Name: location, dissection, and analysis of the murine stellate ganglion
Uploaded: 2020-12-22T14:45:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Location, Dissection, and Analysis of the Murine Stellate Ganglion at JoVE.com

The authors would like to thank Hartwig Wieboldt for his excellent technical assistance, and the UKE Microscopy Imaging Facility (Umif) of the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf for providing microscopes and support. This research was funded by the DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research) [FKZ 81Z4710141].

All procedures involving animals were approved by the Animal Care and Use Committee of the State of Hamburg (ORG870, 959) and the North Rhine-Westphalian State Agency for Nature, Environment and Consumer Protection (LANUV, 07/11) and conform to the National Institutes of Health&#39;s Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (2011). Studies were performed using male and female (aged 10-24 weeks) C57BL/6 mice (stock number 000664, Jackson Laboratories) and mice homozygous (db/db) or heterozygous (db/het; control) f...

The understanding of cellular and molecular processes in neurons and glial cells of the sympathetic nervous system that precede the onset of VA is of high interest, as sudden cardiac arrest remains the most common cause of death worldwide5. Therefore, in the current manuscript, we provide a basic repertoire of methods to identify the murine SG&#160;&#8211;&#160;a murine&#160;element within&#160;this network &#8211;&#160;and perform subsequent analyses on RNA, protein, and cellular level.
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The cardiac autonomic nervous system is a tightly regulated equilibrium of sympathetic, parasympathetic, and sensory components that allows the heart to adapt to environmental changes with the appropriate physiological response1,2. Disturbances in this equilibrium, for example, an increase of sympathetic activity, have been established as a key driver for the onset as well as maintenance of ventricular arrhythmias (VA)3,4. Therefore, autonomic modulation, achieved via pharmacological reduction of sympathetic activity with beta-blockers, has been a cornerstone in the treatment of patients with VA for decades5,6. But despite pharmacological and catheter-based interventions, a relevant number of patients still suffers from recurrent VA7.
Sympathetic input to the heart is mostly mediated via neuronal cell bodies in the stellate ganglia (SG), bilateral star-shaped structures of the sympathetic chain, which relay information via numerous intrathoracic nerves from the brainstem to the heart8,9,10. Nerve sprouting from the SG after injury is associated with VA and sudden cardiac death11,12, emphasizing the SG as a target for autonomic modulation13,14. A reduction of sympathetic input to the heart can be achieved temporarily via percutaneous injection of local anesthetics or permanently by partial removal of the SG via video-assisted thoracoscopy15,16. Cardiac sympathetic denervation presents an option for patients with therapy-refractory VA with promising results14,16,17. We have learned from explanted SG of these patients that neuronal and neurochemical remodeling, neuro-inflammation and glial activation are hallmarks of sympathetic remodeling that might contribute or aggravate autonomic dysfunction18,19. Still, the underlying cellular and molecular processes in these neurons remain obscure to date, for example, the role of neuronal transdifferentiation into a cholinergic phenotype20,21. Experimental studies present novel approaches to treat VA, for example, the reduction of sympathetic nerve activity via optogenetics22, but in-depth characterization of the SG is still lacking in many cardiac pathologies that go in hand with VA. Mouse models mimicking these pathologies allow to study neuronal remodeling that potentially precedes the onset of arrhythmias12,23. These can be completed by further morphological and functional analyses for autonomic characterization of the heart and the nervous system. In the present protocol, we provide a basic repertoire of methods allowing to dissect and characterize the murine SG to improve the understanding of VA.

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	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>96-well plate</td>
			<td>TPP</td>
			<td>92097</td>
			<td>RNAscope</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Adhesion Slides SuperFrost plus&#160; 25 x 75 x 1 mm</td>
			<td>R. Langenbrinck</td>
			<td>03-0060</td>
			<td>Microscopy</td>
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		<tr>
			<td>Albumin bovine Fraction V receptor grade lyophil.</td>
			<td>Serva</td>
			<td>11924.03</td>
			<td>Whole mount staining</td>
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		<tr>
			<td>bisBenzimide H33342 trihydrochloride (Hoechst)</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO, USA</td>
			<td>B2261</td>
			<td>Whole mount staining</td>
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		<tr>
			<td>Chicken anti neurofilament</td>
			<td>EMD Millipore</td>
			<td>AB5539</td>
			<td>Whole mount staining</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)</td>
			<td>Merck, KGA, Darmstadt, Germany</td>
			<td>D8418</td>
			<td>Whole mount staining</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Donkey anti chicken IgY Alexa 647&#160;</td>
			<td>Merck, KGA, Darmstadt, Germany</td>
			<td>AP194SA6</td>
			<td>Whole mount staining</td>
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		<tr>
			<td>Donkey anti goat IgG Alexa 568&#160;</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>A11057</td>
			<td>Whole mount staining</td>
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		<tr>
			<td>Donkey anti rabbit IgG Alexa 488&#160;</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>A21206</td>
			<td>Whole mount staining</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Drying block 37-100 mm</td>
			<td>Whatman (Sigma Aldrich)</td>
			<td>WHA10310992&#160;</td>
			<td>Whole mount staining</td>
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		<tr>
			<td>Eosin Y</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>E4009</td>
			<td>Whole mount staining</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Ethanol 99 % denatured with MEK, IPA and Bitrex (min. 99,8 %)</td>
			<td>Th.Geyer</td>
			<td>2212.5000</td>
			<td>Whole mount staining</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Eukitt mounting medium</td>
			<td>AppliChem</td>
			<td>253681.0008</td>
			<td>Whole mount staining</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fluoromount-G</td>
			<td>Southern Biotech</td>
			<td>0100-01</td>
			<td>Whole mount staining</td>
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		<tr>
			<td>Fluoromount-G + DAPI</td>
			<td>Southern Biotech</td>
			<td>0100-20</td>
			<td>Whole mount staining</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Goat anti choline acetyltransferase</td>
			<td>EMD Millipore</td>
			<td>AP144P</td>
			<td>Whole mount staining</td>
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		<tr>
			<td>H2O2 30% (w/w)</td>
			<td>Merck, KGA, Darmstadt, Germany</td>
			<td>H1009</td>
			<td>Whole mount staining</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Heparin Sodium 25.000 UI / 5ml</td>
			<td>Rotexmedica</td>
			<td>PZN: 3862340</td>
			<td>Preparation SG</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>High-capacity cDNA reverse transctiption kit</td>
			<td>Life technologies</td>
			<td>&#160;4368813</td>
			<td>RNA isolation</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Isoflurane (Forene)</td>
			<td>Abbott Laboratories</td>
			<td>2594.00.00</td>
			<td>Preparation SG</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Mayer&#39;s hemalum solution</td>
			<td>Merck</td>
			<td>1.09249.0500</td>
			<td>Whole mount staining</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Methanol</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>34860</td>
			<td>Whole mount staining</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Microscope cover glasses 20x20 mm or smaller</td>
			<td>Marienfeld</td>
			<td>0101040</td>
			<td>Whole mount staining</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>miRNeasy Mini Kit</td>
			<td>Qiagen</td>
			<td>217004</td>
			<td>RNA isolation</td>
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		<tr>
			<td>NanoDrop 2000c</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>ND-2000C</td>
			<td>RNA isolation</td>
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		<tr>
			<td>Opal 570 Reagent Pack</td>
			<td>Akoya Bioscience</td>
			<td>FP1488001KT</td>
			<td>RNAscope</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Paraformaldehyde, 16% w/v aq. soln., methanol free&#160;</td>
			<td>Alfa Aesar</td>
			<td>43368</td>
			<td>Whole mount staining</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Pasteur pipettes, LDPE, unsterile, 3 ml, 154 mm</td>
			<td>Th.Geyer</td>
			<td>7691202</td>
			<td>Whole mount staining</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Phosphate-buffered saline tablets</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>18912-014</td>
			<td>Whole mount staining</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Pinzette Dumont SS Forceps</td>
			<td>FineScienceTools</td>
			<td>11203-25</td>
			<td>Preparation SG</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>QIAzol Lysis Reagent</td>
			<td>Qiagen&#160;</td>
			<td>79306</td>
			<td>RNA isolation</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Rabbit anti tyrosine hydroxylase</td>
			<td>EMD Millipore</td>
			<td>AB152</td>
			<td>Whole mount staining</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>RNAlater</td>
			<td>Merck</td>
			<td>R0901-100ML</td>
			<td>RNA isolation (optional)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>RNAscope Multiplex Fluorescent Reagent Kit v2</td>
			<td>biotechne (ACD)</td>
			<td>323100</td>
			<td>RNAscope</td>
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		<tr>
			<td>RNAscope Probe-Mm-S100b-C2</td>
			<td>biotechne (ACD)</td>
			<td>431738-C2</td>
			<td>RNAscope</td>
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		<tr>
			<td>RNAscope Probe-Mm-Tubb3</td>
			<td>biotechne (ACD)</td>
			<td>423391</td>
			<td>RNAscope</td>
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		<tr>
			<td>Stainless steel beads 7 mm&#160;</td>
			<td>Qiagen&#160;</td>
			<td>69990</td>
			<td>RNA isolation</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sudan black B</td>
			<td>Roth</td>
			<td>0292.2</td>
			<td>Whole mount staining</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>TaqMan Gene Expression Assay Cdkn1b (Mm00438168_m1)</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>4331182</td>
			<td>Gene expression analysis</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>TaqMan Gene Expression Assay Choline acetyltransferase (Mm01221880_m1)</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>4331182</td>
			<td>Gene expression analysis</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>TaqMan Gene Expression Assay MKi67 (Mm01278617_m1)</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>4331182</td>
			<td>Gene expression analysis</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>TaqMan Gene Expression Assay PTPCR (Mm01293577_m1)</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>4331182</td>
			<td>Gene expression analysis</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>TaqMan Gene Expression Assay S100b (Mm00485897_m1)</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>4331182</td>
			<td>Gene expression analysis</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>TaqMan Gene Expression Assay Tyrosin Hydroxylase (Mm00447557_m1)</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>4331182</td>
			<td>Gene expression analysis</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>TaqMan mastermix</td>
			<td>Applied biosystems</td>
			<td>4370074</td>
			<td>Gene Expression analysis&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Tissue Lyser II</td>
			<td>Qiagen</td>
			<td>85300</td>
			<td>RNA isolation</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Triton X-100 10% solution</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>93443-100ml</td>
			<td>Whole mount staining</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Tween-20</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>P9416-100ML</td>
			<td>RNAscope</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Wacom bamboo pen</td>
			<td>Wacom</td>
			<td>CTL-460/K</td>
			<td>Cell size measurements</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Whatman prepleated qualitative filter paper, Grade 595 1/2</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>WHA10311647</td>
			<td>Whole mount staining</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Wheat Germ Agglutinin, Alexa Fluor 633 Conjugate</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>W21404</td>
			<td>RNAscope</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

location, dissection, and analysis of the murine stellate ganglion

The autonomic nervous system is a substantial driver of cardiac electrophysiology. Especially&#160;the role of its sympathetic branch is an ongoing matter of investigation in the pathophysiology of ventricular arrhythmias (VA). Neurons in the stellate ganglia (SG)&#160;&#8211;&#160;bilateral star-shaped structures of the sympathetic chain &#8211;&#160;are an important component of the sympathetic infrastructure. The SG are a recognized target for&#160;treatment via cardiac sympathetic denervation in patients with therapy-refractory VA. While neuronal remodeling and glial activation in the SG have been described in patients with VA, the underlying cellular and molecular processes that potentially precede the onset of arrhythmia are only insufficiently understood and should be elucidated to improve autonomic modulation. Mouse models allow us to study sympathetic neuronal remodeling, but identification of the murine SG is challenging for the inexperienced investigator. Thus, in-depth cellular and molecular biological studies of the murine SG are lacking for many common cardiac diseases. Here, we describe a basic repertoire for dissecting and studying the SG in adult mice for analyses at RNA level (RNA isolation for gene expression analyses, in situ hybridization), protein level (immunofluorescent whole mount staining), and cellular level (basic morphology, cell size measurement). We present potential solutions to overcome challenges in the preparation technique, and how to improve staining via quenching of autofluorescence. This allows for the visualization of neurons as well as glial cells via established markers in order to determine cell composition and remodeling processes. The methods presented here allow characterizing the SG to gain further information on autonomic dysfunction in mice prone to VA and can be complemented by additional techniques investigating neuronal and glial components of the autonomic nervous system in the heart.

Figure 1&#160;visualizes how to identify and dissect the SG. Figure 1A shows a schematic drawing of the location, while Figure 1B presents the view into&#160;the thorax after removal of the heart-lung-package. The left and right longus colli muscles medial from the SG and the rib cage are important landmarks for orientation. Dissection is performed along the dotted lines between muscles and the first rib. The SG and the sympathetic ...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Location, Dissection, and Analysis of the Murine Stellate Ganglion at JoVE.com

Location, Dissection, and Analysis of the Murine Stellate Ganglion

Pathophysiological changes in the cardiac autonomic nervous system, especially in its sympathetic branch, contribute to the onset and maintenance of ventricular arrhythmias. In the present protocol, we show how to characterize murine stellate ganglia to improve the understanding of the underlying molecular and cellular processes.

The autonomic nervous system is a substantial driver of cardiac electrophysiology. Especially&#160;the role of its sympathetic branch is an ongoing matter ...

Every heartbeat is under tight control of the sympathetic nervous system. Most neurons within cardiac neurocontrol interact with the stellate ganglia. Our protocol makes it possible to study the underlying processes.With the video and images at hand, even the unexperienced investigator can find the stellate ganglion in mice and apply the techniques to different disease models. The sympathetic nervous system is a key component of cardiac arrhythmogenesis. Modulation of the stellate ganglia appears promising in the treatment of patients with life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias.Understanding the cellular and molecular processes in neurons and glial cells might pave the way for targeted therapies. The main challenge of this protocol is to locate the stellate ganglia. We recommend performing control staining for tyrosine hydroxylase in the beginning to assess the quality of preparation.After extraction of heart and lungs, place the torso of the mouse under a stereo microscope. Ensure good lighting with an external light source and flush the thorax with PBS. Locate the first rib in the longus colli muscles, then gently expose the connective tissue lateral to the longus colli muscle using the tip of the Dumont forceps.Repeat this process on the opposite side to locate the second stellate ganglion, then turn the forceps around by 180 degrees and using the flat side, grip the stellate ganglion and pull it out with minimal pressure. Place both stellate ganglia in a dish filled with PBS and inspect them with the appropriate magnification. Remove excess vessels, fat tissue, and larger nerves.Fix the stellate ganglia in 4%methanol-free paraformaldehyde for two hours at room temperature. Prepare Sudan Black stock solution for reduction of autofluorescence and improvement of signal to background ratio. Dissolve it for two to three hours on a magnetic stirrer at room temperature.Next, prepare Sudan Black working solution by centrifuging the stock solution for 30 minutes at 13, 000 times G to remove debris. Dilute the stock in 70%ethanol to a final concentration of 0.25%Sudan Black. Prepare dense bleach by mixing methanol, 30%hydrogen peroxide, and dimethyl sulfoxide at a ratio of four to one to one.Add 200 microliters of the bleach per stellate ganglion to improve antibody permeabilization and place the plate on a shaker for one hour at room temperature. Perform a descending series of rehydration using 100, 75, 50, and 25%methanol on a shaker, incubating for 10 minutes in each solution. For permeabilization, incubate the stellate ganglia twice in PBS with 1%Triton for 60 minutes each at room temperature.Remove the permeabilization solution from the stellate ganglia and add Sudan Black working solution, then incubate for two hours on a shaker. Carefully remove the Sudan Black solution by tilting the plate and pipetting from the upright side, then add 200 microliters of PBST. Wash for five minutes on a shaker.Remove PBST by aspirating it with a pipette and repeat the wash twice. After the last wash, add 200 microliters of blocking solution. Incubate at four degrees Celsius overnight on a shaker.On the next day, add primary antibodies to the blocking solution, adapting antibody concentrations from established protocols. Remove blocking solution from the stellate ganglia and add the primary antibodies. Incubate the stellate ganglia for 36 to 48 hours at four degrees Celsius on a shaker.Remove the antibody solution carefully and add 200 microliters of PBST. Place the plate on a shaker for 30 minutes. Remove the PBST and repeat the wash five more times.Prepare the secondary antibody working solution by centrifuging fluorescent Alexa labeled secondary antibodies for one minute at 13, 000 times G.Dilute the antibodies in blocking solution at a ratio of one to 500 and add them to the stellate ganglia. Incubate the plate for 12 to 24 hours at four degrees Celsius on a shaker. Remove the antibody solution carefully and add 200 microliters of PBST.For embedding, add fluorescent mounting medium on a glass slide and place it under a stereo microscope. Using Dumont forceps, pick up the stellate ganglion, remove excess liquid by dipping one end on a filter paper, and place it on the mounting medium. If necessary, correct the position of the stellate ganglion using Dumont forceps, then gently place a glass cover slip.Let the slides dry in the dark overnight at room temperature. Image the stellate ganglia stained for tyrosine hydroxylase at 200 times magnification for cell size measurement, taking four to six random images for every stellate ganglion. Analyze the images using ImageJ software to estimate cell size.An overview of a murine stellate ganglion stained positive for the sympathetic marker tyrosine hydroxylase and choline acetyltransferase in glial cells ensheathing neuronal cell bodies can be visualized by staining for S100B in combination with neuronal marker PGP9.5. An exemplary analysis of whole mount in situ hybridization and immunofluorescent co-staining of a stellate ganglion shows that tyrosine hydroxylase protein and mRNA molecules of beta-3 tubulin are expressed in large neuronal cell bodies, while mRNA of S100B is also detectable in surrounding glial cells. In the merge, it is visible that some neurons are negative for tyrosine hydroxylase, but express beta-3 tubulin, while S100B mRNA can also be detected in surrounding cells, as depicted in the magnification here.Images of tyrosine hydroxylase stained stellate ganglia were used for cell size measurements with ImageJ, and the data was compared for neuronal somata from control stellate ganglia versus diabetic stellate ganglia using the Mann-Whitney test. The expression of genes from different cell types of the stellate ganglia are shown here. Hematoxylin and eosin staining of a formalin fixed stellate ganglion visualizes connective tissue and cells on top.When attempting this protocol, remember to locate the strip and dissect along the longus colli muscle to identify the stellate ganglia, especially if the spine broke during cervical dislocation. Little is known about glial cells in the cardiac nervous system. Our techniques can be adapted to study their role in the stellate ganglia.

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Medicine

A Method for Murine Islet Isolation and Subcapsular Kidney Transplantation

Since the early pioneering work of Ballinger and Reckard demonstrating that transplantation of islets of Langerhans into diabetic rodents could normalize their blood glucose levels, islet transplantation has been proposed to be a potential treatment for type 1 diabetes 1,2. More recently, advances in human islet transplantation have further strengthened this view 1,3. However, two major limitations prevent islet transplantation from being a widespread clinical reality: (a) the requirement for large numbers of islets per patient, which severely reduces the number of potential recipients, and (b) the need for heavy immunosuppression, which significantly affects the pediatric population of patients due to their vulnerability to long-term immunosuppression. Strategies that can overcome these limitations have the potential to enhance the therapeutic utility of islet transplantation.
Islet transplantation under the mouse kidney capsule is a widely accepted model to investigate various strategies to improve islet transplantation. This experiment requires the isolation of high quality islets and implantation of islets to the diabetic recipients. Both procedures require surgical steps that can be better demonstrated by video than by text. Here, we document the detailed steps for these procedures by both video and written protocol. We also briefly discuss different transplantation models: syngeneic, allogeneic, syngeneic autoimmune, and allogeneic autoimmune.

Transplantation of isolated islets has been proposed to be a potential treatment for type 1 diabetes. Here we describe a method to isolate islets from mouse pancreata and transplant them to the subcapsular space of the kidney.

Since the early pioneering work of Ballinger and Reckard demonstrating that transplantation of islets of Langerhans into diabetic rodents could normalize ...

Dissection of Human Vitreous Body Elements for Proteomic Analysis

The vitreous is an optically clear, collagenous extracellular matrix that fills the inside of the eye and overlies the retina. 1,2 Abnormal interactions between vitreous substructures and the retina underlie several vitreoretinal diseases, including retinal tear and detachment, macular pucker, macular hole, age-related macular degeneration, vitreomacular traction, proliferative vitreoretinopathy, proliferative diabetic retinopathy, and inherited vitreoretinopathies. 1,2 The molecular composition of the vitreous substructures is not known. Since the vitreous body is transparent with limited surgical access, it has been difficult to study its substructures at the molecular level. We developed a method to separate and preserve these tissues for proteomic and biochemical analysis. The dissection technique in this experimental video shows how to isolate vitreous base, anterior hyaloid, vitreous core, and vitreous cortex from postmortem human eyes. One-dimensional SDS-PAGE analyses of each vitreous component showed that our dissection technique resulted in four unique protein profiles corresponding to each substructure of the human vitreous body. Identification of differentially compartmentalized proteins will reveal candidate molecules underlying various vitreoretinal diseases.

This video shows an effective technique for differentiating and dissecting the various semi-transparent structures of the human vitreous body in post mortem eyes.

The vitreous is an optically clear, collagenous extracellular matrix that fills the inside of the eye and overlies the retina. 1,2 Abnormal interactions ...

Quantitative Analysis and Characterization of Atherosclerotic Lesions in the Murine Aortic Sinus

Atherosclerosis is a disease of the large arteries and a major underlying cause of myocardial infarction and stroke. Several different mouse models have been developed to facilitate the study of the molecular and cellular pathophysiology of this disease. In this manuscript we describe specific techniques for the quantification and characterization of atherosclerotic lesions in the murine aortic sinus and ascending aorta. The advantage of this procedure is that it provides an accurate measurement of the cross-sectional area and total volume of the lesion, which can be used to compare atherosclerotic progression across different treatment groups. This is possible through the use of the valve leaflets as an anatomical landmark, together with careful adjustment of the sectioning angle. We also describe basic staining methods that can be used to begin to characterize atherosclerotic progression. These can be further modified to investigate antigens of specific interest to the researcher. The described techniques are generally applicable to a wide variety of existing and newly created dietary and genetically-induced models of atherogenesis.

We describe procedures to quantify and characterize atherosclerotic lesions in mouse models using precision sectioning of the aortic sinus and ascending aorta combined with histochemical and immunohistochemical analysis.

Atherosclerosis is a disease of the large arteries and a major underlying cause of myocardial infarction and stroke. Several different mouse models have ...

Whole Vitreous Humor Dissection for Vitreodynamic Analysis

The authors propose an effective technique to isolate whole, intact vitreous core and cortex from post mortem enucleated porcine eyes. While previous studies have shown the results of such dissections, the detailed steps have not been described, precluding researchers outside the field from replicating their methods. Other studies harvest vitreous either through aspiration, which does not maintain the vitreous structure anatomy, or through partial dissection, which only isolates the vitreous core. The proposed method isolates the whole vitreous body, with the vitreous core and cortex intact, while maintaining vitreous anatomy and structural integrity. In this method, a full thickness scleral flap in an enucleated porcine eye is first created and through this, the choroid tissue can be separated from the sclera. The scleral flap is then expanded and the choroid is completely separated from the sclera. Finally the choroid-retina tissue is peeled off the vitreous to leave an isolated intact vitreous body. The proposed vitreous dissection technique can be used to study physical properties of the vitreous humor. In particular, this method has significance for experimental studies involving drug delivery, vitreo-retinal oxygen transport, and intraocular convection.

The goal of this protocol is to show an effective technique to isolate whole, intact vitreous core and cortex from post mortem enucleated porcine eyes.

The authors propose an effective technique to isolate whole, intact vitreous core and cortex from post mortem enucleated porcine eyes. While previous ...

Murine Prostate Micro-dissection and Surgical Castration

Mouse models are used extensively to study prostate cancer and other diseases. The mouse is an excellent model with which to study the prostate and has been used as a surrogate for discoveries in human prostate development and disease. Prostate micro-dissection allows consistent study of lobe-specific prostate anatomy, histology, and cellular characteristics in the absence of contamination of other tissues. Testosterone affects prostate development and disease. Androgen deprivation therapy is a common treatment for prostate cancer patients, but many prostate tumors become castration-resistant. Surgical castration of mouse models allows for the study of castration resistance and other facets of hormonal biology on the prostate. This procedure can be coupled with testosterone reintroduction, or hormonal regeneration of the prostate, a powerful method to study stem cell lineages in the prostate. Together, prostate micro-dissection and surgical castration opens up a multitude of opportunities for robust and consistent research of prostate development and disease. This manuscript describes the protocols for prostate micro-dissection and surgical castration in the laboratory mouse.

This manuscript describes the protocols for prostate micro-dissection and surgical castration in the laboratory mouse. We also depict representative results produced by these protocols. Finally, we discuss the advantages and utilization of these protocols.

Mouse models are used extensively to study prostate cancer and other diseases. The mouse is an excellent model with which to study the prostate and has ...

Dissection of the Mouse Pancreas for Histological Analysis and Metabolic Profiling

We have been investigating the pancreas specific transcription factor, 1a cre-recombinase; lox-stop-lox- Kristen rat sarcoma, glycine to aspartic acid at the 12 codon (Ptf1acre/+;LSL-KrasG12D/+) mouse strain as a model of human pancreatic cancer. The goal of our current studies is to identify novel metabolic biomarkers of pancreatic cancer progression. We have performed metabolic profiling of urine, feces, blood, and pancreas tissue extracts, as well as histological analyses of the pancreas to stage the cancer progression. The mouse pancreas is not a well-defined solid organ like in humans, but rather is a diffusely distributed soft tissue that is not easily identified by individuals unfamiliar with mouse internal anatomy or by individuals that have little or no experience performing mouse organ dissections. The purpose of this article is to provide a detailed step-wise visual demonstration to guide novices in the removal of the mouse pancreas by dissection. This article should be especially valuable to students and investigators new to research that requires harvesting of the mouse pancreas by dissection for metabolic profiling or histological analyses.

This video article provides a detailed demonstration of the procedures required to successfully remove the pancreas from a mouse by dissection for histological analysis and metabolic profiling.

We have been investigating the pancreas specific transcription factor, 1a cre-recombinase; lox-stop-lox- Kristen rat sarcoma, glycine to aspartic acid at ...

Dissection and Explant Culture of Murine Allantois for the In Vitro Analysis of Allantoic Attachment

The placenta is essential for the growth and development of mammalian embryos. For this reason, numerous genetic alterations and likely also environmental insults that disturb placenta development or function can cause early pregnancy loss in mice and humans. Nevertheless, simple in vitro assays to screen for potential effects on placenta formation are lacking. Here, we focus on modeling the first and critical step in placenta formation, which consists of the attachment of the allantois to the chorion. We describe a method to rapidly assess the attachment of allantoic explants on immobilized &#945;4&#946;1 integrin, which serves as a chorio-mimetic substrate.This in vitro approach enables a qualitative evaluation of the attachment and spreading behavior of multiple allantois explants at different consecutive time points. The protocol may be used to investigate the effect of targeted mouse mutations, drugs, or various environmental factors that have been linked to pregnancy complications or fetal loss on allantois attachment ex vivo.

Dissection and Explant Culture of Murine Allantois for the In Vitro Analysis of Allantoic Attachment

We describe an in vitro assay to model chorioallantoic attachment, the first step in placenta formation. The protocol demonstrates the dissection and explant culture of murine allantoides on immobilized &#945;4&#946;1 integrin. Allantois attachment is evaluated microscopically at pre-determined time points.

The placenta is essential for the growth and development of mammalian embryos. For this reason, numerous genetic alterations and likely also environmental ...

A Non-Invasive Method for Generating the Cyclic Loading-Induced Intra-Articular Cartilage Lesion Model of the Rat Knee

The pathophysiology of primary osteoarthritis (OA) remains unclear. However, a specific subclassification of OA in relatively younger age groups is likely correlated with a history of articular cartilage damage and ligament avulsion. Surgical animal models of OA of the knee play an important role in understanding the onset and progression of post-traumatic OA and aid in the development of novel therapies for this disease. However, non-surgical models have been recently considered to avoid traumatic inflammation that could affect the evaluation of the intervention. 
In this study, an intra-articular cartilage lesion rat model induced by in vivo cyclic compressive loading was developed, which allowed researchers to (1) determine the optimal magnitude, speed, and duration of load that could cause focal cartilage damage; (2) assess post-traumatic spatiotemporal pathological changes in chondrocyte vitality; and (3) evaluate the histological expression of destructive or protective molecules that are involved in the adaptation and repair mechanisms against joint compressive loads. This report describes the experimental protocol for this novel cartilage lesion in a rat model.

Here, we present the cyclic loading-induced intra-articular cartilage lesion model of the rat knee, generated by 60 cyclic compressions over 20 N, resulting in damage to the femoral condylar cartilage in rats.

The pathophysiology of primary osteoarthritis (OA) remains unclear. However, a specific subclassification of OA in relatively younger age groups is likely ...

Robot-assisted Total Mesorectal Excision and Lateral Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection for Locally Advanced Middle-low Rectal Cancer

Since their approval for clinical use, da Vinci surgical robots have shown great advantages in gastrointestinal surgical operations, especially in complex procedures. The high-quality 3-D visual, multijoint arm and natural tremor filtration allow the surgeon to expose and dissect more accurately with minimal invasion. Total mesorectal excision is the standard surgical technique for the treatment of resectable rectal cancer. To reduce the lateral recurrence rate, lateral pelvic lymph node dissection can be performed, as it is a safe and feasible procedure for locally advanced middle-low rectal cancer with a high possibility of metastasis to the lateral lymph nodes. However, the complexity of the anatomic structures and the high postoperative complication rate limit its application. Recently, several surgeons have increasingly used robotic techniques for total mesorectal excision and lateral pelvic lymph node dissection. Compared with open and laparoscopic surgery, the robotic technique has several advantages, such as less blood loss, fewer blood transfusions, minimal trauma, shorter postoperative hospitalization, and quicker recovery. A robotic approach is generally regarded as a reasonable alternative for complicated procedures such as lateral pelvic lymph node dissection, although there are a limited number of high-quality prospective randomized controlled studies reporting direct evidence. Here, we provide the detailed steps of robot-assisted total mesorectal excision and lateral pelvic lymph node dissection performed at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi&#39;an Jiaotong University.

The robotic technique described herein aims to detail a stepwise approach to robot-assisted total mesorectal excision and lateral pelvic lymph node dissection for locally advanced (T3/T4) rectal cancer located below the peritoneal reflection.

Since their approval for clinical use, da Vinci surgical robots have shown great advantages in gastrointestinal surgical operations, especially in complex ...

Robotic Left Hepatectomy using Indocyanine Green Fluorescence Imaging for an Intrahepatic Complex Biliary Cyst

Biliary cysts (BC) are rare congenital dilatations of intra- and extrahepatic parts of the biliary tract and bear a significant risk of carcinogenesis. Surgery is the cornerstone treatment for patients with BC. While total BC excision and Roux-Y hepaticojejunostomy is the treatment method of the choice in patients with extrahepatic BC (i.e., Todani I-IV), patients with intrahepatic BC (i.e., Todani V) benefit the most from a surgical liver resection. In recent years, minimally invasive liver surgery (MILS) including robotic MILS has gained more acceptance as a feasible, safe, and effective procedure for the treatment of both benign and malignant indications. Robotic major MILS is still considered technically demanding and a detailed description of the technical approach during robotic major MILS has only been limitedly discussed in the literature. The current article describes the main steps for a robotic left hepatectomy in a patient with a large BC Todani Type V. The patient is in French position with 5 trocars placed (4 robotic, 1 laparoscopic assistant). After mobilizing the left hemiliver, the left and right hepatic artery are dissected carefully followed by a cholecystectomy. Intraoperative ultrasound is performed to confirm localization and margins of the BC. The Left hepatic artery and left portal vein are isolated, clipped, and divided. Indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence imaging is used regularly during the entire procedure to visualize and confirm biliary tract anatomy and the BC. Parenchymal transection is performed with robotic cautery hook for the superficial part and robotic cautery spatula, bipolar cautery, and vessel sealer for the deeper parenchyma. The postoperative course was uncomplicated. A robotic left hepatectomy is technically demanding, yet a feasible and safe procedure. ICG-fluorescence imaging aids in delineating the BC and bile duct anatomy. Further, comparative studies are needed to confirm clinical benefits of robotic MILS for benign and malignant indications.

Robotic liver surgery has gained more acceptance as a feasible, safe, and effective procedure for the treatment of both benign and malignant indications. However, robotic left hepatectomy is still technically demanding. We describe our surgical technique of a robotic left hepatectomy using indocyanine green fluorescence imaging for a large biliary cyst.

Biliary cysts (BC) are rare congenital dilatations of intra- and extrahepatic parts of the biliary tract and bear a significant risk of carcinogenesis. ...