Name: tissue preparation and immunostaining of mouse craniofacial tissues and undecalcified bone
Uploaded: 2019-05-10T13:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Tissue Preparation and Immunostaining of Mouse Craniofacial Tissues and Undecalcified Bone at JoVE.com

This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health (R01DE020843 to Y.M.), the International FOP Association (Y.M.), and a grant-in-aid from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31500788 to J.Y.).

All mouse experiments were carried out in accordance with University of Michigan guidelines covering the humane care and use of animals in research. All animal procedures used in this study were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) at the University of Michigan (Protocol #PRO00007715).
1. Tissue Preparation
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	<li>Preparation of embryonic tissues 
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		<li>Prepare one 10 cm dish and several 3.5 cm dishes containing phosphate buffered sali...

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Here we provide a detailed protocol for preparation of mouse head and undecalcified bone tissues, and cryosectioning for immunostaining of cell proliferation, cell death, and BMP signaling markers. We also detail the strategy for obtaining quantitative data from immunofluorescent images. Those methods can also be applicable to other tissues with appropriate modifications.
Conditions for tissue preparation vary by the size and type of tissues. The fixation and cryoprotection time usually need s...

The face is a key part of human identity, and is composed of several different types of tissues, such as epithelium, muscle, bone, cartilage, tooth. Those tissues are derived from all three germ layers: ectoderm, endoderm, and mesoderm1,2. For proper patterning and development of craniofacial tissues, cell proliferation, death and differentiation need to be highly coordinated and regulated by specific signaling pathways, such as Wnt, Fgf, Hh and Bmp pathways3,4,5. Defects in proliferation, survival or differentiation of cells will lead to craniofacial malformations, which are among the most frequently occurring congenital birth defects. Transgenic mice are useful tools to study mechanisms of craniofacial morphogenesis and pathogenesis1,2,3,4,5. Understanding the changes in craniofacial structures during development and pathogenesis will help to clarify key developmental principles as well as the mechanisms of craniofacial malformations1,2,3,4,5.
The staining of whole mount or sectioned tissues with specific antibodies is an invaluable technique for determining spatial distribution of proteins of interest 6. Formally, tissue immunostaining can rely either upon immunohistochemistry (IHC) or immunofluorescence (IF). Compared with the opaque reaction product generated with a chromogenic substrate such as 3,3&#8217;-Diaminobenzidine (DAB) by IHC, IF involves the use of fluorescent conjugates visible by fluorescence microscopy. Therefore, IF may clearly differentiate positive cells from background noise, and allows images to be quantitatively analyzed and enhanced in a straightforward fashion by software such as ImageJ and Adobe Photoshop7,8. The whole mount staining approach works on small blocks of tissue (less than 5 mm thick), which can provide three-dimensional information about the location of proteins/antigens without the need for reconstruction from sections9,10. However, compared with tissue sections, whole mount immunostaining is time consuming and requires large volumes of antibody solutions. Not all antibodies are compatible with the basic whole mount approach. In addition, the incomplete penetration of antibodies will result in uneven staining or false negative staining. Here we will focus on the immunofluorescence detection of proteins/antigens on sectioned tissues. For hard tissues (eg, head, tooth, long bone), calcium deposition during development/pathogenesis makes the sample difficult to section and easily rinsed off during immunostaining treatment11,12. Most of the currently available protocols decalcify hard tissues before embedding to make sectioning easier, which is time consuming and can destroy morphology and antigens of samples if handled improperly11,12. To overcome the issues, we optimized an approach for cryosectioning of hard tissues without decalcification, leading to improved visualization of their morphology and distribution of signaling proteins.
The protocol described here is being used to determine morphometric and histological changes in the craniofacial tissues of BMP transgenic mice. Specifically, the protocol includes (1) harvesting and dissecting head tissues, (2) section and immunostaining of experimental markers (Ki67, pSmad1/5/9) along with TUNEL staining, (3) imaging the sections using fluorescence microscope, and finally (4) analyzing and quantifying the results. The protocol to prepare and cryosection hard tissues without decalcification is also described13. Those methods are optimized for craniofacial tissues. They are also applicable to other tissues from various ages of samples with appropriate modifications.

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			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:296px;">Adhesive tape</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Leica</td>
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			<td style="width:167px;"></td>
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			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:296px;">Alexa fluor 488-goat anti-Rabbit secondary antibody</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Invitrogen</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">A-11034</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:296px;">Antifade Mountant with DAPI</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Invitrogen</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">P36931</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:296px;">Bovine serum albumin</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">A2153</td>
			<td></td>
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		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:296px;">Coverslips</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Fisher Brand</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">12-545-E</td>
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			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:296px;">Cryostat</td>
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			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:296px;">EDTA</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Sigma</td>
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			<td></td>
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			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:296px;">Fluorescence microscope</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Olympus</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">BX51</td>
			<td></td>
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			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:296px;">Gelatin</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">G1890</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:296px;">In Situ&#160;Cell Death Detection Kit</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Millipore</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">S7165</td>
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			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:296px;">Microscope slides</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Fisher Brand</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">12-550-15</td>
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			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:296px;">OCT Compound</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Fisher Healthcare</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">23-730-571</td>
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			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:296px;">Paraformaldehyde (PFA)</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">P6148&#160;</td>
			<td></td>
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			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:296px;">Phosphate buffered saline (PBS)</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">P4417</td>
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			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:296px;">Polyethylene glycol&#160;tert-octylphenyl ether</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">T9284</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Triton X-100</td>
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		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:296px;">Proteinase K</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Invitrogen</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">AM2542</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:296px;">Rabbit anti-Ki67 antibody</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Cell Signaling Technology</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">9129</td>
			<td>Lot#:3; RRID:AB_2687446</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:296px;">Rabbit anti-pSmad1/5/9 antibody</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Cell Signaling Technology</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">13820</td>
			<td>Lot#:3; RRID:AB_2493181</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:296px;">Sodium citrate</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">1613859</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:296px;">Sucrose</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">S9378</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:296px;">Tris</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">10708976001</td>
			<td></td>
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tissue preparation and immunostaining of mouse craniofacial tissues and undecalcified bone

Tissue immunostaining provides highly specific and reliable detection of proteins of interest within a given tissue. Here we describe a complete and simple protocol to detect protein expression during craniofacial morphogenesis/pathogenesis using mouse craniofacial tissues as examples. The protocol consists of preparation and cryosectioning of tissues, indirect immunofluorescence, image acquisition, and quantification. In addition, a method for preparation and cryosectioning of undecalcified hard tissues for immunostaining is described, using craniofacial tissues and long bones as examples. Those methods are key to determine the protein expression and morphological/anatomical changes in various tissues during craniofacial morphogenesis/pathogenesis. They are also applicable to other tissues with appropriate modifications. Knowledge of the histology and high quality of sections are critical to draw scientific conclusions from experimental outcomes. Potential limitations of this methodology include but are not limited to specificity of antibodies and difficulties of quantification, which are also discussed here.

Embryonic craniofacial tissue sections 
Following the above steps, heads were dissected from control (P0-Cre) or mutant (constitutively activated Bmpr1a in neural crest cells, P0-Cre; caBmpr1a) embryos at embryonic day (E) 16.5 or 18.5. After fixing in 4% PFA for 4 h, samples were embedded in OCT and cryosectioned coronally. Resulted sections were immunostained with antibodies against pSmad1/5/9 (downstream BMP signaling factors) or Ki67 (a cell pro...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Tissue Preparation and Immunostaining of Mouse Craniofacial Tissues and Undecalcified Bone at JoVE.com

Tissue Preparation and Immunostaining of Mouse Craniofacial Tissues and Undecalcified Bone

Here, we present a detailed protocol to detect and quantify protein levels during craniofacial morphogenesis/pathogenesis by immunostaining using mouse craniofacial tissues as examples. In addition, we describe a method for preparation and cryosectioning of undecalcified hard tissues from young mice for immunostaining.

Tissue immunostaining provides highly specific and reliable detection of proteins of interest within a given tissue. Here we describe a complete and ...

Here, we present our simple protocol for immunofluorescence detection on proteins on sectioned materials. This method does not require antigen retrieval. We will use mouse heads, including undecalcified hard tissues.The main advantage of this technique is to skip antigen retrieval and decalcification of hard tissues. Those lead to a good quality of immunostaining results. This method also saves both time and labor.This method is also applicable to other tissues with appropriate modifications. To make nice sections from undecalcified tissues, dissect your target tissue further to trim surrounding tissues, and if necessary treat the samples with 10%EDTA at four degrees Celsius for two days before cryoprotection. Visual demonstration provides a detailed and a clear explanation of the procedure of this method.To begin, prepare one 10-centimeter and several 3.5-centimeter dishes containing PBS and one 12-well culture plate containing two milliliters of 4%PFA in PBS in each well for each pregnant mouse, and place them all on ice. To dissect embryos from pregnant mice, grab the skin below the center of the belly of a euthanized mouse with forceps, cut through the skin only, and then gently pull at the skin to separate it from the underlying abdominal muscle wall. Following the same line of the skin incision, cut into the abdominal cavity.Remove the uterus containing a string of embryos. Then, remove the embryos by gently cutting away the uterine wall, which will remove the extraembryonic tissues such as the yolk sac and amnion. Cut and isolate the head from each embryo, and with forceps transfer each head into a separate well of a 12-well plate containing 4%PFA.Incubate at four degrees Celsius for four hours to fix. Rinse the heads in PBS at four degrees Celsius with gentle shaking for 12 hours. To cryoprotect the heads, transfer them using forceps into a new 12-well plate containing two milliliters of 30%sucrose in PBS.Incubate with gentle agitation at four degrees Celsius until the heads sink to the bottom of the dish. To embed the cryoprotected heads, transfer them into a mold containing Optimal Cutting Temperature Compound, and equilibrate for several minutes. Using forceps, adjust the location and direction of the samples so that the trimmed side of the samples faces the bottom of the embedding mold.Then, place the mold on dry ice to freeze, and store in a plastic bag at minus 80 degrees Celsius until ready for cryosectioning. For postnatal tissue, after removing the skin and adipose tissues of a euthanized, three-weeks to three-months-old mouse, cut and isolate the head and remove the mandible. Then, fix and cryoprotect the head as done with embryo heads.Embed in 8%gelatin in a similar manner as embryo heads in OCT, and keep the Cryomolds in a plastic bag at minus 80 degrees Celsius until cryosectioning. Set the appropriate cryostat temperature. Place the samples in the cryostat chamber for about 30 minutes to equilibrate to the cryostat temperature.Remove the block with the sample from the Cryomold, and mount it with an OCT drop onto the specimen chuck and freeze it, making sure to keep the trimmed side of the sample furthest from the chuck and facing the operator. Load the block-mounted chuck onto the cryostat object holder. Adjust the blade holder so that the blade angle is three to five degrees relative to the sample.Collect 10-micrometer sections onto coated microscope slides. Leave the sections at room temperature until completely dry, and then store them at minus 80 degrees Celsius. To begin with the staining, take out slides from minus 80 degrees Celsius, and keep them at room temperature for one hour to air-dry the sections.Rinse the slides in 0.1%PBST three times for five minutes each to wash out OCT and permeabilize the sections. Add 200 microliters of blocking solution to each slide, and incubate at room temperature for 30 minutes. Then, remove the blocking solution without rinsing the slide.Add 100 microliters of primary antibody diluted in blocking solution to each slide, and incubate overnight at four degrees Celsius. Rinse the slides with PBS three times for 10 minutes each at room temperature. Add 100 microliters of secondary antibody diluted in blocking solution, and incubate for one hour at room temperature, protected from light.Rinse in PBS three times for 10 minutes each at room temperature, still protected from light. To mount the slides, add two drops of anti-fade medium with DAPI on each slide, cover with a coverslip, and store at four degrees Celsius until ready to image. Frontal bones of control embryos were positive for pSmad1/5/9, downstream BMP signaling factors, and Ki67, a cell proliferation marker.In neural crest-specific, constitutively activated BMPR1A mutant embryos, however, pSmad1/5/9 levels were increased while Ki67 levels were decreased. Furthermore, more apoptotic cells were observed in the frontal bones of mutant embryos than those of control embryos. Coronal cryosections of gelatin-embedded heads clearly show GFP signal and RFP signal from a tdTomato cassette in the nasal bone and nasal tissues, demonstrating that gelatin does not interfere with fluorescent signals.When these sections were immunostained for SOX9 or Osterix and E11/Podoplanin, good-quality sections were obtained from most of the three-week hard tissues. On the other hand, with three-month-old samples, good-quality sections were only obtained in some of the hard tissues, including the trabecular compartments of the femur, nasal tissues, and the skull, including the nasal-premaxilla suture and surrounding bones of the head. SOX9-positive cells were detected specifically in the chondrocytes of the growth plate and the joint from the femur and the nasal septum.In the three-week-old incisor, SOX9 was detected in the mesenchymal cells. Osterix and E11 double staining results show that Osterix was detected in osteoblasts, while E11 was detected in osteocytes of bones from the femur and the head. In the three-week incisor, Osterix was positive in odontoblasts, while E11 was positive in follicle mesenchymal cells.Please do not overfix samples with 4%PFA. For sectioning of undecalcified hard tissues in gelatin, best temperature is minus 25 degrees Celsius and lower. Following this procedure, levels of fluorescence can be quantified as described in our protocol.Those measurements will provide informative data to show the difference of the relative level of protein between different groups. After its development, this technique paved the way for double or triple staining to get co-expression patterns of different proteins. 4%PFA is hazardous.It may cause skin allergies, serious eye damage, organ damages, or cancer. Please use personal protective equipment, and wash skin thoroughly after handling.

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Labeling an individual cell in the body to monitor which cell types it can give rise to and track its migration through the organism or determine its ...

Laser Capture Microdissection of Mouse Embryonic Cartilage and Bone for Gene Expression Analysis

Laser capture microdissection (LCM) is a powerful tool to isolate specific cell types or regions of interest from heterogeneous tissues. The cellular and ...

Transillumination-Assisted Dissection of Specific Stages of the Mouse Seminiferous Epithelial Cycle for Downstream Immunostaining Analyses

Spermatogenesis is a unique differentiation process that ultimately gives rise to one of the most distinct cell types of the body, the sperm. ...

Development of Organoids from Mouse Pituitary as In Vitro Model to Explore Pituitary Stem Cell Biology

Development of Organoids from Mouse Pituitary as In Vitro Model to Explore Pituitary Stem Cell Biology

The pituitary is the master endocrine gland regulating key physiological processes, including body growth, metabolism, sexual maturation, reproduction, ...