The authors acknowledge support from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) (R01 GM084135 and R01 DK109982), a Pilot/Feasibility Award from the Texas Medical Center Digestive Disease Center under NIH P30 DK56338, and an Alagille Syndrome Accelerator Award from The Medical Foundation.

All animals were housed in a barrier animal facility at Baylor College of Medicine per Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee guidelines and under approved animal protocols.
1. Collection of Mouse Liver Tissue
<ol>
	<li>Preparation of mouse for liver harvest
	<ol>
		<li>Euthanize the mouse using isoflurane.</li>
		<li>Perform cervical dislocation of the mouse to ensure death.</li>
		<li>Make a transverse incision approximately one inch below the rib cage.</li>
		<li>Exp...

<ol>
	<li>Zong, Y., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Notch+signaling+controls+liver+development+by+regulating+biliary+differentiation.">Notch signaling controls liver development by regulating biliary differentiation.</a> Development. 136 (10), 1727-1739 (2009).</li><li>Clotman, F., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Control+of+liver+cell+fate+decision+by+a+gradient+of+TGF&#946;+signaling+modulated+by+Onecut+transcription+factors.">Control of liver cell fate decision by a gradient of TGF&#946; signaling modulated by Onecut transcription factors.</a> Genes &amp; Development. 19 (16), 1849-1854 (2005).</li><li>Karpen, S. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Update+on+the+etiologies+and+management+of+neonatal+cholestasis.">Update on the etiologies and management of neonatal cholestasis.</a> Clin Perinatol. 29 (1), 159-180 (2002).</li><li>Roskams, T. A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Nomenclature+of+the+finer+branches+of+the+biliary+tree:+canals,+ductules,+and+ductular+reactions+in+human+livers.">Nomenclature of the finer branches of the biliary tree: canals, ductules, and ductular reactions in human livers.</a> Hepatology. 39 (6), 1739-1745 (2004).</li><li>Oda, T., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Mutations+in+the+human+Jagged1+gene+are+responsible+for+Alagille+syndrome.">Mutations in the human Jagged1 gene are responsible for Alagille syndrome.</a> Nature Genetics. 16 (3), 235 (1997).</li><li>Li, L., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Alagille+syndrome+is+caused+by+mutations+in+human+Jagged1,+which+encodes+a+ligand+for+Notch1.">Alagille syndrome is caused by mutations in human Jagged1, which encodes a ligand for Notch1.</a> Nature Genetics. 16 (3), 243 (1997).</li><li>Xue, Y., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Embryonic+lethality+and+vascular+defects+in+mice+lacking+the+Notch+ligand+Jagged1.">Embryonic lethality and vascular defects in mice lacking the Notch ligand Jagged1.</a> Human Molecular Genetics. 8 (5), 723-730 (1999).</li><li>Thakurdas, S. M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Jagged1+heterozygosity+in+mice+results+in+a+congenital+cholangiopathy+which+is+reversed+by+concomitant+deletion+of+one+copy+of+Poglut1+(Rumi).">Jagged1 heterozygosity in mice results in a congenital cholangiopathy which is reversed by concomitant deletion of one copy of Poglut1 (Rumi).</a> Hepatology. 63 (2), 550-565 (2016).</li><li>Hadchouel, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Paucity+of+interlobular+bile+ducts.">Paucity of interlobular bile ducts.</a> Seminars in Diagnostic Pathology. 9 (1), 24-30 (1992).</li><li>Emerick, K. M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Features+of+Alagille+syndrome+in+92+patients:+frequency+and+relation+to+prognosis.">Features of Alagille syndrome in 92 patients: frequency and relation to prognosis.</a> Hepatology. 29 (3), 822-829 (1999).</li><li>Poncy, A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Transcription+factors+SOX4+and+SOX9+cooperatively+control+development+of+bile+ducts.">Transcription factors SOX4 and SOX9 cooperatively control development of bile ducts.</a> Dev Biol. 404 (2), 136-148 (2015).</li><li>Hofmann, J. J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Jagged1+in+the+portal+vein+mesenchyme+regulates+intrahepatic+bile+duct+development:+insights+into+Alagille+syndrome.">Jagged1 in the portal vein mesenchyme regulates intrahepatic bile duct development: insights into Alagille syndrome.</a> Development. 137 (23), 4061-4072 (2010).</li><li>McCright, B., Lozier, J., Gridley, T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+mouse+model+of+Alagille+syndrome:+Notch2+as+a+genetic+modifier+of+Jag1+haploinsufficiency.">A mouse model of Alagille syndrome: Notch2 as a genetic modifier of Jag1 haploinsufficiency.</a> Development. 129 (4), 1075-1082 (2002).</li><li>Andersson, E. R., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Mouse+Model+of+Alagille+Syndrome+and+Mechanisms+of+Jagged1+Missense+Mutations.">Mouse Model of Alagille Syndrome and Mechanisms of Jagged1 Missense Mutations.</a> Gastroenterology. 154 (4), 1080-1095 (2018).</li><li>Loomes, K. M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Bile+duct+proliferation+in+liver-specific+Jag1+conditional+knockout+mice:+effects+of+gene+dosage.">Bile duct proliferation in liver-specific Jag1 conditional knockout mice: effects of gene dosage.</a> Hepatology. 45 (2), 323-330 (2007).</li><li>Brulet, P., Babinet, C., Kemler, R., Jacob, F. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Monoclonal+antibodies+against+trophectoderm-specific+markers+during+mouse+blastocyst+formation.">Monoclonal antibodies against trophectoderm-specific markers during mouse blastocyst formation.</a> Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 77 (7), 4113-4117 (1980).</li><li>Skalli, O., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+monoclonal+antibody+against+alpha-smooth+muscle+actin:+a+new+probe+for+smooth+muscle+differentiation.">A monoclonal antibody against alpha-smooth muscle actin: a new probe for smooth muscle differentiation.</a> J Cell Biol. 103 (6 Pt 2), 2787-2796 (1986).</li><li>Kamath, B. M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+longitudinal+study+to+identify+laboratory+predictors+of+liver+disease+outcome+in+Alagille+syndrome.">A longitudinal study to identify laboratory predictors of liver disease outcome in Alagille syndrome.</a> Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. 50 (5), 526 (2010).</li><li>Mouzaki, M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Early+life+predictive+markers+of+liver+disease+outcome+in+an+International,+Multicentre+Cohort+of+children+with+Alagille+syndrome.">Early life predictive markers of liver disease outcome in an International, Multicentre Cohort of children with Alagille syndrome.</a> Liver International. 36 (5), 755-760 (2016).</li><li>Shiojiri, N. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Development+and+differentiation+of+bile+ducts+in+the+mammalian+liver.">Development and differentiation of bile ducts in the mammalian liver.</a> Microsc Res Tech. 39 (4), 328-335 (1997).</li><li>Crawford, J. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Development+of+the+intrahepatic+biliary+tree.">Development of the intrahepatic biliary tree.</a> Semin Liver Dis. 22 (3), 213-226 (2002).</li><li>Kaneko, K., Kamimoto, K., Miyajima, A., Itoh, T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Adaptive+remodeling+of+the+biliary+architecture+underlies+liver+homeostasis.">Adaptive remodeling of the biliary architecture underlies liver homeostasis.</a> Hepatology. 61 (6), 2056-2066 (2015).</li><li>Schaub, J. R., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=De+novo+formation+of+the+biliary+system+by+TGFbeta-mediated+hepatocyte+transdifferentiation.">De novo formation of the biliary system by TGFbeta-mediated hepatocyte transdifferentiation.</a> Nature. 557 (7704), 247-251 (2018).</li><li>Sparks, E. E., Huppert, K. A., Brown, M. A., Washington, M. K., Huppert, S. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Notch+signaling+regulates+formation+of+the+three-dimensional+architecture+of+intrahepatic+bile+ducts+in+mice.">Notch signaling regulates formation of the three-dimensional architecture of intrahepatic bile ducts in mice.</a> Hepatology. 51 (4), 1391-1400 (2010).</li><li>Tanimizu, N., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Intrahepatic+bile+ducts+are+developed+through+formation+of+homogeneous+continuous+luminal+network+and+its+dynamic+rearrangement+in+mice.">Intrahepatic bile ducts are developed through formation of homogeneous continuous luminal network and its dynamic rearrangement in mice.</a> Hepatology. 64 (1), 175-188 (2016).</li><li>Walter, T. J., Sparks, E. E., Huppert, S. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=3-dimensional+resin+casting+and+imaging+of+mouse+portal+vein+or+intrahepatic+bile+duct+system.">3-dimensional resin casting and imaging of mouse portal vein or intrahepatic bile duct system.</a> J Vis Exp. (68), e4272 (2012).</li><li>Popper, H., Kent, G., Stein, R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Ductular+cell+reaction+in+the+liver+in+hepatic+injury.">Ductular cell reaction in the liver in hepatic injury.</a> J Mt Sinai Hosp N Y. 24 (5), 551-556 (1957).</li><li>Yimlamai, D., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Hippo+pathway+activity+influences+liver+cell+fate.">Hippo pathway activity influences liver cell fate.</a> Cell. 157 (6), 1324-1338 (2014).</li></ol>

Analysis of BD development and repair in mice is an important tool in studying the pathogenesis and mechanism of cholestatic disorders. In addition, development of new therapies is in part dependent upon establishing a reproducible and preferably quantifiable phenotype. Current phenotyping in mouse models usually involves serum chemistry, liver histology and immunostaining for cell-type specific markers. Although these techniques generate valuable information about the structure and function of the biliary system, they d...

The biliary tree is a critical part of the mammalian liver, allowing the passage of bile from hepatocytes into the gut. Intrahepatic bile ducts (BDs) are formed by cholangiocytes, which differentiate from bipotential hepatoblasts through Notch and TGF&#946; signaling1,2. Proper specification and commitment of cholangiocytes and their assembly into mature BDs are critical for the development of the intrahepatic biliary tree. As the liver grows during development or upon organ regeneration, the biliary system needs to develop along the liver to ensure proper bile drainage. Moreover, a number of syndromic and non-syndromic diseases result in the paucity of intrahepatic BDs3. In addition, a number of acute and chronic liver diseases give rise to so-called ductular reactions in the liver, which are defined as the presence of a significant number of cells that express biliary markers but do not necessarily arise from biliary cells or form patent BDs4. In the multisystem disorder Alagille syndrome (ALGS), haploinsufficiency of the Notch ligand jagged1 (JAG1) results in poor BD formation and cholestasis5,6. Our lab recently demonstrated that a previously generated Jag1 heterozygous mouse line7 is an animal model of BD paucity in ALGS8. In this mouse model of ALGS, cholangiocytes are still present. However, they fail to commit to incorporation into mature, patent BDs8. Therefore, analysis of the liver in a model of BD paucity requires more than the apparent presence or absence of cholangiocytes. It is important to accurately assess the degree to which mature BDs are present in the liver.
In anatomic pathology, there are accepted quantitative methods for assessing whether BD paucity exists9. For example, studies on ALGS in human patients often quantify the BD to portal vein (PV) ratio by analyzing at least 10 portal vessels per liver biopsy9,10. Analysis of the shape and overall presence or absence of patent BDs, combined with serum chemistry, can provide valuable information about BD development in mice11,12,13. However, mice can lose a significant number of BDs with only a modest increase in serum bilirubin level8. Accordingly, a quantitative method that evaluates the number of BDs present per PV can provide a more direct measure of the degree of BD paucity in mice. In a recent report, we quantified the number of BDs per PV across all liver lobes and reported a significant decrease in the BD to PV ratio in Jag1+/&#8211; animals8. During the course of our analysis, we noticed that despite the significant variation in the degree of inflammatory response and ductular reactions, the BD to PV ratio does not show much variability8. Moreover, quantification of the BD to PV ratio allowed us to demonstrate that removing one copy of the glycosyltransferase gene Poglut1 in Jag1+/&#8211; animals can significantly improve their BD paucity8. In a Jag1+/+ background, conditional loss of Poglut1 in vascular smooth muscle cells results in a progressive increase in BD numbers, which is modest (20-30%) at P7 but becomes prominent in adults8. Again, this technique allowed us to show that even at P7, the increase in BD density in these animals is statistically significant. Of note, the increased BD density in this genotype at four months of age was validated through resin cast analysis as well.8 These observations and other reports which measured BD density in different ALGS mouse models14,15 prompted us to incorporate this method into our overall strategy to analyze biliary defects in various mutant and transgenic mice.
Here, we detail a straightforward technique which can be used to examine the degree of BD paucity in mouse models of liver disease (Figure 1). In this method, co-staining with cholangiocyte markers cytokeratin (CK) 8 and CK19 (hereafter wide-spectrum CK, wsCK) is used to visualize BDs and unincorporated cholangiocytes in the mouse liver. An antibody against alpha-smooth muscle actin (&#945;SMA) is added to the staining to label vessels. Systematic analysis of the BD to PV ratio in a section covering all liver lobes ensures that a large number of PVs are analyzed for each genotype. Since our method relies on quantifying BDs and PVs in 2D images, it is not suitable for studying the effects of a given mutation on the 3D structure of the biliary tree or the integrity of the small biliary conduits. Nevertheless, it provides a simple and objective strategy for investigators to assess biliary development in the mouse.

<table>
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Isothesia (Isoflurane)</td>
			<td>Henry Schein</td>
			<td>11695-6776-2</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Desiccator</td>
			<td>Bel-Art</td>
			<td>16-800-552</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>10% PFA</td>
			<td>Electron Microscopy Sciences</td>
			<td>15712</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>50mL tube</td>
			<td>ThermoScientific</td>
			<td>339653</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>70% Ethanol</td>
			<td>Decon Laboratories</td>
			<td>2401</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>95% Ethanol</td>
			<td>Decon Laboratories</td>
			<td>2801</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>100% Ethanol</td>
			<td>Decon Laboratories</td>
			<td>2701</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>HistoChoice</td>
			<td>VWR Life Sciences</td>
			<td>H103-4L</td>
			<td>clearing agent</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Omnisette Tissue Cassette</td>
			<td>Fisher HealthCare</td>
			<td>15-197-710E</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Macrosette</td>
			<td>Simport</td>
			<td>M512</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Paraplast X-TRA</td>
			<td>McCormick Scientific</td>
			<td>39503002</td>
			<td>Parrafin</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Tissue Mold</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>62528-32</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Microtome</td>
			<td>Microm</td>
			<td>HM 325</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Superfrost Plus Microscope Slides</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>12-550-15</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Xylene</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>C8H10</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Tris-Based Antigen Retrieval</td>
			<td>Vector Laboratories</td>
			<td>H-3301</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Pressure Cooker</td>
			<td>Instant Pot</td>
			<td>Lux Mini</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Mini Pap Pen</td>
			<td>Life Technologies</td>
			<td>8877</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Polyoxyethylene 20 Sorbitan Monolaurate (Tween-20)</td>
			<td>J.T. Baker</td>
			<td>X251-07</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Octyl Phenol Ethoxylate (Triton-X-100)</td>
			<td>J.T. Baker</td>
			<td>X198-07</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Normal Goat Serum</td>
			<td>Jackson Immunoresearch</td>
			<td>005-000-121</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>anti-CK8</td>
			<td>Developmental Studies Hybridoma Bank</td>
			<td>TROMA-I</td>
			<td>Antibody Registry ID AB531826</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>anti-CK19</td>
			<td>Developmental Studies Hybridoma Bank</td>
			<td>TROMA-III</td>
			<td>Antibody Registry ID AB2133570</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>anti-&#945;SMA</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>A2547, Clone 1A4</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>anti-rat-Alexa488</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher</td>
			<td>A21208</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>anti-mouse-Cy5</td>
			<td>Jackson Immunoresearch</td>
			<td>715-175-151</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>DAPI</td>
			<td>Vector Laboratories</td>
			<td>H-1000</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>22x50 micro cover glass</td>
			<td>VWR Life Sciences</td>
			<td>48393 059</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fluorescence Microscope</td>
			<td>Leica</td>
			<td>DMI6000 B</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Kimwipes</td>
			<td>Kimtech Science</td>
			<td>05511</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>VECTASHIELD</td>
			<td>Vector Laboratories</td>
			<td>H-1000</td>
			<td>Antifade Mounting Medium</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

determining bile duct density in the mouse liver

Mouse is broadly used as a model organism to study biliary diseases. To evaluate the development and function of the biliary system, various techniques are used, including serum chemistry, histological analysis, and immunostaining for specific markers. Although these techniques can provide important information about the biliary system, they often do not present a full picture of bile duct (BD) developmental defects across the whole liver. This is in part due to the robust ability of the mouse liver to drain the bile even in animals with significant impairment in biliary development. Here we present a simple method to calculate the average number of BDs associated with each portal vein (PV) in sections covering all lobes of mutant/transgenic mice. In this method, livers are mounted and sectioned in a stereotypic manner to facilitate comparison among various genotypes and experimental conditions. BDs are identified via light microscopy of cytokeratin-stained cholangiocytes, and then counted and divided by the total number of PVs present in liver section. As an example, we show how this method can clearly distinguish between wild-type mice and a mouse model of Alagille syndrome. The method presented here cannot substitute for techniques that visualize the three-dimensional structure of the biliary tree. However, it offers an easy and direct way to quantitatively assess BD development and the degree of ductular reaction formation in mice.

We previously documented biliary defects in Jag1+/&#8211; animals, a mouse model of ALGS8. To determine the BD to PV ratio, we sectioned P30 mouse livers and co-stained them for CK8 and CK19 (wsCK) along with the vascular marker &#945;SMA. We then imaged all the PVs in each of the liver lobes. As shown in Figure 2A, we defined PVs as &#945;SMA-stained vessels that have adjacent wsCK staining (arrowheads). The &#945;SMA-stained...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Determining Bile Duct Density in the Mouse Liver at JoVE.com

Determining Bile Duct Density in the Mouse Liver

We present a rather simple and sensitive method for accurate quantification of bile duct density in the mouse liver. This method can aid in determining the effects of genetic and environmental modifiers and the effectiveness of potential therapies in mouse models of biliary diseases.

Mouse is broadly used as a model organism to study biliary diseases. To evaluate the development and function of the biliary system, various techniques ...

This protocol enables the investigator to quantify bile duct development in mouse models of liver disease. It also allow for evaluating the effects of genetic modifiers on bile duct development. The advantage of this technique is that it is a straightforward, sensitive and quantitative method for the direct assessment of bile duct development.To begin, with the skin held taut by forceps, use small scissors to make a transverse incision approximately one inch below the rib cage of a euthanized mouse. Expose the entire ventral surface of the liver. Use small scissors to carefully cut through the ligaments connecting the liver to the other organs in the abdomen.Then, cut through the common bile duct to detach the liver from the intestine. Hold on to the gallbladder and carefully remove the liver. Immediately place it in a 50 milliliter tube filled three-quarters with 4%paraformaldehyde.To fix the liver tissue, incubate it in 4%PFA at four degrees Celsius for 48 hours. After a series of ethanol washes, wash the liver with clearing agent three times for 30 minutes each at room temperature. To begin embedding, wash a tissue cassette in a tissue mold three times for 30 minutes in paraffin wax preheated to 60 degrees Celsius.Then, fill the tissue mold with paraffin wax to three-quarters height and keep it on a heating block at 60 degrees Celsius. Place the liver in the mold with the ventral side facing up. After carefully removing the mold from the heating block, place the top of the cassette on the mold.Top off with hot liquid paraffin and allow it to cool to room temperature overnight. After removing the liver block from the mold, use a microtome to begin sectioning through the superficial dorsal side of the liver, making five micrometer sections. Check the superficial sections under a dissection microscope to ensure the sections are not sheared or folded.To process slides for immunohistochemistry, select one slide per genotype to be analyzed and wash it for 15 minutes in xylene, 100%ethanol, 95%ethanol and finally, 70%ethanol. After washing the slide in the ionized water, immerse it in Tris-based high pH antigen retrieval solution. Then, heat it under pressure in a pressure cooker for three minutes at 10 pounds per square inch.After letting the slide cool to room temperature, use a PAP pen to outline the sections on the slide. After washing with PBS Tween, block the tissue sections by adding 100 microliters of blocking solution per section and incubate covered at four degrees Celsius for one hour. Apply 100 microliters of the diluted antibody solution containing all three primary antibodies to each section and incubate them at four degrees Celsius overnight.After washing the slides, add 100 microliters of the secondary antibody solution containing both secondary antibodies and incubate for one hour at room temperature. Lastly, apply mounting medium and a coverslip to the slides. Use a fluorescent microscope to take 20x images at 1x zoom of each section.Ensure that every portal vein across the liver is imaged. Create a spreadsheet with the following columns:Animal/Sample number, Image number, number of portal veins and number of bile ducts. Identify and record the number of portal veins per image for each image.Then, identify patent bile ducts in each image, by the presence of cholangiocytes surrounding a definable lumen. These structures should be distinct and separated by mesenchyme from other wide-spectrum cytokeratin-positive cells. One main challenge of this technique is in identifying patent bile ducts.Determining what is a patent duct requires an analysis of the shape of the duct and the cells surrounding the lumen. Count each patent bile duct and place in the same column as the image number and repeat for each portal vein image. Finally, calculate the sum of all portal veins and all bile ducts in the liver sample and calculate the bile duct to portal vein ratio for the liver sample.P30 mouse livers were sectioned and co-stained for CK8 and CK19 along with the vascular marker, alpha-SMA, to determine the BD to PV ratio. When all the portal veins in each liver lobe are imaged, portal veins were defined as alpha-SMA stained vessels that have adjacent wide-spectrum cytokeratin staining. The alpha-SMA stain structures without wide-spectrum cytokeratin were central veins which were excluded from the analysis.Patent ducts have a clearly definable lumen that is surrounded by wide-spectrum cytokeratin-positive cholangioctyes and are usually separated from nearby ducts or cholangiocytes by mesenchyme. Wide-spectrum cytokeratin-positive cells that do not have a definable lumen, are not counted toward the total number of bile ducts. Liver section from a wild-type animal shows a portal vein associated with a fully patent duct along with several unincorporated cells.Representative liver section from a JAG1 heterozygous animal shows no patent bile ducts are present around the three portal veins. All wide-spectrum cytokeratine-positive cells here are unincorporated and therefore, should not be counted. Analysis of the BD to PV ratio for three wild-type and three JAG1 heterozygous animals shows how the two genotypes can be readily distinguished based on bile duct counts.It is important to assess all portal vessels for bile ducts. It's especially critical for determining bile duct density if there is phenotypic variability across the liver. This technique was used to identify a genetic suppressor of the biliary phenotype in a mouse model of Helgason.Therefore, it may be useful in assessing treatment modalities of animal models of biliary disease.

determining-bile-duct-density-in-the-mouse-liver

Research

JoVE Journal

Developmental Biology

6.8K vues.  Baylor College of Medicine. Ce protocole permet à l’investigateur de quantifier le développement des canaux biliaires dans les modèles muraux de maladie hépatique. Il permet également d’évaluer les effets des modificateurs génétiques sur le développement des canaux biliaires. L’avantage de cette technique est qu’il s’agit d’une méthode simple, sensible et quantitative pour l’évaluation directe du développement des canaux biliaires.Pour commencer, avec la peau tendue par des forceps, util...