CQS receives a fellowship from the LOEWE Excellence Cluster for Integrative Fungal Research (IPF). The author would like to thank Ida J. van der Klei for the P. chrysogenum strains used in this work and Andreas S. Reichert for the gift of rapamycin.

1. Preparazione di P. chrysogenum per gli esperimenti da fame <ol><li> Se la P. chrysogenum ceppo di interessi è tenuto il riso (&#39;riso verde&#39;), posizionare 2-3 chicchi di riso ricoperti di sporulanti micelio in una provetta da 1,5 ml microcentrifuga. Riempire con 500 microlitri YGG (10 g / l KCl, 20 g / l di glucosio, 10 g / l di lievito base di azoto, 5 g / l K 2 HPO 4 estratto di lievito, 20 g / l). <ol><li> Agitare la provetta per 30 sec in modo che le spore possano staccarsi dal riso efficiente. </li><li> Incubare la provetta per 1 giorno a temperatura ambiente (per esempio, tra 20 e 25 ° C). </li><li> Preparare una diluizione 1/50 di questa sospensione di spore in acqua di rubinetto sterile, mescolare bene. </li></ol></li><li> Se la P. chrysogenum ceppo di interesse è mantenuto su una piastra di agar (ad esempio, piastra di agar YGG), trasferire piccoli pezzi di micelio in una provetta da 1,5 ml microcentrifuga contenente 400 ml di acqua di rubinetto sterile e circa 100 mg glperline culo utilizzando uno stuzzicadenti sterile o punta della pipetta. <ol><li> Vortex la provetta per 2 minuti in modo che il micelio diventa frammentata. Utilizzare immediatamente il contenuto della provetta. </li></ol></li></ol> 2. Operazioni preliminari per la frutticoltura di P. chrysogenum su Pads Starvation <ol><li> Accendere una piastra di riscaldamento e impostarla a circa 60 ° C. </li><li> Sciogliere 2 g di agarosio in 100 ml acqua di rubinetto con la cottura la soluzione in un forno a microonde. Fate attenzione che questa soluzione è del tutto chiaro dopo il riscaldamento. Se non lo è, cuocere di nuovo fino a quando l&#39;agarosio è sciolto completamente. Sia la soluzione di agarosio raffreddare a circa 60 ° C prima dell&#39;uso. </li><li> Riempire 1,5 ml provette da microcentrifuga (2-4, a seconda del numero di campioni) con 400 microlitri di acqua di rubinetto (non sterile ciascuno composti addizionali aggiunti) o 400-x microlitri (aggiunta di x ml di soluzione del composto nella fase 2.5) e collocarli sulla piastra di riscaldamento per almeno 1 minuto in modo che il Water all&#39;interno si riscalda. </li><li> Inserire vetrini contenenti una cavità centrale sulla piastra di riscaldamento per almeno 1 min. </li><li> Aggiungere 400 microlitri 2% agarosio alla soluzione in 1,5 ml provette da microcentrifuga e vortice brevemente. Dopo questo passo se lo si desidera, aggiungere ulteriori composti (ad esempio, 1 micron rapamicina). Se questo è fatto, vortex brevemente dopo ogni sostanza aggiuntiva è pipettato al tubo. Mettere i tubi di nuovo sul tavolo di riscaldamento per evitare la solidificazione prematura. NOTA: Il volume totale della provetta deve essere di 800 ml. </li></ol> 3. Preparazione di micropreparati contenenti Pads Starvation <ol><li> Pipettare 140 ml di soluzione di agarosio nella cavità del vetrino da microscopio (che si trova ancora sulla piastra di riscaldamento). Cercate di evitare di fare le bolle, se possibile. </li><li> Mettere immediatamente un vetrino sul soluzione di agarosio. NOTA: Questo si tradurrà in una superficie piana. </li><li> Mettere il microportata vetrino sul banco di laboratorio per circa 4 minuti per consentire al pad agarosio solidificare. </li><li> Rimuovere con attenzione il vetrino dal pad agarosio sfilandolo con l&#39;aiuto di un pollice o indice (indossare guanti per evitare la contaminazione!). </li><li> Posizionare il vetrino con il pad in una camera bagnato per evitare l&#39;essiccamento. Raccomandazione: utilizzare una scatola vuota punta che ha ancora l&#39;inserto per tenere le punte delle pipette. Aggiungere acqua sterile alla casella in modo che il fondo è coperto. Collocare i vetrini sull&#39;inserto e chiudere la finestra. </li></ol> 4. inoculo dei pad da fame con P. chrysogenum e incubazione <ol><li> Pipettare 5 ml di diluizione 1/50 spore (se le colture sono state coltivate su riso) o 5 ml della soluzione diluita contenente frammenti micelio (se le colture sono state coltivate su una piastra di agar) sul centro del pad inedia. </li><li> Chiudere la camera umida e avvolgerlo in una busta di plastica (questo serve comeprotezione aggiuntiva contro essiccazione dei tamponi fame). Fare attenzione a non spostare la casella di troppo perché altrimenti saranno disturbati le gocce di inoculazione. </li><li> Conservare la scatola avvolta a temperatura ambiente per almeno 20 ore prima di analizzare i campioni. </li></ol> 5. microscopica analisi dei campioni <ol><li> Dopo 20 ore di incubazione i campioni sono pronti per l&#39;analisi al microscopio; mettere il vetrino su carta velina asciutta (fondo tende a diventare bagnato). </li><li> Pipettare una piccola quantità di acqua (circa 50 ml) sul pad fame. Mettere un coprioggetto sul pad e spremere l&#39;acqua in eccesso. Rimuovere l&#39;acqua in eccesso con un fazzolettino di carta. </li><li> Mettere il vetrino sul tavolo di osservazione del microscopio a fluorescenza. Per avere una panoramica di crescita micelio, utilizzare un obiettivo 20X. Obiettivi Utilizzare 63x o 100X per studiare la localizzazione di GFP in ife. Al fine di prevenire il graduale essiccamento del campione non analizzare i campioni perpiù di 15 minuti prima di rimetterli nella camera umida. </li><li> Ripetere 5.3 a intervalli regolari (ad esempio, dopo 40 ore e 60 ore di crescita). NOTA: Il campione può essere rimesso nella camera umida. Non è necessario rimuovere il coprioggetto quanto non influenza la crescita del micelio. </li></ol>

<ol>
	<li>Fischer, F., Hamann, A., Osiewacz, H. D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Mitochondrial+quality+control:+an+integrated+network+of+pathways.">Mitochondrial quality control: an integrated network of pathways.</a> Trends Biochem. Sci. 37 (7), 284-292 (2012).</li><li>Pollack, J. K., Harris, S. D., Marten, M. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Autophagy+in+filamentous+fungi.">Autophagy in filamentous fungi.</a> Fungal Genet. Biol. 46 (1), 1-8 (2009).</li><li>Scheckhuber, C. Q., Osiewacz, H. D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Podospora+anserina:+a+model+organism+to+study+mechanisms+of+healthy+ageing.">Podospora anserina: a model organism to study mechanisms of healthy ageing.</a> Mol. Genet. Genomics. 280 (5), 365-374 (2008).</li><li>Pinan-Lucarr&#233;, B., Iraqui, I., Clav&#233;, C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Podospora+anserina+target+of+rapamycin.">Podospora anserina target of rapamycin.</a> Curr. Genet. 50 (1), 23-31 (2006).</li><li>Kikuma, T., Ohneda, M., Arioka, M., Kitamoto, K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Functional+analysis+of+the+ATG8+homologue+Aoatg8+and+role+of+autophagy+in+differentiation+and+germination+in+Aspergillus+oryzae.">Functional analysis of the ATG8 homologue Aoatg8 and role of autophagy in differentiation and germination in Aspergillus oryzae.</a> Eukaryot. Cell. 5 (8), 1328-1336 (2006).</li><li>Pinan-Lucarr&#233;, B., Balguerie, A., Clav&#233;, C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Accelerated+cell+death+in+Podospora+autophagy+mutants.">Accelerated cell death in Podospora autophagy mutants.</a> Eukaryot. Cell. 4 (11), 1765-1774 (2005).</li><li>Veneault-Fourrey, C., Barooah, M., Egan, M., Wakley, G., Talbot, N. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Autophagic+fungal+cell+death+is+necessary+for+infection+by+the+rice+blast+fungus.">Autophagic fungal cell death is necessary for infection by the rice blast fungus.</a> Science. 312 (5773), 580-583 (2006).</li><li>Bartoszewska, M., Kiel, J. A., Bovenberg, R. A., Veenhuis, M., van der Klei, I. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Autophagy+deficiency+promotes+beta-lactam+production+in+Penicillium+chrysogenum.">Autophagy deficiency promotes beta-lactam production in Penicillium chrysogenum.</a> Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 77 (4), 1413-1422 (2011).</li><li>Meijer, W. H., 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=Peroxisomes+are+required+for+efficient+penicillin+biosynthesis+in+Penicillium+chrysogenum.">Peroxisomes are required for efficient penicillin biosynthesis in Penicillium chrysogenum.</a> Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 76 (17), 5702-5709 (2010).</li><li>Cubitt, A. B., Heim, R., Adams, S. R., Boyd, A. E., Gross, L. A., Tsien, R. Y. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Understanding,+improving+and+using+green+fluorescent+proteins.">Understanding, improving and using green fluorescent proteins.</a> Trends Biochem. Sci. 20 (11), 448-455 (1995).</li><li>Jung, C. H., Ro, S. H., Cao, J., Otto, N. M., Kim, D. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=mTOR+regulation+of+autophagy.">mTOR regulation of autophagy.</a> FEBS Lett. 584 (7), 1287-1295 (2010).</li><li>Hickey, P. C., Read, N. D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Imaging+living+cells+of+Aspergillus+in+vitro.">Imaging living cells of Aspergillus in vitro.</a> Med. Mycol. 47, S110-S119 (2009).</li></ol>

The author has nothing to disclose.

Il metodo qui presentato permette lo studio comoda e riproducibile dell&#39;autofagia in P. chrysogenum. Ad esempio, può essere utilizzata per lo screening l&#39;efficacia di vari composti che siano in grado di modulare la risposta autofagia di questo fungo o meno. I risultati con rapamicina dimostrano che l&#39;inibizione di segnalazione TOR conduce ad una induzione pronunciato dell&#39;autofagia in P. chrysogenum che è stato dimostrato anche per altri organismi 11. <p class="jove_con...

Funghi filamentosi sono ottimi sistemi modello per lo studio dei processi di sviluppo. Essi offrono diversi vantaggi sperimentali come la coltivazione a basso costo, un numero elevato di progenie e accessibilità genetica. L&#39;ultimo punto è di particolare rilevanza per la costruzione di trasformanti che permettono di indagare l&#39;importanza dei geni so-far non caratterizzate per diversi meccanismi cellulari. Funghi filamentosi sono stati strumentali per la delucidazione di diversi elementi e meccanismi di controllo della qualità vie cellulari come attività della proteasi per la degradazione delle proteine ​​aberranti, dinamiche mitocondriali per mantenere l&#39;integrità mitocondriale e autophagy per la rimozione di eccedenza e / o componenti cellulari disfunzionali e per mantenere vitalità cellulare in tempi di fame 1,2,3. Ci sono diverse tecniche sperimentali disponibili per lo studio dell&#39;autofagia in filamentose funghi 2: (i) ricerca di vacuoli if contengono organismi autofagiche densi quando proteasi sono inibiti mediante microscopia elettronica a trasmissione 4, (ii) visualizzazione di autophagosomes monitorando GFP-Atg8 foci tramite microscopia a fluorescenza 5,6 e (iii) il rilevamento di strutture autophagosomal acidificati utilizzando il colorante fluorescente monodansyl cadaverina 7. Qui, un nuovo metodo di coltivazione Penicillium chrysogenum per studi autofagia è presentato. L&#39;elemento principale è il &#39;pad fame&#39; che consiste semplicemente di 1% agarosio disciolto in acqua di rubinetto sterilizzata. Composti aggiuntive (ad esempio, stress, spazzini, modulatori autofagia) possono essere aggiunti al pad fino a quando non visualizzano auto-fluorescenza. Il pad si trova in vetrini contenenti una cavità centrale superficiale. Questo pad in inoculati sia con una sospensione di spore o con piccoli frammenti di micelio. Quest&#39;ultimo è consigliabile se il ceppo di interesse non sporulate in modo efficiente (ad esempio, i ceppi atg1 Δ 8). I vetrini sono posizionati in camere umide (questi possono essere facilmente costruiti utilizzando scatole di tip pipetta vuote) per prevenire l&#39;essiccamento del campione e incubate a temperatura ambiente. P. chrysogenum è in grado di crescere per alcuni giorni in queste condizioni. L&#39;autofagia può essere osservato al microscopio dall&#39;allargamento vacuolar che è un indicatore positivo per autofagia fungine. In questo contributo, una P. chrysogenum ceppo (Wisconsin 54-1255) viene utilizzato, che costituisce la proteina fluorescente verde, che si rivolge a perossisomi per la sua sequenza di 9 C-terminale &#39;SKL&#39;. Pertanto è possibile monitorare la degradazione dei perossisomi. E &#39;fattibile etichettare anche altri compartimenti della cellula (ad esempio, mitocondri) utilizzando segnali di localizzazione appropriati ed analizzare la loro degradazione. Anche se i dati di P. chrysogenum Ws54-1255 (GFP-SKL) è presentato qui, è certamente possibileper utilizzare il metodo &#39;pad fame&#39; anche per altri funghi filamentosi (es Neurospora crassa, Sordaria macrospora, specie di Aspergillus, etc.).

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			<td style="width:71px;">Company</td>
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			<td style="width:167px;">Comments/Description</td>
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			<td height="105" style="height:105px;width:216px;">Microscope slides with central cavity</td>
			<td style="width:71px;">Carl Roth GmbH, Karlsruhe, Germany</td>
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			<td>These can be used multiple times after cleaning.</td>
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			<td height="105" style="height:105px;width:216px;">Glass beads</td>
			<td style="width:71px;">Carl Roth GmbH, Karlsruhe, Germany</td>
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analysis of autophagy in penicillium chrysogenum by using starvation pads in combination with fluorescence microscopy

The study of cellular quality control systems has emerged as a highly dynamic and relevant field of contemporary research. It has become clear that cells possess several lines of defense against damage to biologically relevant molecules like nucleic acids, lipids and proteins. In addition to organelle dynamics (fusion/fission/motility/inheritance) and tightly controlled protease activity, the degradation of surplus, damaged or compromised organelles by autophagy (cellular &#8216;self-eating&#8217;) has received much attention from the scientific community. The regulation of autophagy is quite complex and depends on genetic and environmental factors, many of which have so far not been elucidated. Here a novel method is presented that allows the convenient study of autophagy in the filamentous fungus Penicillium chrysogenum. It is based on growth of the fungus on so-called &#8216;starvation pads&#8217; for stimulation of autophagy in a reproducible manner. Samples are directly assayed by microscopy and evaluated for autophagy induction / progress. The protocol presented here is not limited for use with P. chrysogenum and can be easily adapted for use in other filamentous fungi.

Per dimostrare l&#39;utilità del protocollo sopra descritto degrado perossisoma nel P. chrysogenum ceppo Ws54-1255 (GFP-SKL) è stato analizzato. In questo ceppo GFP-SKL è di solito importato in perossisomi 9. Ciò provoca la comparsa di molteplici forme sferiche quando il campione viene analizzato tramite microscopia a fluorescenza. Se si verifica l&#39;autofagia, vacuoli ingrandire. GFP-SKL viene incorporato nel vacuoli da autofagia (pexophagy). A causa del fatto che la GFP è resistente alla deg...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Analysis of Autophagy in Penicillium chrysogenum by Using Starvation Pads in Combination With Fluorescence Microscopy at JoVE.com

Analysis of Autophagy in Penicillium chrysogenum by Using Starvation Pads in Combination With Fluorescence Microscopy

A convenient and powerful method for studying autophagy in Penicillium chrysogenum by using starvation pads (mixtures of agarose and tap water in a microscope slide containing a central cavity) is presented here.

Analisi di autofagia in<em&gt; Penicillium chrysogenum</em&gt; Utilizzando Starvation Pads in combinazione con microscopia a fluorescenza

The study of cellular quality control systems has emerged as a highly dynamic and relevant field of contemporary research. It has become clear that cells ...

analysis-autophagy-penicillium-chrysogenum-using-starvation-pads

Research

JoVE Journal

Biology

Analysis of Autophagy in Penicillium chrysogenum by Using Starvation Pads in Combination With Fluorescence Microscopy

8.5K Views.  Senckenberg Research Institute. A convenient and powerful method for studying autophagy in Penicillium chrysogenum by using starvation pads (mixtures of agarose and tap water in a microscope slide containing a central cavity) is presented here.

Video: Analysis of Autophagy in Penicillium chrysogenum by Using Starvation Pads in Combination With Fluorescence Microscopy

Time-lapse Imaging of Mitosis After siRNA Transfection

Changes in cellular organization and chromosome dynamics that occur during mitosis are tightly coordinated to ensure accurate inheritance of genomic and cellular content. Hallmark events of mitosis, such as chromosome movement, can be readily tracked on an individual cell basis using time-lapse fluorescence microscopy of mammalian cell lines expressing specific GFP-tagged proteins. In combination with RNAi-based depletion, this can be a powerful method for pinpointing the stage(s) of mitosis where defects occur after levels of a particular protein have been lowered. In this protocol, we present a basic method for assessing the effect of depleting a potential mitotic regulatory protein on the timing of mitosis. Cells are transfected with siRNA, placed in a stage-top incubation chamber, and imaged using an automated fluorescence microscope. We describe how to use software to set up a time-lapse experiment, how to process the image sequences to make either still-image montages or movies, and how to quantify and analyze the timing of mitotic stages using a cell-line expressing mCherry-tagged histone H2B. Finally, we discuss important considerations for designing a time-lapse experiment. This strategy is complementary to other approaches and offers the advantages of 1) sensitivity to changes in kinetics that might not be observed when looking at cells as a population and 2) analysis of mitosis without the need to synchronize the cell cycle using drug treatments. The visual information from such imaging experiments not only allows the sub-stages of mitosis to be assessed, but can also provide unexpected insight that would not be apparent from cell cycle analysis by FACS.

Here we describe a basic protocol to image and quantify the mitotic timing of live mammalian tissue culture cells after siRNA transfection.

Time-lapse imaging di mitosi dopo la trasfezione di siRNA

Changes in cellular organization and chromosome dynamics that occur during mitosis are tightly coordinated to ensure accurate inheritance of genomic and ...

Ricerca

Biologia

Quantitative Analysis of Autophagy using Advanced 3D Fluorescence Microscopy

Prostate cancer is the leading form of malignancies among men in the U.S. While surgery carries a significant risk of impotence and incontinence, traditional chemotherapeutic approaches have been largely unsuccessful. Hormone therapy is effective at early stage, but often fails with the eventual development of hormone-refractory tumors. We have been interested in developing therapeutics targeting specific metabolic deficiency of tumor cells. We recently showed that prostate tumor cells specifically lack an enzyme (argininosuccinate synthase, or ASS) involved in the synthesis of the amino acid arginine1. This condition causes the tumor cells to become dependent on exogenous arginine, and they undergo metabolic stress when free arginine is depleted by arginine deiminase (ADI)1,10. Indeed, we have shown that human prostate cancer cells CWR22Rv1 are effectively killed by ADI with caspase-independent apoptosis and aggressive autophagy (or macroautophagy)1,2,3. Autophagy is an evolutionarily-conserved process that allows cells to metabolize unwanted proteins by lysosomal breakdown during nutritional starvation4,5. Although the essential components of this pathway are well-characterized6,7,8,9, many aspects of the molecular mechanism are still unclear - in particular, what is the role of autophagy in the death-response of prostate cancer cells after ADI treatment? In order to address this question, we required an experimental method to measure the level and extent of autophagic response in cells - and since there are no known molecular markers that can accurately track this process, we chose to develop an imaging-based approach, using quantitative 3D fluorescence microscopy11,12.
Using CWR22Rv1 cells specifically-labeled with fluorescent probes for autophagosomes and lysosomes, we show that 3D image stacks acquired with either widefield deconvolution microscopy (and later, with super-resolution, structured-illumination microscopy) can clearly capture the early stages of autophagy induction. With commercially available digital image analysis applications, we can readily obtain statistical information about autophagosome and lysosome number, size, distribution, and degree of colocalization from any imaged cell. This information allows us to precisely track the progress of autophagy in living cells and enables our continued investigation into the role of autophagy in cancer chemotherapy.

Autophagy is a ubiquitous process that enables cells to degrade and recycle proteins and organelles. We apply advanced fluorescence microscopy to visualize and quantify the small, but essential, physical changes associated with the induction of autophagy, including the formation and distribution of autophagosomes and lysosomes, and their fusion into autolysosomes.

Analisi quantitativa di autofagia usando 3D avanzato microscopia a fluorescenza

Prostate cancer is the leading form of malignancies among men in the U.S. While surgery carries a significant risk of impotence and incontinence, ...

Visualization and Analysis of mRNA Molecules Using Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The Fluorescence in situ Hybridization (FISH) method allows one to detect nucleic acids in the native cellular environment. Here we provide a protocol for using FISH to quantify the number of mRNAs in single yeast cells. Cells can be grown in any condition of interest and then fixed and made permeable. Subsequently, multiple single-stranded deoxyoligonucleotides conjugated to fluorescent dyes are used to label and visualize mRNAs. Diffraction-limited fluorescence from single mRNA molecules is quantified using a spot-detection algorithm to identify and count the number of mRNAs per cell. While the more standard quantification methods of northern blots, RT-PCR and gene expression microarrays provide information on average mRNAs in the bulk population, FISH facilitates both the counting and localization of these mRNAs in single cells at single-molecule resolution.

Visualization and Analysis of mRNA Molecules Using Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

This protocol describes an experimental procedure for performing Fluorescence in situ Hybridization (FISH) for counting mRNAs in single cells at single-molecule resolution.

Visualizzazione e l&#39;analisi di molecole di mRNA mediante fluorescenza<em&gt; In Situ</em&gt; Ibridazione in<em&gt; Saccharomyces cerevisiae</em

The Fluorescence in situ Hybridization (FISH) method allows one to detect nucleic acids in the native cellular environment. Here we provide a protocol for ...

In Vivo 4-Dimensional Tracking of Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells in Adult Mouse Calvarial Bone Marrow

Through a delicate balance between quiescence and proliferation, self renewal and production of differentiated progeny, hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) maintain the turnover of all mature blood cell lineages. The coordination of the complex signals leading to specific HSC fates relies upon the interaction between HSCs and the intricate bone marrow microenvironment, which is still poorly understood[1-2].
We describe how by combining a newly developed specimen holder for stable animal positioning with multi-step confocal and two-photon in vivo imaging techniques, it is possible to obtain high-resolution 3D stacks containing HSPCs and their surrounding niches and to monitor them over time through multi-point time-lapse imaging. High definition imaging allows detecting ex vivo labeled hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) residing within the bone marrow. Moreover, multi-point time-lapse 3D imaging, obtained with faster acquisition settings, provides accurate information about HSPC movement and the reciprocal interactions between HSPCs and stroma cells.
Tracking of HSPCs in relation to GFP positive osteoblastic cells is shown as an exemplary application of this method. This technique can be utilized to track any appropriately labeled hematopoietic or stromal cell of interest within the mouse calvarium bone marrow space.

In Vivo 4-Dimensional Tracking of Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells in Adult Mouse Calvarial Bone Marrow

The nature of the interactions between hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) and bone marrow niches is poorly understood. Custom hardware modifications and a multi-step acquisition protocol allow the use of two-photon and confocal microscopy to image ex vivo labeled HSPCs homed within bone marrow areas, tracking interactions and movement.

In Vivo inseguimento 4-dimensionale di emopoietiche staminali e progenitrici celle di topo adulto cranica di Midollo Osseo

Through a delicate balance between quiescence and proliferation, self renewal and production of differentiated progeny, hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) ...

Fecal Glucocorticoid Analysis: Non-invasive Adrenal Monitoring in Equids

Adrenal activity can be assessed in the equine species by analysis of feces for corticosterone metabolites. During a potentially aversive situation, corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH) is released from the hypothalamus in the brain. This stimulates the release of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) from the pituitary gland, which in turn stimulates release of glucocorticoids from the adrenal gland. In horses the glucocorticoid corticosterone is responsible for several adaptations needed to support equine flight behaviour and subsequent removal from the aversive situation. Corticosterone metabolites can be detected in the feces of horses and assessment offers a non-invasive option to evaluate long term patterns of adrenal activity. Fecal assessment offers advantages over other techniques that monitor adrenal activity including blood plasma and saliva analysis. The non-invasive nature of the method avoids sampling stress which can confound results. It also allows the opportunity for repeated sampling over time and is ideal for studies in free ranging horses. This protocol describes the enzyme linked immunoassay (EIA) used to assess feces for corticosterone, in addition to the associated biochemical validation.

Adrenal activity can be assessed in the equine species by analysis of feces for corticosterone metabolites. The method offers a non-invasive option to assess long term patterns in both domestic and free ranging horses. This protocol describes the enzyme linked immunoassay involved and the associated biochemical validation.

Fecale Analisi glucocorticoidi: non invasivo di monitoraggio surrenale in equidi

Adrenal activity can be assessed in the equine species by analysis of feces for corticosterone metabolites. During a potentially aversive situation, ...

Visualizing Stromule Frequency with Fluorescence Microscopy

Stromules, or "stroma-filled tubules", are narrow, tubular extensions from the surface of the chloroplast that are universally observed in plant cells but whose functions remain mysterious. Alongside growing attention on the role of chloroplasts in coordinating plant responses to stress, interest in stromules and their relationship to chloroplast signaling dynamics has increased in recent years, aided by advances in fluorescence microscopy and protein fluorophores that allow for rapid, accurate visualization of stromule dynamics. Here, we provide detailed protocols to assay stromule frequency in the epidermal chloroplasts of Nicotiana benthamiana, an excellent model system for investigating chloroplast stromule biology. We also provide methods for visualizing chloroplast stromules in vitro by extracting chloroplasts from leaves. Finally, we outline sampling strategies and statistical approaches to analyze differences in stromule frequencies in response to stimuli, such as environmental stress, chemical treatments, or gene silencing. Researchers can use these protocols as a starting point to develop new methods for innovative experiments to explore how and why chloroplasts make stromules.

Protocols to investigate the dynamics of chloroplast stromules, the stroma-filled tubules that extend from the surface of chloroplasts, are described.

Visualizzazione Frequenza Stromule con microscopia a fluorescenza

Stromules, or "stroma-filled tubules", are narrow, tubular extensions from the surface of the chloroplast that are universally observed in plant cells but ...

Activating Autophagy by Aerobic Exercise in Mice

Autophagy is a lysosomal degradation pathway essential for cell homeostasis, function and differentiation. Under stress conditions, autophagy is induced and targets various cargos, such as bulk cytosol, damaged organelles and misfolded proteins, for degradation in lysosomes. Resulting nutrient molecules are recycled back to the cytosol for new protein synthesis and ATP production. Upregulation of autophagy has beneficial effects against the pathogenesis of many diseases, and pharmacological and physiological strategies to activate autophagy have been reported. Aerobic exercise is recently identified as an efficient autophagy inducer in multiple organs in mice, including muscle, liver, heart and brain. Here we show procedures to induce autophagy in vivo by either forced treadmill exercise or voluntary wheel running. We also demonstrate microscopic and biochemical methods to quantitatively analyze autophagy levels in mouse tissues, using the marker proteins LC3 and p62 that are transported to and degraded in lysosomes along with autophagosomes.

Autophagy activation is beneficial in the prevention of a number of diseases. One of the physiological approaches to induce autophagy in vivo is physical exercise. Here we show how to activate autophagy by aerobic exercise and measure autophagy levels in mice.

Attivazione di autofagia per esercizio aerobico nei topi

Autophagy is a lysosomal degradation pathway essential for cell homeostasis, function and differentiation. Under stress conditions, autophagy is induced ...

Open-source Single-particle Analysis for Super-resolution Microscopy with VirusMapper

Super-resolution fluorescence microscopy is currently revolutionizing cell biology research. Its capacity to break the resolution limit of around 300 nm allows for the routine imaging of nanoscale biological complexes and processes. This increase in resolution also means that methods popular in electron microscopy, such as single-particle analysis, can readily be applied to super-resolution fluorescence microscopy. By combining this analytical approach with super-resolution optical imaging, it becomes possible to take advantage of the molecule-specific labeling capacity of fluorescence microscopy to generate structural maps of molecular elements within a metastable structure. To this end, we have developed a novel algorithm &#8212; VirusMapper &#8212; packaged as an easy-to-use, high-performance, and high-throughput ImageJ plugin. This article presents an in-depth guide to this software, showcasing its ability to uncover novel structural features in biological molecular complexes. Here, we present how to assemble compatible data and provide a step-by-step protocol on how to use this algorithm to apply single-particle analysis to super-resolution images.

This manuscript uses the Fiji-based open-source software package VirusMapper to apply single-particle analysis to super-resolution microscopy images in order to generate precise models of nanoscale structure.

Analisi singola particella open-source per Super-risoluzione Microscopia con VirusMapper

Super-resolution fluorescence microscopy is currently revolutionizing cell biology research. Its capacity to break the resolution limit of around 300 nm ...

Examination of Mitotic and Meiotic Fission Yeast Nuclear Dynamics by Fluorescence Live-cell Microscopy

Live-cell imaging is a microscopy technique used to examine cell and protein dynamics in living cells. This imaging method is not toxic, generally does not interfere with cell physiology, and requires minimal experimental handling. The low levels of technical interference enable researchers to study cells across multiple cycles of mitosis and to observe meiosis from beginning to end. Using fluorescent tags such as Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) and Red Fluorescent Protein (RFP), researchers can analyze different factors whose functions are important for processes like transcription, DNA replication, cohesion, and segregation. Coupled with data analysis using Fiji (a free, optimized ImageJ version), live-cell imaging offers various ways of assessing protein movement, localization, stability, and timing, as well as nuclear dynamics and chromosome segregation. However, as is the case with other microscopy methods, live-cell imaging is limited by the intrinsic properties of light, which put a limit to the resolution power at high magnifications, and is also sensitive to photobleaching or phototoxicity at high wavelength frequencies. However, with some care, investigators can bypass these physical limitations by carefully choosing the right conditions, strains, and fluorescent markers to allow for the appropriate visualization of mitotic and meiotic events.

Here, we present live-cell imaging which is a non-toxic microscopy method that allows researchers to study protein behavior and nuclear dynamics in living fission yeast cells during mitosis and meiosis.

Esame della dinamica nucleare del lievito di fissione mitotico e meiotico da fluorescenza microscopia a celle vive

Live-cell imaging is a microscopy technique used to examine cell and protein dynamics in living cells. This imaging method is not toxic, generally does ...

Oligomerization Dynamics of Cell Surface Receptors in Living Cells by Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy Combined with Number and Brightness Analysis

Despite the importance and ubiquity of receptor oligomerization, few methods are applicable for detecting clustering events and measuring the degree of clustering. Here, we describe an imaging approach to determine the average oligomeric state of mEGFP-tagged-receptor homocomplexes in the membrane of living cells. The protocol is based on Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy combined with Number and Brightness (N&#38;B) analysis. N&#38;B is a method similar to fluorescence-correlation spectroscopy (FCS) and photon counting histogram (PCH), which are based on the statistical analysis of the fluctuations of the fluorescence intensity of fluorophores diffusing in and out of an illumination volume during an observation time. In particular, N&#38;B is a simplification of PCH to obtain information on the average number of proteins in oligomeric mixtures. The intensity fluctuation amplitudes are described by the molecular brightness of the fluorophore and the average number of fluorophores within the illumination volume. Thus, N&#38;B considers only the first and second moments of the amplitude distribution, namely, the mean intensity and the variance. This is, at the same time, the strength and the weakness of the method. Because only two moments are considered, N&#38;B cannot determine the molar fraction of unknown oligomers in a mixture, but it only estimates the average oligomerization state of the mixture. Nevertheless, it can be applied to relatively small time series (compared to other moment methods) of images of live cells on a pixel-by-pixel basis, simply by monitoring the time fluctuations of the fluorescence intensity. It reduces the effective time-per-pixel to a few microseconds, allowing acquisition in the time range of seconds to milliseconds, which is necessary for fast oligomerization kinetics. Finally, large cell areas as well as sub-cellular compartments can be explored.

We describe an imaging approach for the determination of the average oligomeric state of mEGFP-tagged-receptor oligomers induced by ligand binding in the plasma membrane of living cells. The protocol is based on Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy combined with Number and Brightness (N&#38;B) analysis.

Dinamica di oligomerizzazione dei recettori delle superfici cellulari nelle cellule viventi mediante microscopia a fluorescenza totale di riflessione interna combinata con l'analisi del numero e della luminosità

Despite the importance and ubiquity of receptor oligomerization, few methods are applicable for detecting clustering events and measuring the degree of ...