the technically simple approach over more challenging methodologies using enzymatic treatments, and 3) the time consideration: this protocol takes 15-20 min and can be performed immediately after biopsy arrival. Enzymatic treatments can take up to 4 hr and have the problems of overdigestion, reduction of cell viability and subsequent attachment of cells when not handled properly. This protocol describes the dissection and preparation of a 4-mm human skin biopsy for derivation of a fibroblast culture and has a very high success rate which is important when dealing with patient-derived tissue samples. In this culture, keratinocytes migrate out of the biopsy tissue within the first week after preparation. Fibroblasts appear 7-10 days after the first outgrowth of keratinocytes. DMEM high glucose media supplemented with 20% FBS favors the growth of fibroblasts over keratinocytes and fibroblasts will overgrow the keratinocytes. After 2 passages keratinocytes have been diluted out resulting in relatively homogenous fibroblast cultures which expresses the fibroblast marker SERPINH1 (HSP-47). Using this approach, 15-20 million fibroblasts can be derived in 4-8 weeks for cell banking. The skin dissection takes about 15-20 min, cells are then monitored once a day under the microscope, and media is changed every 2-3 days after attachment and outgrowth of cells.

The fibroblast explant culture protocol from human skin punch biopsies is a technically robust and simple way to derive skin cells within 4-8 weeks for banking of about 15-20 million cells at a low passage number.

Tissues and cell lines derived from an individual with disease are ideal sources to study disease-related cellular phenotypes. Patient-derived fibroblasts ...

Isolation, Characterization and Comparative Differentiation of Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells Derived from Permanent Teeth by Using Two Different Methods

Developing wisdom teeth are easy-accessible source of stem cells during the adulthood which could be obtained by routine orthodontic treatments. Human pulp-derived stem cells (hDPSCs) possess high proliferation potential with multi-lineage differentiation capacity compare to the ordinary source of adult stem cells1-8; therefore, hDPSCs could be the good candidates for autologous transplantation in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Along with these benefits, possessing the mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) features, such as immunolodulatory effect, make hDPSCs more valuable, even in the case of allograft transplantation6,9,10. Therefore, the primary step for using this source of stem cells is to select the best protocol for isolating hDPSCs from pulp tissue. In order to achieve this goal, it is crucial to investigate the effect of various isolation conditions on different cellular behaviors, such as their common surface markers &amp; also their differentiation capacity.
Thus, here we separate human pulp tissue from impacted third molar teeth, and then used both existing protocols based on literature, for isolating hDPSCs,11-13 i.e. enzymatic dissociation of pulp tissue (DPSC-ED) or outgrowth from tissue explants (DPSC-OG). In this regards, we tried to facilitate the isolation methods by using dental diamond disk. Then, these cells characterized in terms of stromal-associated Markers (CD73, CD90, CD105 &amp; CD44), hematopoietic/endothelial Markers (CD34, CD45 &amp; CD11b), perivascular marker, like CD146 and also STRO-1. Afterwards, these two protocols were compared based on the differentiation potency into odontoblasts by both quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR) &amp; Alizarin Red Staining. QPCR were used for the assessment of the expression of the mineralization-related genes (alkaline phosphatase; ALP, matrix extracellular phosphoglycoprotein; MEPE &amp; dentin sialophosphoprotein; DSPP).14

The method described isolation and characterization of human Dental Pulp Stem Cells (hDPSCs) by using either enzymatic dissociation of pulp (DPSC-ED) or direct outgrowth of stem cells from pulp tissue explants (DPSC-OG). Then followed by in vitro comparative differentiation of both types of hDPSCs into odontoblasts.

Developing wisdom teeth are easy-accessible source of stem cells during the adulthood which could be obtained by routine orthodontic treatments. Human ...

Isolation, Culture, and Imaging of Human Fetal Pancreatic Cell Clusters

For almost 30 years, scientists have demonstrated that human fetal ICCs transplanted under the kidney capsule of nude mice matured into functioning endocrine cells, as evidenced by a significant increase in circulating human C-peptide following glucose stimulation1-9. However in vitro, genesis of insulin producing cells from human fetal ICCs is low10; results reminiscent of recent experiments performed with human embryonic stem cells (hESC), a renewable source of cells that hold great promise as a potential therapeutic treatment for type 1 diabetes. Like ICCs, transplantation of partially differentiated hESC generate glucose responsive, insulin producing cells, but in vitro genesis of insulin producing cells from hESC is much less robust11-17. A complete understanding of the factors that influence the growth and differentiation of endocrine precursor cells will likely require data generated from both ICCs and hESC. While a number of protocols exist to generate insulin producing cells from hESC in vitro11-22, far fewer exist for ICCs10,23,24. Part of that discrepancy likely comes from the difficulty of working with human fetal pancreas. Towards that end, we have continued to build upon existing methods to isolate fetal islets from human pancreases with gestational ages ranging from 12 to 23 weeks, grow the cells as a monolayer or in suspension, and image for cell proliferation, pancreatic markers and human hormones including glucagon and C-peptide. ICCs generated by the protocol described below result in C-peptide release after transplantation under the kidney capsule of nude mice that are similar to C-peptide levels obtained by transplantation of fresh tissue6. Although the examples presented here focus upon the pancreatic endoderm proliferation and &#946;&#160;cell genesis, the protocol can be employed to study other aspects of pancreatic development, including exocrine, ductal, and other hormone producing cells.

A protocol to isolate, culture, and image islet cell clusters (ICCs) derived from human fetal pancreatic cells is described.&#160; The method details the steps necessary to generate ICCs from tissue, culture as monolayers or in suspension as aggregates, and image for markers of proliferation and pancreatic cell fate decisions.

For almost 30 years, scientists have demonstrated that human fetal ICCs transplanted under the kidney capsule of nude mice matured into functioning ...

Isolation of Cancer Stem Cells From Human Prostate Cancer Samples

The cancer stem cell (CSC) model has been considerably revisited over the last two decades. During this time CSCs have been identified and directly isolated from human tissues and serially propagated in immunodeficient mice, typically through antibody labeling of subpopulations of cells and fractionation by flow cytometry. However, the unique clinical features of prostate cancer have considerably limited the study of prostate CSCs from fresh human tumor samples. We recently reported the isolation of prostate CSCs directly from human tissues by virtue of their HLA class I (HLAI)-negative phenotype. Prostate cancer cells are harvested from surgical specimens and mechanically dissociated. A cell suspension is generated and labeled with fluorescently conjugated HLAI and stromal antibodies. Subpopulations of HLAI-negative cells are finally isolated using a flow cytometer. The principal limitation of this protocol is the frequently microscopic and multifocal nature of primary cancer in prostatectomy specimens. Nonetheless, isolated live prostate CSCs are suitable for molecular characterization and functional validation by transplantation in immunodeficient mice.

The isolation of cancer stem cells (CSCs) directly from human tissues is requisite for their biological characterization. This manuscript describes a methodology for the isolation of prostate CSCs from human tissues, while also providing tips on troubleshooting difficult steps.

The cancer stem cell (CSC) model has been considerably revisited over the last two decades. During this time CSCs have been identified and directly ...

Two Methods for Establishing Primary Human Endometrial Stromal Cells from Hysterectomy Specimens

Many efforts have been devoted to establish in vitro cell culture systems. These systems are designed to model a vast number of in vivo processes. Cell culture systems arising from human endometrial samples are no exception. Applications range from normal cyclic physiological processes to endometrial pathologies such as gynecological cancers, infectious diseases, and reproductive deficiencies. Here, we provide two methods for establishing primary endometrial stromal cells from surgically resected endometrial hysterectomy specimens. The first method is referred to as &#8220;the scraping method&#8221; and incorporates mechanical scraping using surgical or razor blades whereas the second method is termed &#8220;the trypsin method.&#8221; This latter method uses the enzymatic activity of trypsin to promote the separation of cells and primary cell outgrowth. We illustrate step-by-step methodology through digital images and microscopy. We also provide examples for validating endometrial stromal cell lines via quantitative real time polymerase chain reactions (qPCR) and immunofluorescence (IF).

Establishing primary endometrial stromal cell culture systems from hysterectomy specimens is a valuable biological technique and a crucial step prior to pursuing a vast array of research aims. Here, we describe two methods used to establish stromal cultures from surgically resected endometrial tissues of human patients.&#160;

Many efforts have been devoted to establish in vitro cell culture systems. These systems are designed to model a vast number of in vivo processes. Cell ...

Isolation, Cryopreservation and Culture of Human Amnion Epithelial Cells for Clinical Applications

Human amnion epithelial cells (hAECs) derived from term or pre-term amnion membranes have attracted attention from researchers and clinicians as a potential source of cells for regenerative medicine. The reason for this interest is evidence that these cells have highly multipotent differentiation ability, low immunogenicity, and anti-inflammatory functions. These properties have prompted researchers to investigate the potential of hAECs to be used to treat a variety of diseases and disorders in pre-clinical animal studies with much success.
hAECs have found widespread application for the treatment of a range of diseases and disorders. Potential clinical applications of hAECs include the treatment of stroke, multiple sclerosis, liver disease, diabetes and chronic and acute lung diseases. Progressing from pre-clinical animal studies into clinical trials requires a higher standard of quality control and safety for cell therapy products. For safety and quality control considerations, it is preferred that cell isolation protocols use animal product-free reagents. 
We have developed protocols to allow researchers to isolate, cryopreserve and culture hAECs using animal product-free reagents. The advantage of this method is that these cells can be isolated, characterized, cryopreserved and cultured without the risk of delivering potentially harmful animal pathogens to humans, while maintaining suitable cell yields, viabilities and growth potential. For researchers moving from pre-clinical animal studies to clinical trials, these methodologies will greatly accelerate regulatory approval, decrease risks and improve the quality of their therapeutic cell population.

We describe a protocol to isolate and culture human amnion epithelial cells (hAECs) using animal product-free reagents in accordance with current good manufacturing practices (cGMP) guidelines.

Human amnion epithelial cells (hAECs) derived from term or pre-term amnion membranes have attracted attention from researchers and clinicians as a ...

Isolation of Human Lymphatic Endothelial Cells by Multi-parameter Fluorescence-activated Cell Sorting

Lymphatic system disorders such as primary lymphedema, lymphatic malformations and lymphatic tumors are rare conditions that cause significant morbidity but little is known about their biology. Isolating highly pure human lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) from diseased and healthy tissue would facilitate studies of the lymphatic endothelium at genetic, molecular and cellular levels. It is anticipated that these investigations may reveal targets for new therapies that may change the clinical management of these conditions. A protocol describing the isolation of human foreskin LECs and lymphatic malformation lymphatic endothelial cells (LM LECs) is presented. To obtain a single cell suspension tissue was minced and enzymatically treated using dispase II and collagenase II. The resulting single cell suspension was then labelled with antibodies to cluster of differentiation (CD) markers CD34, CD31, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-3 (VEGFR-3) and PODOPLANIN. Stained viable cells were sorted on a fluorescently activated cell sorter (FACS) to separate the CD34LowCD31PosVEGFR-3PosPODOPLANINPos LM LEC population from other endothelial and non-endothelial cells. The sorted LM LECs were cultured and expanded on fibronectin-coated flasks for further experimental use.

The goal of this protocol is to isolate lymphatic endothelial cells lining human lymphatic malformation cyst-like vessels and foreskins using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). Subsequent cell culturing and expansion of these cells permits a new level of experimental sophistication for genetic, proteomic, functional and cell differentiation studies.

Lymphatic system disorders such as primary lymphedema, lymphatic malformations and lymphatic tumors are rare conditions that cause significant morbidity ...

Isolation and Propagation of Circulating Tumor Cells from a Mouse Cancer Model

Cancer metastasis is the foremost cause of cancer-associated deaths. Recent studies have shown that circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are important in cancer metastasis. Indeed, the number of CTCs correlates with tumor size. Here, a detailed description is provided of a methodology for isolation and propagation of CTCs from a syngeneic mouse model of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) which allows for downstream analysis of potentially important molecular mechanisms of solid organ tumor metastasis. This method is efficient and reproducible. It is a non-invasive technique and, therefore, has potential to replace the invasive biopsy of tissues from humans which may be associated with complications. Therefore, the method discussed here allows for the isolation and propagation of CTCs from whole blood samples such that they can be examined and characterized. This has potential for future adaptation for clinical applications such as diagnosis, and personalized targeted therapy.

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have been shown to play an important role in tumor metastasis. Here, a method for the isolation and propagation of CTCs from the whole blood of a syngeneic mouse tumor model of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) metastasis is described.

Cancer metastasis is the foremost cause of cancer-associated deaths. Recent studies have shown that circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are important in cancer ...

Isolation and Culture of Primary Endothelial Cells from Canine Arteries and Veins

Cardiovascular disease is studied in both human and veterinary medicine. Endothelial cells have been used extensively as an in vitro model to study vasculogenesis, (tumor) angiogenesis, and atherosclerosis. The current standard for in vitro research on human endothelial cells (ECs) is the use of Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVECs) and Human Umbilical Artery Endothelial Cells (HUAECs). For canine endothelial research, only one cell line (CnAOEC) is available, which is derived from canine aortic endothelium. Although currently not completely understood, there is a difference between ECs originating from either arteries or veins. For a more direct approach to in vitro functionality studies on ECs, we describe a new method for isolating Canine Primary Endothelial Cells (CaPECs) from a variety of vessels. This technique reduces the chance of contamination with fast-growing cells such as fibroblasts and smooth muscle cells, a problem that is common in standard isolation methods such as flushing the vessel with enzymatic solutions or mincing the vessel prior to digestion of the tissue containing all cells. The technique we describe was optimized for the canine model, but can easily be utilized in other species such as human.

Novel isolation methods of primary endothelial cells from blood vessels are needed. This protocol describes a new technique that completely inverts blood vessels of interest, exposing only the endothelial side to enzymatic digestion. The resulting pure endothelial cell culture can be used to study cardiovascular diseases, disease modelling, and angiogenesis.

Cardiovascular disease is studied in both human and veterinary medicine. Endothelial cells have been used extensively as an in vitro model to study ...