Parte 1: Preparación de los canales de microfluidos de una placa BioFlux. <ol><li> Antes de ejecutar el experimento de la celda de flujo, es necesario preparar a los canales de microfluidos con una capa de proteína de interés. En este caso, el colágeno que se utiliza. Cada canal tiene una entrada y una salida así. Para este plato, la entrada, así es la izquierda y el canal de la alimentación y la salida y está a la derecha. </li><li> Diluir el colágeno I (5mg/ml stock) de recubrimiento para la concentración 200μg/ml en ácido acético 0,02 M. Uno tendrá que 20μl para cada canal utilizado. Mezclar por triteration suave con una punta de la micropipeta. </li><li> Añadir 20 l de recubrimiento para cada canal respectivo para ser utilizado. Hay que prescindir del líquido en perforar interior de la salida y la alimentación del canal de microfluidos de interés, utilizando una micropipeta. Evitar la introducción de burbujas, no se expulse el aire de la pipeta. Incluyen un canal sin colágeno para un control de colágeno no (un control negativo para la adhesión y agregación). </li><li> Introduzca la tarjeta a la placa por el primer dedo de apretar los 4 tornillos y luego una vez que está todo listo, utilice el controlador de par de apriete por completo. El conductor del par se haga clic en cuando se alcanza el máximo de apriete. </li><li> Utiliza el modo manual en el software BioFlux, se aplican a los canales de la perfusión de interés en 2dyn/cm 2 de la toma así. Aquí uno debe estar atento para el sacador contrario interior que se llena de líquido. Esto puede tomar varios minutos. Uno puede ver que esto ocurra con un objetivo de baja potencia en un microscopio (4X) y la búsqueda de la entrada del bien o mediante la celebración de la placa y busca en los pozos de entrada desde abajo. Uno debe ver primero una pequeña gota de líquido que llena lentamente el golpe interno. Una vez que el golpe interno de entrada está lleno, deje de perfusión a la vez pulsando parada en el software. </li><li> Incubar la placa a temperatura ambiente durante una hora. </li><li> Eliminar la interfaz y añadir 1 ml de PBS (además de Ca 2 + / Mg 2 +) a la salida también. Iniciar la perfusión de la toma de bien en 2dyn/cm 2. Continuar la perfusión durante 10 minutos. Detener la perfusión y eliminar la interfaz. </li><li> Eliminar el exceso de PBS a partir de la entrada y salida de los pozos - no remover el líquido que llena el golpe interno. Bloquear los canales con solución de bloqueo (0,5% v / v de BSA en PBS (además de Ca 2 + / Mg 2 +)). Añadir 1 ml de solución de bloqueo a cada salida, así que se utilizarán y perfusión de la toma de bien en 2dyn/cm 2. Continuar la perfusión durante 10 minutos. Detener la perfusión y eliminar la interfaz. Canales preparado hasta este paso se puede utilizar durante todo el día. </li><li> Antes de agregar la sangre, eliminar el líquido en ambos lados del canal a excepción de los golpes internos. </li></ol> Parte 2. Preparación de la sangre con la GP IIb / IIIa de anticuerpos inhibidores. <ol><li> Mientras que el colágeno se está incubando en los canales, se debe preparar la sangre entera. Uno debe seguir las normas de bioseguridad dictadas por su / instituto en el manejo de sangre humana. </li><li> Sangre humana fresca (de un individuo en ayunas), elaborado en anticoagulante citrato de sodio debe utilizarse a menos de 3 horas de su recolección. </li><li> Preparar la sangre mediante la adición de calceína 4μM AM. Prepare un archivo de 4 mm de la mañana en DMSO calceína y añadir a la sangre a una dilución de 1 / 1000 v / v. Mezclar por inversión suave. </li><li> Dispensar 1 ml de la calceína AM etiquetados sangre en 10 - 1,5 ml microtubos. Añadir GP IIb / IIIa de anticuerpos inhibidores de cada a la dilución deseada (el peso molecular de IgG es de ~ 150kDa). Una serie de dilución ejemplo es de 1200nm a 9nM e incluye un control de anticuerpos que no y un control de anticuerpos no relacionados. Un excelente control positivo para la inhibición sería ReoPro (abciximab, Eli Lilly) a una concentración de 20ug/ml. Mezclar por inversión suave. </li><li> Incube a temperatura ambiente durante 1 hora. Mezclar por inversión suave cada 10 minutos. </li></ol> Parte 3: Ejecución del experimento celda de flujo en la estación de BF1000. <ol><li> En primer lugar, hay que establecer un protocolo automatizado en el módulo de control BioFlux. De colágeno I, se debe establecer un protocolo para ejecutar 10dyn/cm 2 durante 10 minutos de la toma así. En este punto, también hay que configurar los parámetros de adquisición de datos utilizando la estación de trabajo BF1000, incluyendo posiciones de los canales, captura de longitud de onda FITC y la información de time-lapse. Se recomienda a la captura de tres campos de visión con un objetivo de 10x por canal cada 30 segundos durante una duración de 10 minutos en total. </li><li> Trabajando rápidamente, el lugar 500 ul de sangre preparada de cada estado por separado en los canales preparados. Lugar hay sangre de anticuerpos de control en un canal que está recubierta con colágeno y que es bloqueada. </li><li> Lugar de la interfaz de la placa. </li><li> Coloque la placa en el microscopio de estación de trabajo BF1000. Abrazadera en la interfaz. </li><li> Realice el ajuste de la placa de carga. Además, se mueven a una etapa de la sangre, así que lo contiene. Conjunto FTIC parámetros de captura de imágenes (el tiempo de exposición, etc ... la ganancia). </li><li> En el software de BioFlux montaje, iniciar la adquisición de comenzar el flujo y la adquisición de forma simultánea. </li><li> Retirar la placa de BF1000 estación de trabajo, eliminación de la placa de acuerdo con las directrices institucionales. </li></ol> Parte 4: Los resultados representativos. Aquí el protocolo de adhesión de las plaquetas y agregación de canales de microfluidos se presentó. El tratamiento con un inhibidor de la agregación plaquetaria, anti-GPIIb/IIIa también se incluyó en el protocolo. El uso de colágeno recubiertas canales de microfluidos del sistema BioFlux, se debe esperar para ver la formación de trombos agresivo en el tiempo con la muestra de sangre del control no tratado y no la formación de trombos en el canal sin revestir. En un experimento realizado recientemente, el tamaño medio de los agregados bajo condiciones de control se 2000μm 2. Figura 1. <img src="/files/ftp_upload/1644/1644fig1.jpg" alt="Figura 1" /> Activado GP IIb / IIIa es potente mediador de la interacción plaqueta-plaqueta y agregación de estabilización 1. Adhesión al colágeno activa el complejo GPIIb / IIIa para obtener esta respuesta 2. Después de la incubación con anti-GPIIb/IIIa durante 1 hora antes de la exposición de corte, se debe esperar a observar una disminución en el tamaño de los trombos, así como una disminución en la frecuencia de formación de trombos. La respuesta depende de la dosis por lo general se puede observar en 10dyn/cm 2. Figura 2. <img src="/files/ftp_upload/1644/1644fig2.jpg" alt="Figura 2" /> El valor de IC 50 de este inhibidor de particular fue 17nM a 10 dinas / cm 2. La inhibición máxima (para este donantes) en comparación con el control de anticuerpos no fue del 11% a 10 dinas / cm 2. Mientras que los métodos aquí se presentaron con una proteína específica de la matriz extracelular y un inhibidor específico de la agregación plaquetaria, el protocolo es extensible a otros revestimientos, otros tipos de células y otros inhibidores para los ensayos de adhesión celular. Los ingredientes clave para el éxito de estos experimentos evitar burbujas en los canales de microfluidos, dilución correcta de todos los reactivos en los diluyentes correctos, y las condiciones adecuadas de incubación de los reactivos.

<ol>
	<li>Jackson, S. P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+growing+complexity+of+platelet+aggregation.">The growing complexity of platelet aggregation.</a> Blood. 109, 5087-5095 (2007).</li><li>Nakamura, T., Kambayashi, J., Okuma, M., Tandon, N. N. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Activation+of+the+GP+IIb-IIIa+complex+induced+by+platelet+adhesion+to+collagen+is+mediated+by+both+alpha2beta1+integrin+and+GP.">Activation of the GP IIb-IIIa complex induced by platelet adhesion to collagen is mediated by both alpha2beta1 integrin and GP.</a> VI. J Biol Chem. 274, 11897-11903 (1999).</li></ol>

Los autores que contribuyen son los empleados de Biociencias Fluxion.

Mientras que los métodos aquí se presentaron con una proteína específica de la matriz extracelular y un inhibidor específico de la agregación plaquetaria, el protocolo es extensible a otros revestimientos, otros tipos de células y otros inhibidores para los ensayos de adhesión celular. Los ingredientes clave para el éxito de estos experimentos evitar burbujas en los canales de microfluidos, dilución correcta de todos los reactivos en los diluyentes correctos, y las condiciones adecuadas de incubación de los reactivos.

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		<div>
		<table border="1">
		<thead>
		<tr>
		<th>Material Name</th>
		<th>Type</th>
		<th>Company</th>
		<th>Catalogue Number</th>
		<th>Comment</th>
		</tr>
		</thead>
		<tbody>
		
<tr>
<td>collagen I, Bovine</td>
<td>Reagent</td>
<td>Invitrogen</td>
<td>A1064401</td>
<td>other sources of collagen I can be used</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PBS plus Ca/Mg</td>
<td>Reagent</td>
<td>Invitrogen</td>
<td>14040-117</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Bovine serum albumin (BSA)</td>
<td>Reagent</td>
<td>EMD</td>
<td>EM-2930 Bottom of Form</td>
<td>From VWR</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>calcein AM</td>
<td>Reagent</td>
<td>Invitrogen</td>
<td>C1430</td>
<td>Calcein AM from BD can also be used</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BioFlux 1000 System</td>
<td>Reagent</td>
<td>Fluxion Biosciences</td>
<td>Contact Company</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>BioFlux Plate</td>
<td>Reagent</td>
<td>Fluxion Biosciences</td>
<td>900013</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>antiGPIIb/IIIa</td>
<td>Reagent</td>
<td>Abcam</td>
<td>ab33407</td>
<td>an alternative # is ab15021</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ReoPro</td>
<td>Reagent</td>
<td>Eli Lilly</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>by Rx only</td>
</tr>		</tbody>
		</table>
		</div>

platelet adhesion and aggregation under flow using microfluidic flow cells

La agregación plaquetaria se produce en respuesta a la lesión vascular que ha sido la matriz extracelular por debajo del endotelio expuestos. La cascada de adhesión de las plaquetas se lleva a cabo en presencia de flujo de tensiones, no es un factor en cuenta en convencional (estática) y placa-ensayos. Este artículo informa sobre un ensayo de agregación plaquetaria utilizando una placa de microfluidos bien en formato de imitar las condiciones fisiológicas de flujo de corte. Proteínas extracelulares, el colágeno I y factor de von Willebrand se depositan en el canal de microfluidos con la perfusión activa con una bomba neumática. Las proteínas de la matriz se lavan con tampón y bloqueado para preparar el canal de microfluidos para la interacción de plaquetas. La sangre entera marcado con tinte fluorescente es perfundido a través del canal en diversos caudales con el fin de lograr la activación y agregación plaquetaria. Inhibidores de la agregación plaquetaria puede ser añadido antes del experimento celda de flujo para generar IC50 datos dosis-respuesta.

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Platelet Adhesion and Aggregation Under Flow using Microfluidic Flow Cells at JoVE.com

Platelet Adhesion and Aggregation Under Flow using Microfluidic Flow Cells

La cascada de adhesión de las plaquetas se lleva a cabo en presencia de flujo de tensiones, no es un factor en cuenta en convencional (estática) y placa-ensayos. Este artículo informa sobre un ensayo de agregación plaquetaria utilizando una placa de microfluidos bien en formato de imitar las condiciones fisiológicas de flujo de corte.

Adhesión y agregación plaquetaria bajo flujo con células de microfluidos de flujo

Platelet aggregation occurs in response to vascular injury where the extracellular matrix below the endothelium has been exposed. The platelet adhesion ...

platelet-adhesion-aggregation-under-flow-using-microfluidic-flow

Research

JoVE Journal

Biology

18.0K vistas.  Fluxion Biosciences, Inc.. La cascada de adhesión de las plaquetas se lleva a cabo en presencia de flujo de tensiones, no es un factor en cuenta en convencional (estática) y placa-ensayos. Este artículo informa sobre un ensayo de agregación plaquetaria utilizando una placa de microfluidos bien en formato de imitar las condiciones fisiológicas de flujo de corte.

Video: Platelet Adhesion and Aggregation Under Flow using Microfluidic Flow Cells

Flow Cytometry Purification of Mouse Meiotic Cells

The heterogeneous nature of cell types in the testis and the absence of meiotic cell culture models have been significant hurdles to the study of the unique differentiation programs that are manifest during meiosis. Two principal methods have been developed to purify, to varying degrees, various meiotic fractions from both adult and immature animals: elutriation or Staput (sedimentation) using BSA and/or percoll gradients. Both of these methods rely on cell size and density to separate meiotic cells1-5. Overall, except for few cell populations6, these protocols fail to yield sufficient purity of the numerous meiotic cell populations that are necessary for detailed molecular analyses. Moreover, with such methods usually one type of meiotic cells can be purified at a given time, which adds an extra level of complexity regarding the reproducibility and homogeneity when comparing meiotic cell samples.
Here, we describe a refined method that allows one to easily visualize, identify, and purify meiotic cells, from germ cells to round spermatids, using FACS combined with Hoechst 33342 staining7,8. This method provides an overall snapshot of the entire meiotic process and allows one to highly purify viable cells from most stage of meiosis. These purified cells can then be analyzed in detail for molecular changes that accompany progression through meiosis, for example changes in gene expression9,10and the dynamics of nucleosome occupancy at hotspots of meiotic recombination11.

An efficient method to obtain highly purified viable meiotic fractions from mouse testis is described, which combines a refined cell dissociation protocol with fluorescent activated cell sorting (FACS). This method takes advantage of differences in the DNA content and nuclear density of discrete meiotic fractions.

Citometría de flujo de purificación de las células de ratón meiótica

The heterogeneous nature of cell types in the testis and the absence of meiotic cell culture models have been significant hurdles to the study of the ...

Investigación

Biología

Optimized Staining and Proliferation Modeling Methods for Cell Division Monitoring using Cell Tracking Dyes

Fluorescent cell tracking dyes, in combination with flow and image cytometry, are powerful tools with which to study the interactions and fates of different cell types in vitro and in vivo.1-5 Although there are literally thousands of publications using such dyes, some of the most commonly encountered cell tracking applications include monitoring of:
<ol>
	<li>stem and progenitor cell quiescence, proliferation and/or differentiation6-8</li>
	<li>antigen-driven membrane transfer9 and/or precursor cell proliferation3,4,10-18 and</li>
	<li>immune regulatory and effector cell function1,18-21.</li>
</ol>
Commercially available cell tracking dyes vary widely in their chemistries and fluorescence properties but the great majority fall into one of two classes based on their mechanism of cell labeling. "Membrane dyes", typified by PKH26, are highly lipophilic dyes that partition stably but non-covalently into cell membranes1,2,11. "Protein dyes", typified by CFSE, are amino-reactive dyes that form stable covalent bonds with cell proteins4,16,18. Each class has its own advantages and limitations. The key to their successful use, particularly in multicolor studies where multiple dyes are used to track different cell types, is therefore to understand the critical issues enabling optimal use of each class2-4,16,18,24.
The protocols included here highlight three common causes of poor or variable results when using cell-tracking dyes. These are:
<ol>
	<li>Failure to achieve bright, uniform, reproducible labeling. This is a necessary starting point for any cell tracking study but requires attention to different variables when using membrane dyes than when using protein dyes or equilibrium binding reagents such as antibodies.</li>
	<li>Suboptimal fluorochrome combinations and/or failure to include critical compensation controls. Tracking dye fluorescence is typically 102 - 103 times brighter than antibody fluorescence. It is therefore essential to verify that the presence of tracking dye does not compromise the ability to detect other probes being used.</li>
	<li>Failure to obtain a good fit with peak modeling software. Such software allows quantitative comparison of proliferative responses across different populations or stimuli based on precursor frequency or other metrics. Obtaining a good fit, however, requires exclusion of dead/dying cells that can distort dye dilution profiles and matching of the assumptions underlying the model with characteristics of the observed dye dilution profile.</li>
</ol>
Examples given here illustrate how these variables can affect results when using membrane and/or protein dyes to monitor cell proliferation.

Successful use of cell tracking dyes to monitor immune cell function and proliferation involves several critical steps. We describe methods for: 1) obtaining bright, uniform, reproducible label-ing with membrane dyes; 2) selecting fluorochromes and data acquisition conditions; and 3) choosing a model to quantify cell proliferation based on dye dilution.

Optimizado manchas y Proliferación métodos de modelización para la vigilancia del uso de tintes División Celular Celulares de seguimiento

Fluorescent cell tracking dyes, in combination with flow and image cytometry, are powerful tools with which to study the interactions and fates of ...

Measuring Intracellular Ca2+ Changes in Human Sperm using Four Techniques: Conventional Fluorometry, Stopped Flow Fluorometry, Flow Cytometry and Single Cell Imaging

Spermatozoa are male reproductive cells especially designed to reach, recognize and fuse with the egg. To perform these tasks, sperm cells must be prepared to face a constantly changing environment and to overcome several physical barriers. Being in essence transcriptionally and translationally silent, these motile cells rely profoundly on diverse signaling mechanisms to orient themselves and swim in a directed fashion, and to contend with challenging environmental conditions during their journey to find the egg. In particular, Ca2+-mediated signaling is pivotal for several sperm functions: activation of motility, capacitation (a complex process that prepares sperm for the acrosome reaction) and the acrosome reaction (an exocytotic event that allows sperm-egg fusion). The use of fluorescent dyes to track intracellular fluctuations of this ion is of remarkable importance due to their ease of application, sensitivity, and versatility of detection. Using one single dye-loading protocol we utilize four different fluorometric techniques to monitor sperm Ca2+ dynamics. Each technique provides distinct information that enables spatial and/or temporal resolution, generating data both at single cell and cell population levels.

Measuring Intracellular Ca2+ Changes in Human Sperm using Four Techniques: Conventional Fluorometry, Stopped Flow Fluorometry, Flow Cytometry and Single Cell Imaging

Intracellular Ca2+ dynamics are very important in sperm physiology and Ca2+-sensitive fluorescent dyes constitute a versatile tool to study them. Population experiments (fluorometry and stopped flow fluorometry) and single cell experiments (flow cytometry and single cell imaging) are used to track spatio-temporal [Ca2+] changes in human sperm cells.

Medición de Ca intracelular<sup&gt; 2 +</sup&gt; Cambios en el esperma humano mediante cuatro técnicas: Fluorometría convencional, se detuvo Fluorometría Flow, citometría de flujo y Single imágenes de células

Spermatozoa  are male reproductive cells especially designed to reach, recognize and fuse  with the egg. To perform these tasks, sperm cells must be ...

Reduced-gravity Environment Hardware Demonstrations of a Prototype Miniaturized Flow Cytometer and Companion Microfluidic Mixing Technology

Until recently, astronaut blood samples were collected in-flight, transported to earth on the Space Shuttle, and analyzed in terrestrial laboratories. If humans are to travel beyond low Earth orbit, a transition towards space-ready, point-of-care (POC) testing is required. Such testing needs to be comprehensive, easy to perform in a reduced-gravity environment, and unaffected by the stresses of launch and spaceflight. Countless POC devices have been developed to mimic laboratory scale counterparts, but most have narrow applications and few have demonstrable use in an in-flight, reduced-gravity environment. In fact, demonstrations of biomedical diagnostics in reduced gravity are limited altogether, making component choice and certain logistical challenges difficult to approach when seeking to test new technology. To help fill the void, we are presenting a modular method for the construction and operation of a prototype blood diagnostic device and its associated parabolic flight test rig that meet the standards for flight-testing onboard a parabolic flight, reduced-gravity aircraft. The method first focuses on rig assembly for in-flight, reduced-gravity testing of a flow cytometer and a companion microfluidic mixing chip. Components are adaptable to other designs and some custom components, such as a microvolume sample loader and the micromixer may be of particular interest. The method then shifts focus to flight preparation, by offering guidelines and suggestions to prepare for a successful flight test with regard to user training, development of a standard operating procedure (SOP), and other issues. Finally, in-flight experimental procedures specific to our demonstrations are described.

Spaceflight blood diagnostics need innovation. Few demonstrations have been published illustrating in-flight, reduced-gravity health diagnostic technology. Here we present a method for construction and operation of a parabolic flight test rig for a prototype point-of-care flow-cytometry design, with components and preparation strategies adaptable to other setups.

Reducción de gravedad Demostraciones entorno de hardware de un prototipo miniaturizado citómetro de flujo y Compañero Microfluidos Tecnología de mezcla

Until recently, astronaut blood samples were collected in-flight, transported to earth on the Space Shuttle, and analyzed in terrestrial laboratories. If ...

Cytosolic Calcium Measurements in Renal Epithelial Cells by Flow Cytometry

A variety of cellular processes, both physiological and pathophysiological, require or are governed by calcium, including exocytosis, mitochondrial function, cell death, cell metabolism and cell migration to name but a few. Cytosolic calcium is normally maintained at low nanomolar concentrations; rather it is found in high micromolar to millimolar concentrations in the endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondrial matrix and the extracellular compartment. Upon stimulation, a transient increase in cytosolic calcium serves to signal downstream events. Detecting changes in cytosolic calcium is normally performed using a live cell imaging set up with calcium binding dyes that exhibit either an increase in fluorescence intensity or a shift in the emission wavelength upon calcium binding. However, a live cell imaging set up is not freely accessible to all researchers. Alternative detection methods have been optimized for immunological cells with flow cytometry and for non-immunological adherent cells with a fluorescence microplate reader. Here, we describe an optimized, simple method for detecting changes in epithelial cells with flow cytometry using a single wavelength calcium binding dye. Adherent renal proximal tubule epithelial cells, which are normally difficult to load with dyes, were loaded with a fluorescent cell permeable calcium binding dye in the presence of probenecid, brought into suspension and calcium signals were monitored before and after addition of thapsigargin, tunicamycin and ionomycin.

Calcium is involved in numerous physiological and pathophysiological signaling pathways. Live cell imaging requires specialized equipment and can be time consuming. A quick, simple method using a flow cytometer to determine relative changes in cytosolic calcium in adherent epithelial cells brought into suspension was optimized.

Las mediciones del calcio citosólico en las células epiteliales renales mediante citometría de flujo

A variety of cellular processes, both physiological and pathophysiological, require or are governed by calcium, including exocytosis, mitochondrial ...

LED Thermo Flow &#8212; Combining Optogenetics with Flow Cytometry

Optogenetic tools allow isolated, functional investigations of almost any signaling molecule within complex signaling pathways. A major obstacle is the controlled delivery of light to the cell sample and hence the most popular tools for optogenetic studies are microscopy-based cell analyses and in vitro experiments. The flow cytometer has major advantages over a microscope, including the ability to rapidly measure thousands of cells at single cell resolution. However, it is not yet widely used in optogenetics. Here, we present a device that combines the power of optogenetics and flow cytometry: the LED Thermo Flow. This device illuminates cells at specific wavelengths, light intensities and temperatures during flow cytometric measurements. It can be built at low cost and be used with most common flow cytometers. To demonstrate its utility, we characterized the photoswitching kinetics of Dronpa proteins in vivo and in real time. This protocol can be adapted to almost all optically controlled substances and substantially expands the set of possible experiments. More importantly, it will greatly simplify the discovery and development of new optogenetic tools.

LED Thermo Flow &amp;#8212; Combining Optogenetics with Flow Cytometry

Optically controlled substances are powerful tools to study signaling pathways. To expand the spectrum of possible experiments, we developed a device for studying optically controlled substances in real time using flow cytometry: the LED Thermo Flow.

Thermo LED Flujo - Combinando optogenética con Citometría de Flujo

Optogenetic tools allow isolated, functional investigations of almost any signaling molecule within complex signaling pathways. A major obstacle is the ...

Analysis of Cell Suspensions Isolated from Solid Tissues by Spectral Flow Cytometry

Flow cytometry has been used for the past 40 years to define and analyze the phenotype of lymphoid and other hematopoietic cells. Initially restricted to the analysis of a few fluorochromes, currently there are dozens of different fluorescent dyes, and up to 14-18 different dyes can be combined at a time. However, several limitations still impair the analytical capabilities. Because of the multiplicity of fluorescent probes, data analysis has become increasingly complex due to the need of large, multi-parametric compensation matrices. Moreover, mutant mouse models carrying fluorescent proteins to detect and trace specific cell types in different tissues have become available, so the analysis (by flow cytometry) of auto-fluorescent cell suspensions obtained from solid organs is required. Spectral flow cytometry, which distinguishes the shapes of emission spectra along a wide range of continuous wavelengths, addresses some of these problems. The data is analyzed with an algorithm that replaces compensation matrices and treats auto-fluorescence as an independent parameter. Thus, spectral flow cytometry should be capable of discriminating fluorochromes with similar emission peaks and can provide a multi-parametric analysis without compensation requirements.
This protocol describes the spectral flow cytometry analysis, allowing for a 21-parameter (19 fluorescent probes) characterization and the management of an auto-fluorescent signal, providing high resolution in minor population detection. The results presented here show that spectral flow cytometry presents advantages in the analysis of cell populations from tissues difficult to characterize in conventional flow cytometry, such as the heart and the intestine. Spectral flow cytometry thus demonstrates the multi-parametric analytical capacity of high-performing conventional flow cytometry without the requirement for compensation and enables auto-fluorescence management.

This article describes spectral cytometry, a new approach in flow cytometry that uses the shapes of emission spectra to distinguish fluorochromes. An algorithm replaces compensations and can treat auto-fluorescence as an independent parameter. This new approach allows for the proper analysis of cells isolated from solid organs.

Análisis de suspensiones celulares aisladas de tejidos sólidos por Spectral Citometría de Flujo

Flow cytometry has been used for the past 40 years to define and analyze the phenotype of lymphoid and other hematopoietic cells. Initially restricted to ...

Live-cell Imaging of Platelet Degranulation and Secretion Under Flow

Blood platelets are essential players in hemostasis, the formation of thrombi to seal vascular breaches. They are also involved in thrombosis, the formation of thrombi that occlude the vasculature and injure organs, with life-threatening consequences. This motivates scientific research on platelet function and the development of methods to track cell-biological processes as they occur under flow conditions.
A variety of flow models are available for the study of platelet adhesion and aggregation, two key phenomena in platelet biology. This work describes a method to study real-time platelet degranulation under flow during activation. The method makes use of a flow chamber coupled to a syringe-pump setup that is placed under a wide-field, inverted, LED-based fluorescence microscope. The setup described here allows for the simultaneous excitation of multiple fluorophores that are delivered by fluorescently labeled antibodies or fluorescent dyes. After live-cell imaging experiments, the cover glasses can be further processed and analyzed using static microscopy (i.e., confocal microscopy or scanning electron microscopy).

This work describes a fluorescence microscopy-based method for the study of platelet adhesion, spreading, and secretion under flow. This versatile platform enables the investigation of platelet function for mechanistic research on thrombosis and hemostasis.

Imágenes de células vivas de desgranulación plaquetaria y secreción bajo flujo

Blood platelets are essential players in hemostasis, the formation of thrombi to seal vascular breaches. They are also involved in thrombosis, the ...

Quantification of Cellular Densities and Antigenic Properties using Magnetic Levitation

The described method was developed based on the principles of magnetic levitation, which separates cells and particles based on their density and magnetic properties. Density is a cell type identifying property, directly related to its metabolic rate, differentiation, and activation status. Magnetic levitation allows a one-step approach to successfully separate, image and characterize circulating blood cells, and to detect anemia, sickle cell disease, and circulating tumor cells based on density and magnetic properties. This approach is also amenable to detecting soluble antigens present in a solution by using sets of low- and high-density beads coated with capture and detection antibodies, respectively. If the antigen is present in solution, it will bridge the two sets&#160;of beads, generating a new bead-bead complex, which will levitate in between the rows of antibody-coated beads. Increased concentration of the target antigen in solution will generate a larger number of bead-bead complexes when compared to lower concentrations of antigen, thus allowing for quantitative measurements of the target antigen. Magnetic levitation is advantageous to other methods due to its decreased sample preparation time and lack of dependance on classical readout methods. The image generated is easily captured and analyzed using a standard microscope or mobile device, such as a smartphone or a tablet.

This paper describes a magnetic levitation-based method that can specifically detect the presence of antigens, either soluble or membrane-bound, by quantifying changes in the levitation height of capture beads with fixed densities.

Cuantificación de las densidades celulares y propiedades antigénicas mediante levitación magnética

The described method was developed based on the principles of magnetic levitation, which separates cells and particles based on their density and magnetic ...

Immunophenotyping and Cell Sorting of Human MKs from Human Primary Sources or Differentiated In Vitro from Hematopoietic Progenitors

Megakaryocyte (MK) differentiation encompasses a number of endomitotic cycles that result in a highly polyploid (reaching even&#160;&#62;64N) and extremely large cell (40-60 &#181;m). As opposed to the fast-increasing knowledge in megakaryopoiesis at the cell biology and molecular level, the characterization of megakaryopoiesis by flow cytometry is limited to the identification of mature MKs using lineage-specific surface markers, while earlier MK differentiation stages remain unexplored. Here, we present an immunophenotyping strategy that allows the identification of successive MK differentiation stages, with increasing ploidy status, in human primary sources or in vitro cultures with a panel integrating MK specific and non-specific surface markers. Despite its size and fragility, MKs can be immunophenotyped using the above-mentioned panel and enriched by fluorescence-activated cell sorting under specific conditions of pressure and nozzle diameter. This approach facilitates multi-Omics studies, with the aim to better understand the complexity of megakaryopoiesis and platelet production in humans. A better characterization of megakaryopoiesis may pose fundamental in the diagnosis or prognosis of lineage-related pathologies and malignancy.

Immunophenotyping and Cell Sorting of Human MKs from Human Primary Sources or Differentiated In Vitro from Hematopoietic Progenitors

Here, we present an immunophenotyping strategy for the characterization of megakaryocyte differentiation, and show how that strategy allows the sorting of megakaryocytes at different stages with a fluorescence-activated cell sorter. The methodology can be applied to human primary tissues, but also to megakaryocytes generated in culture in vitro.