This work was supported by National Eye Institute Grant R01 EY017724 (VMF) and National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Grant K99 AR066534 (DSG).

Tutte le procedure sugli animali sono stati eseguiti in conformità con le raccomandazioni della Guida per la cura e l&#39;uso di animali da laboratorio dal National Institutes of Health e sotto un protocollo approvato dal Comitato Istituzionale cura e l&#39;uso degli animali al The Scripps Research Institute. 1. Obiettivo dissezione <ol><li> Euthanize topi in base alle raccomandazioni del National Institutes of Health &quot;Guida per la cura e l&#39;uso di animali da laboratorio&quot; e approvati utilizzano protocolli istituzione animali. </li><li> Enucleate l&#39;occhio da topo, utilizzando pinze curve. Premere il tessuto intorno l&#39;occhio con le pinze per portare l&#39;occhio dalla presa di corrente, e quindi cogliere l&#39;occhio dalla presa con le pinze. Trasferire gli occhi di fresco 1x tampone fosfato salino (PBS) nel piatto dissezione. </li><li> Tagliare il nervo ottico più vicino al bulbo oculare possibile. Delicatamente e con attenzione inserire sottili pinzette direttamente nel bulbo oculare attraverso il foro di where il nervo ottico esce dal posteriore. </li><li> fare attenzione un&#39;incisione con le forbici nel bulbo oculare dal posteriore al bordo della cornea. Lenti roditori occupano circa il 30% degli occhi. Fare queste incisioni attentamente, e non inserire le pinzette o forbici troppo in profondità nell&#39;occhio per evitare di danneggiare l&#39;obiettivo. </li><li> Tagliare lungo la giunzione tra la cornea e nella sclera almeno mezzo giro del bulbo oculare. </li><li> Premere delicatamente sulla cornea per rimuovere la lente dall&#39;occhio attraverso l&#39;apertura fatta in passi 1.4 e 1.5. </li><li> Utilizzare pinza sottile punta diritta per rimuovere attentamente qualsiasi detriti di grandi dimensioni che è ancora attaccato alla lente. Visivamente la lente di eventuali danni prima di procedere con le misurazioni di rigidità. </li></ol> 2. Rigidità Misure <ol><li> Pesare almeno 10 vetrini dalla stessa scatola con una bilancia analitica. Trova il peso medio delle lamelle. Per coerenza, utilizzare la stessa confezione di lamelle per tutti gli esperimenti. Pre-bagnatoil coprioggetto e ad angolo retto specchio in 1x PBS a temperatura ambiente per almeno 2 ore prima di avviare esperimenti. </li><li> Riempire la camera di misura (vedi figura 1) con 65 - 75 ml di PBS 1x. La camera di misurazione è stata fatta di plexiglas da un negozio di macchina in-house, e divots nella camera sono state fatte da un trapano a colonna impostato per la profondità desiderata con una punta da trapano appropriata. Lenti rimangono trasparenti in 1x PBS a temperatura ambiente per la durata della prova meccanica. </li></ol><img alt="Figura 1" src="/files/ftp_upload/53986/53986fig1.jpg" /> Figura 1:. Rigidità camera di misura Una fotografia che mostra le dimensioni della camera di misura rigidità misura con una varietà di zolle di diverse profondità e forme. Le zolle rotonde che si trovano a 200 micron o 300 micron di profondità (punte di freccia di colore giallo) sono utilizzati per le misurazioni su lenti del mouse. Divots sono 2 mm di diametro e 13 ~-. 14 mm dal bordo della camera <a href="https://www.jove.com/files/ftp_upload/53986/53986fig1large.jpg" target="_blank">Si prega di cliccare qui per vedere una versione più grande di questa figura.</a> <ol start="3"><li> Posizionare specchio ad angolo nella camera ad una distanza costante dal incavo che verrà utilizzato per tenere la lente. Assicurarsi che lo specchio non si sposta durante l&#39;esperimento. </li><li> Trasferire lenti sezionati per camera di misura con attenzione con una pinza sequestro o pinze curve. </li><li> Prendete una vista dall&#39;alto immagine della lente scaricato da sopra la sua testa. Prendete il mouse foto di lenti a 30X di ingrandimento con illuminazione da dissezione microscopio (in basso) e una sorgente di luce in fibra ottica sui lati destro e sinistro. Impostare l&#39;alimentazione fibra ottica al 80% della massima intensità luminosa. Regolare la potenza di alimentazione sulla base di illuminazione ambientale, preferenze dell&#39;utente e la qualità dell&#39;immagine in base alle esigenze. </li><li> Dai vista laterale immagine della lente a vuoto, che può essere visto attraverso la rispecchio GHT angolo. Se la telecamera non è calibrato, scattare una foto del bordo specchio a fuoco. Il bordo dello specchio è lungo 5 mm, e questa misurazione può successivamente essere utilizzato per determinare il pixel / mm e servire come una barra di scala nelle immagini. </li><li> Posizionare lente nel divot, e confermare che l&#39;obiettivo sia inserito in modo sicuro e dritto in incavo. Scatta una foto della lente prima di caricarla. L&#39;obiettivo deve essere appoggiato nella zolla sulla sua anteriore o polo posteriore. </li><li> Mettere 1 coprioggetto delicatamente sulla lente. Attendere 2 minuti per consentire al creep, e prendere un altro vista laterale immagine della lente caricato. </li><li> Continuare ad aggiungere vetrini come al punto 2.8 e prendendo lato-vista le immagini dopo l&#39;aggiunta di ogni vetrino come al punto 2.8 fino a quando vengono applicati un totale di 10 lamelle. </li><li> Rimuovere tutte le lamelle. Attendere 2 minuti, e prendere una vista laterale immagine della lente (all&#39;interno e all&#39;esterno del divot) dopo aver rimosso tutte le lamelle. </li></ol> Misurazione 3. Obiettivo Nucleus <ol><li> per determine la dimensione nucleo della lente, spostare l&#39;obiettivo di un piatto pulito Petri riempita con PBS 1x. </li><li> decapsulate delicatamente la lente con pinza sottile diritte. </li><li> Spogliarci di cellule corticali fibra facendo rotolare la lente tra le dita guantate. Il nucleo della lente rimanente si sentirà come un marmo duro. Utilizzare questa procedura per isolare il nucleo sulle lenti per adulti a partire da 1 mese di età. Poiché il nucleo isolato è un corpo rigido, ulteriori prove meccaniche del nucleo lente non può essere eseguita utilizzando il metodo descritto. </li><li> Lavare delicatamente il nucleo della lente in 1x PBS nella scatola di Petri. </li><li> Posizionare il nucleo obiettivo posteriore nella camera di misura (non nel divot), e prendere una immagine del nucleo lente attraverso lo specchio ad angolo retto. </li></ol><img alt="figura 2" src="/files/ftp_upload/53986/53986fig2.jpg" /> Figura 2:. A Lenti mouse compresso dal Coprioggetto (A) Schema e (B) fotografia della exl&#39;installazione sperimentale che mostra un 2 mesi lente del mouse in una zolla di 200 micron di profondità nella camera di misura piena di PBS 1x. Uno specchio angolo retto e una fotocamera digitale montata su un microscopio dissezione stati usati per raccogliere le immagini della lente durante la compressione da coprioggetto. (C) Foto di viste sagittali di 2 mesi lente wild-type compressa in successione un numero crescente di vetrini fornito i dati grezzi per misurare i diametri assiali ed equatoriali e calcolando ceppi assiali ed equatoriali durante i test di compressione vetrino-based. Una riflessione della lente a volte può essere visto in i coprioggetti (più chiaramente visibile l&#39;immagine del 1 vetrino in). Quando si effettuano misurazioni, ignorare il riflesso e misurare all&#39;apice della lente. (D) Foto di vista sagittale del 2 mesi lente wild-type post-compressione e il nucleo della lente isolato. L&#39;obiettivo post-compressione e nuclei isolati sono seduti al di fuori della incavo. Barre di scala, 1 mm. Questa cifra viene modificato da Gokhin, et al. PLoS ONE 2012 19. <a href="https://www.jove.com/files/ftp_upload/53986/53986fig2large.jpg" target="_blank">Cliccate qui per vedere una versione più grande di questa figura.</a> Analisi 4. Immagine <ol><li> Misurare i diametri equatoriale e assiali delle lenti prima del carico e dopo ogni fase di carico utilizzando ImageJ o software simili. Misurare il diametro di ogni nucleo lente. Il nucleo della lente è quasi sferica così una misura in qualsiasi orientamento sarà sufficiente 19,21. </li><li> Correggere la lente assiale diametri aggiungendo la profondità incavo utilizzato. Nella camera di misura, incavo oscurata 200 micron (lenti 2 mesi di età topo) o 300 micron (lenti 4 mesi di età e 8 mesi di età mouse) dello spessore assiale della lente. </li><li> Calcolare il assiale e ceppi equatoriali dalle misurazioni del diametro della lente utilizzando l&#39;equazione, ε = (d - d 0) / d 0, dove ε è la deformazione, d è la assiale o ediametro Quatorial a un determinato carico, e d 0 è il diametro assiale o equatoriale corrispondente al carico nullo. </li><li> Tracciare assiale e ceppi equatoriali come funzioni del carico imposto (in mg). </li><li> Tracciare assiale, equatoriale e diametri nucleari. Calcolare e tracciare le proporzioni obiettivo dividendo il diametro assiale dal diametro equatoriale. </li><li> Calcolare e tracciare il volume della lente utilizzando l&#39;equazione, volume = 4/3 × π × R e 2 × R A, dove r è il raggio E e R equatoriale A è il raggio assiale misurata dalla foto scattata nella fase 2.6. Questa equazione presuppone la lente è uno sferoide oblato (ellissoide) 1,22. </li><li> Calcolare e tracciare il volume nucleare utilizzando l&#39;equazione, volume = 4/3 × π × r N 3, dove r N è il raggio del nucleo cristallino come misurata dalla foto scattata al passo 3.5. Questa equazione assume il I nucleo della lentesa sfera 19,21. </li><li> Calcolare e tracciare la frazione nucleare come il rapporto tra il volume nucleare per il volume obiettivo. </li></ol>

<ol>
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Gli autori non hanno nulla da rivelare.

Ci sono diverse considerazioni importanti quando si utilizza questo metodo per misurare la rigidità della lente. Innanzitutto, i coprioggetti sono applicati alla lente con un angolo leggermente obliqua (8 - 8,5 °) rispetto al fondo della camera (θ). Questo si applica una piccola componente del carico equatoriale piuttosto che assialmente. Tuttavia, questo carico equatoriale è considerata trascurabile, perché il peccato θ ≈ 0.1 19. Se questo metodo è adattato per lenti più grandi, l&#39;angolo delle ...

The lens is a transparent and avascular organ in the anterior chamber of the eye that is responsible for fine focusing of light onto the retina. A clear basement membrane, called the lens capsule, surrounds a bulk of elongated fiber cells covered by an anterior monolayer of epithelial cells1,2. Life-long growth of the lens depends on the continuous proliferation and differentiation of epithelial cells at the lens equator into new fiber cells that are added onto previous generations of fiber cells in a concentric manner2. Over time, lens fiber cells undergo compaction, resulting in a rigid center in the middle of the lens called the nucleus1. Accommodation, defined as a dioptric change in the optical power of the eye, occurs in humans when the ciliary muscles contract to deform the lens and allow a true increase in optical power to focus on near objects3-5. In the unaccommodated eye, the lens is held in a relatively flattened state due to tension from zonular fibers. When the ciliary muscles contract, the tension on the lens is released, leading to decreased lens equatorial diameter and increased axial thickness. Age-related changes in the lens cause presbyopia, a progressive loss of lens accommodation, which leads to the need for reading glasses. 
Several studies have linked presbyopia to age-related increase in the intrinsic stiffness of the lens6-11. Stiffness is defined as the resistance of an elastic object to deform under applied load. A variety of methods have been used to examine stiffness of human lenses, including spin compression12-14, actuator compression15, probe indentation16, dynamic mechanical analysis 6,10 and bubble-based acoustic radiation force17. While mouse lenses do not accommodate or develop presbyopia, mouse models for lens pathologies are valuable tools because mice are less expensive than larger animals, well characterized genetically and undergo accelerated age-related changes due to rapid aging. A handful of studies have examined mouse lens stiffness with compression methods and demonstrated changes in lens stiffness due to aging or targeted genetic disruptions18-21. Thus, mouse lenses are good models for studying age-related changes in lens stiffness. 
This protocol describes a simple and inexpensive, yet precise and reproducible, compression method for determining mouse lens stiffness based on application of glass coverslips onto the lens in conjunction with photographing the lens through a dissection microscope and mirror. This method yields robust strain and morphometric data with an easily fabricated and assembled apparatus. The representative results confirm that mouse lenses increase in stiffness with age.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="811">
	<tbody>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:361px;">Fine tip straight forceps</td>
			<td style="width:139px;">Fine Scientific Tools</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">11252-40</td>
			<td style="width:193px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Microdissection scissors, straight edge</td>
			<td style="width:139px;">Fine Scientific Tools</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">15000-00</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Curved forceps</td>
			<td style="width:139px;">Fine Scientific Tools</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">11272-40</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Seizing forceps</td>
			<td style="width:139px;">Hammacher</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">HSC 702-93</td>
			<td>Optional</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Dissection dish</td>
			<td style="width:139px;">Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">12565154</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">60mm petri dish</td>
			<td style="width:139px;">Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">0875713A</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">1X phosphate buffered saline (PBS)</td>
			<td style="width:139px;">Life Technologies</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">14190</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">18mm x 18mm glass coverslips</td>
			<td style="width:139px;">Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">12-542A</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Measurement chamber with divots to hold lenses</td>
			<td style="width:139px;"></td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td>Custom-made (see Figure 1)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Right-angle mirror</td>
			<td style="width:139px;">Edmund Optics</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">45-591</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Light source</td>
			<td style="width:139px;">Schott/Fostec</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">8375</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Illuminated dissecting microscope</td>
			<td style="width:139px;">Olympus</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">SZX-ILLD100</td>
			<td>With SZ-PT phototube</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Digital camera</td>
			<td style="width:139px;">Nikon</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">Coolpix 990</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

sequential application of glass coverslips to assess the compressive stiffness of the mouse lens: strain and morphometric analyses

La lente occhio è un organo trasparente che rifrange e si concentra la luce per formare una chiara immagine sulla retina. Negli esseri umani, contratto di muscoli ciliari deformare la lente, portando ad un aumento della potenza ottica della lente di concentrarsi su oggetti vicini, un processo noto come alloggio. Cambiamenti legati all&#39;età in rigidità lente sono stati collegati a presbiopia, una riduzione nella lente &#39;possibilità di ospitare, e, per estensione, la necessità di occhiali da lettura. Anche se le lenti del mouse non ospitare o sviluppare presbiopia, modelli di mouse in grado di fornire uno strumento genetico prezioso per patologie lenti comprensione, e l&#39;invecchiamento accelerato osservato nei topi permette lo studio dei cambiamenti legati all&#39;età nella lente. Questo protocollo dimostra un metodo semplice, preciso e conveniente per determinare la rigidità della lente del mouse, utilizzando vetrini da applicare in sequenza crescente carichi di compressione sulla lente. Dati rappresentativi confermano che le lenti del mouse diventano più rigidi con l&#39;età, comelenti umani. Questo metodo è altamente riproducibile e può potenzialmente essere scalata fino a meccanicamente le lenti di prova da animali più grandi.

La rigidità e dimensioni di 2, 4 e 8 mesi di età lenti di topo sono stati misurati. I topi sono stati tutti gli animali wild-type su un puro C57BL6 ceppo sfondo ottenuto dal Fondo Allevamento TSRI degli animali, e ogni obiettivo è stato caricato con da 1 a 10 lamelle. I ceppi assiali ed equatoriali sono stati calcolati in funzione del carico applicato misurando assiale e diametri equatoriale della lente dopo l&#39;aggiunta di ciascun vetrino, quindi normalizzare ogni variazione di dia...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Sequential Application of Glass Coverslips to Assess the Compressive Stiffness of the Mouse Lens: Strain and Morphometric Analyses at JoVE.com

Sequential Application of Glass Coverslips to Assess the Compressive Stiffness of the Mouse Lens: Strain and Morphometric Analyses

Sequenziale Applicazione di vetrini di vetro per valutare la compressione Rigidità della lente Mouse: Strain e morfometriche analisi

Age-related increases in eye lens stiffness are linked to presbyopia. This protocol describes a simple, cost-effective method for measuring mouse lens stiffness. Mouse lenses, like human lenses, become stiffer with age. This method is precise and can be adapted for lenses from larger animals.

The eye lens is a transparent organ that refracts and focuses light to form a clear image on the retina. In humans, ciliary muscles contract to deform the ...

sequential-application-glass-coverslips-to-assess-compressive

Research

JoVE Journal

Biology

7.2K Views.  The Scripps Research Institute. Age-related increases in eye lens stiffness are linked to presbyopia. This protocol describes a simple, cost-effective method for measuring mouse lens stiffness. Mouse lenses, like human lenses, become stiffer with age. This method is precise and can be adapted for lenses from larger animals.

Video: Sequential Application of Glass Coverslips to Assess the Compressive Stiffness of the Mouse Lens: Strain and Morphometric Analyses

Lens Transplantation in Zebrafish and its Application in the Analysis of Eye Mutants

The lens plays an important role in the development of the optic cup[1,2]. Using the zebrafish as a model organism, questions regarding lens development can be addressed. The zebrafish is useful for genetic studies due to several advantageous characteristics, including small size, high fecundity, short lifecycle, and ease of care. Lens development occurs rapidly in zebrafish. By 72 hpf, the zebrafish lens is functionally mature [3]. Abundant genetic and molecular resources are available to support research in zebrafish. In addition, the similarity of the zebrafish eye to those of other vertebrates provides basis for its use as an excellent animal model of human defects[4-7]. Several zebrafish mutants exhibit lens abnormalities, including high levels of cell death, which in some cases leads to a complete degeneration of lens tissues [8]. To determine whether lens abnormalities are due to intrinsic causes or to defective interactions with the surrounding tissues, transplantation of a mutant lens into a wild-type eye is performed. Using fire-polished metal needles, mutant or wild-type lenses are carefully dissected from the donor animal, and transferred into the host. To distinguish wild-type and mutant tissues, a transgenic line is used as the donor. This line expresses membrane-bound GFP in all tissues, including the lens. This transplantation technique is an essential tool in the studies of zebrafish lens mutants.

Lens development involves interactions with other tissues. Several zebrafish eye mutants are characterized by an abnormally small lens size. Here we demonstrate a lens transplantation experiment to determine whether this phenotype is due to intrinsic causes or defective interactions with tissues that surround the lens.

Lens trapianto in Zebrafish e la sua applicazione nell&#39;analisi dei Mutanti Eye

The lens plays an important role in the development of the optic cup[1,2]. Using the zebrafish as a model organism, questions regarding lens development ...

Ricerca

Biologia

Purification of the M. magneticum Strain AMB-1 Magnetosome Associated Protein MamA&Delta;41

Magnetotactic bacteria comprise a diverse group of aquatic microorganisms that are able to orientate themselves along geomagnetic fields. This behavior is believed to aid their search for suitable environments (1). This capability is conferred by the magnetosome, a subcellular organelle that consists of a linear-chain assembly of lipid vesicles each able to biomineralize and enclose a ~50-nm crystal of magnetite or greigite. A principle component of the magnetosome that was shown to be required for the formation of functional vesicles is MamA. MamA is a highly abundant magnetosome-associated protein which is one of the most characterized magnetosome-associated proteins in vivo (2-6). This article focuses on the purification of MamA, which despite being studied in vivo, no clear functional or structural details have been identified for it. Bioinformatics analysis suggested that MamA is a tetra-tricopeptide repeat (TPR) containing protein. TPR is a structural motif found as such or forming part of a bigger fold in a wide range of proteins, it serves as a template for protein-protein interactions and mediates multi-protein complexes (7). TPRs are involved in many crucial tasks in eukaryotic cell organelle processes and many bacterial pathways (8-14). In order to understand MamA, a unique TPR containing protein, highly purified protein is required as a first step. In this article, we present the purification protocol for a stable MamA deletion mutant (MamA&Delta;41) from M. magneticum AMB-1.

MamA is a unique Magnetosome associated protein which was shown to be involved in magnetosome activation. Here we present the purification protocol of MamA deletion mutant (MamA&Delta;41) from M. magneticum AMB-1.

Purificazione della M. magneticum Strain AMB-1 proteina Magnetosome Associated MamAΔ41

Magnetotactic bacteria comprise a diverse group of aquatic microorganisms that are able to orientate themselves along geomagnetic fields. This behavior is ...

Evisceration of Mouse Vitreous and Retina for Proteomic Analyses

While the mouse retina has emerged as an important genetic model for inherited retinal disease, the mouse vitreous remains to be explored. The vitreous is a highly aqueous extracellular matrix overlying the retina where intraocular as well as extraocular proteins accumulate during disease.1-3 Abnormal interactions between vitreous and retina underlie several diseases such as retinal detachment, proliferative diabetic retinopathy, uveitis, and proliferative vitreoretinopathy.1,4 The relative mouse vitreous volume is significantly smaller than the human vitreous (Figure 1), since the mouse lens occupies nearly 75% of its eye.5 This has made biochemical studies of mouse vitreous challenging. In this video article, we present a technique to dissect and isolate the mouse vitreous from the retina, which will allow use of transgenic mouse models to more clearly define the role of this extracellular matrix in the development of vitreoretinal diseases.

The dissection technique illustrates evisceration of the vitreous, retina, and lens from the mouse eye, separation by centrifugation, and characterization with protein assays.

Eviscerazione delle Vitreous Mouse e Retina per analisi proteomica

While the mouse retina has emerged as an important genetic model for inherited retinal disease, the mouse vitreous remains to be explored. The vitreous is ...

Biophysical Assays to Probe the Mechanical Properties of the Interphase Cell Nucleus: Substrate Strain Application and Microneedle Manipulation

In most eukaryotic cells, the nucleus is the largest organelle and is typically 2 to 10 times stiffer than the surrounding cytoskeleton; consequently, the physical properties of the nucleus contribute significantly to the overall biomechanical behavior of cells under physiological and pathological conditions. For example, in migrating neutrophils and invading cancer cells, nuclear stiffness can pose a major obstacle during extravasation or passage through narrow spaces within tissues.1 On the other hand, the nucleus of cells in mechanically active tissue such as muscle requires sufficient structural support to withstand repetitive mechanical stress. Importantly, the nucleus is tightly integrated into the cellular architecture; it is physically connected to the surrounding cytoskeleton, which is a critical requirement for the intracellular movement and positioning of the nucleus, for example, in polarized cells, synaptic nuclei at neuromuscular junctions, or in migrating cells.2 Not surprisingly, mutations in nuclear envelope proteins such as lamins and nesprins, which play a critical role in determining nuclear stiffness and nucleo-cytoskeletal coupling, have been shown recently to result in a number of human diseases, including Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy, limb-girdle muscular dystrophy, and dilated cardiomyopathy.3 To investigate the biophysical function of diverse nuclear envelope proteins and the effect of specific mutations, we have developed experimental methods to study the physical properties of the nucleus in single, living cells subjected to global or localized mechanical perturbation. Measuring induced nuclear deformations in response to precisely applied substrate strain application yields important information on the deformability of the nucleus and allows quantitative comparison between different mutations or cell lines deficient for specific nuclear envelope proteins. Localized cytoskeletal strain application with a microneedle is used to complement this assay and can yield additional information on intracellular force transmission between the nucleus and the cytoskeleton. Studying nuclear mechanics in intact living cells preserves the normal intracellular architecture and avoids potential artifacts that can arise when working with isolated nuclei. Furthermore, substrate strain application presents a good model for the physiological stress experienced by cells in muscle or other tissues (e.g., vascular smooth muscle cells exposed to vessel strain). Lastly, while these tools have been developed primarily to study nuclear mechanics, they can also be applied to investigate the function of cytoskeletal proteins and mechanotransduction signaling.

We present two independent, microscope-based tools to measure the induced nuclear and cytoskeletal deformations in single, living adherent cells in response to global or localized strain application. These techniques are used to determine nuclear stiffness (i.e., deformability) and to probe intracellular force transmission between the nucleus and the cytoskeleton.

Saggi biofisici per sondare le proprietà meccaniche del nucleo della cellula Interphase: Strain supporto Applicazione e manipolazione microago

In most eukaryotic cells, the nucleus is the largest organelle and is typically 2 to 10 times stiffer than the surrounding cytoskeleton; consequently, the ...

Generation of Mice Derived from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

The production of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from somatic cells provides a means to create valuable tools for basic research and may also produce a source of patient-matched cells for regenerative therapies. iPSCs may be generated using multiple protocols and derived from multiple cell sources. Once generated, iPSCs are tested using a variety of assays including immunostaining for pluripotency markers, generation of three germ layers in embryoid bodies and teratomas, comparisons of gene expression with embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and production of chimeric mice with or without germline contribution2. Importantly, iPSC lines that pass these tests still vary in their capacity to produce different differentiated cell types2. This has made it difficult to establish which iPSC derivation protocols, donor cell sources or selection methods are most useful for different applications.
The most stringent test of whether a stem cell line has sufficient developmental potential to generate all tissues required for survival of an organism (termed full pluripotency) is tetraploid embryo complementation (TEC)3-5. Technically, TEC involves electrofusion of two-cell embryos to generate tetraploid (4n) one-cell embryos that can be cultured in vitro to the blastocyst stage6. Diploid (2n) pluripotent stem cells (e.g. ESCs or iPSCs) are then injected into the blastocoel cavity of the tetraploid blastocyst and transferred to a recipient female for gestation (see Figure 1). The tetraploid component of the complemented embryo contributes almost exclusively to the extraembryonic tissues (placenta, yolk sac), whereas the diploid cells constitute the embryo proper, resulting in a fetus derived entirely from the injected stem cell line.
Recently, we reported the derivation of iPSC lines that reproducibly generate adult mice via TEC1. These iPSC lines give rise to viable pups with efficiencies of 5-13%, which is comparable to ESCs3,4,7 and higher than that reported for most other iPSC lines8-12. These reports show that direct reprogramming can produce fully pluripotent iPSCs that match ESCs in their developmental potential and efficiency of generating pups in TEC tests. At present, it is not clear what distinguishes between fully pluripotent iPSCs and less potent lines13-15. Nor is it clear which reprogramming methods will produce these lines with the highest efficiency. Here we describe one method that produces fully pluripotent iPSCs and "all- iPSC" mice, which may be helpful for investigators wishing to compare the pluripotency of iPSC lines or establish the equivalence of different reprogramming methods.

Generating induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines produces lines of differing developmental potential even when they pass standard tests for pluripotency. Here we describe a protocol to produce mice derived entirely from iPSCs, which defines the iPSC lines as possessing full pluripotency1.

Generazione di topi derivati ​​da cellule staminali pluripotenti indotte

The production of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from somatic cells provides a means to create valuable tools for basic research and may also ...

Gap Junctional Intercellular Communication: A Functional Biomarker to Assess Adverse Effects of Toxicants and Toxins, and Health Benefits of Natural Products

This protocol describes a scalpel loading-fluorescent dye transfer (SL-DT) technique that measures intercellular communication through gap junction channels, which is a major intercellular process by which tissue homeostasis is maintained. Interruption of gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) by toxicants, toxins, drugs, etc. has been linked to numerous adverse health effects. Many genetic-based human diseases have been linked to mutations in gap junction genes. The SL-DT technique is a simple functional assay for the simultaneous assessment of GJIC in a large population of cells. The assay involves pre-loading cells with a fluorescent dye by briefly perturbing the cell membrane with a scalpel blade through a population of cells. The fluorescent dye is then allowed to traverse through gap junction channels to neighboring cells for a designated time. The assay is then terminated by the addition of formalin to the cells. The spread of the fluorescent dye through a population of cells is assessed with an epifluorescence microscope and the images are analyzed with any number of morphometric software packages that are available, including free software packages found on the public domain. This assay has also been adapted for in vivo studies using tissue slices from various organs from treated animals. Overall, the SL-DT assay can serve a broad range of in vitro pharmacological and toxicological needs, and can be potentially adapted for high throughput set-up systems with automated fluorescence microscopy imaging and analysis to elucidate more samples in a shorter time.

This protocol describes a scalpel loading-fluorescent dye transfer technique that measures intercellular communication through gap junction channels. Gap junctional intercellular communication is a major cellular process by which tissue homeostasis is maintained and disruption of this cell signaling has adverse health effects.

Spazi di giunzione intercellulare di comunicazione: un biomarker funzionale per valutare gli effetti avversi dei tossici e tossine, e benefici per la salute di prodotti naturali

This protocol describes a scalpel loading-fluorescent dye transfer (SL-DT) technique that measures intercellular communication through gap junction ...

Measuring the Stiffness of Ex Vivo Mouse Aortas Using Atomic Force Microscopy

Arterial stiffening is a significant risk factor and biomarker for cardiovascular disease and a hallmark of aging. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a versatile analytical tool for characterizing viscoelastic mechanical properties for a variety of materials ranging from hard (plastic, glass, metal, etc.) surfaces to cells on any substrate. It has been widely used to measure the stiffness of cells, but less frequently used to measure the stiffness of aortas. In this paper, we will describe the procedures for using AFM in contact mode to measure the ex vivo elastic modulus of unloaded mouse arteries. We describe our procedure for isolation of mouse aortas, and then provide detailed information for the AFM analysis. This includes step-by-step instructions for alignment of the laser beam, calibration of the spring constant and deflection sensitivity of the AFM probe, and acquisition of force curves. We also provide a detailed protocol for data analysis of the force curves.

Measuring the Stiffness of Ex Vivo Mouse Aortas Using Atomic Force Microscopy

We present detailed protocols for isolation of aortas from mouse and measurement of their elastic modulus using atomic force microscopy.

Misurare la rigidità<em&gt; Ex Vivo</em&gt; Mouse aorte Utilizzando microscopia a forza atomica

Arterial stiffening is a significant risk factor and biomarker for cardiovascular disease and a hallmark of aging. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a ...

A Morphometric and Cellular Analysis Method for the Murine Mandibular Condyle

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) has the capacity to adapt to external stimuli, and loading changes can affect the position of condyles, as well as the structural and cellular components of the mandibular condylar cartilage (MCC). This manuscript describes methods for analyzing these changes and a method for altering the loading of the TMJ in mice (i.e., compressive static TMJ loading). The structural evaluation illustrated here is a simple morphometric approach that uses the Digimizer software and is performed in radiographs of small bones. In addition, the analysis of cellular changes leading to alterations in collagen expression, bone remodeling, cell division, and proteoglycan distribution in the MCC is described. The quantification of these changes in histological sections - by counting the positive fluorescent pixels using image software and measuring the distance mapping and stained area with Digimizer - is also demonstrated. The methods shown here are not limited to the murine TMJ, but could be used on additional bones of small experimental animals and in other regions of endochondral ossification.

This manuscript presents methods for analyzing morphometric and cellular changes within the mandibular condyle of rodents.

Un metodo di analisi cellulare per condilo mandibolare murino e morfometrica

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) has the capacity to adapt to external stimuli, and loading changes can affect the position of condyles, as well as the ...

Lens-free Video Microscopy for the Dynamic and Quantitative Analysis of Adherent Cell Culture

Here, we demonstrate that lens-free video microscopy enables us to simultaneously capture the kinetics of thousands of cells directly inside the incubator and that it is possible to monitor and quantify single cells along several cell cycles. We describe the full protocol used to monitor and quantify a HeLa cell culture for 2.7 days. First, cell culture acquisition is performed with a lens-free video microscope, and then the data is analyzed following a four-step process: multi-wavelength holographic reconstruction, cell-tracking, cell segmentation and cell division detection algorithms. As a result, we show that it is possible to gather a dataset featuring more than 10,000 cell cycle tracks and more than 2 x 106 cell morphological measurements.

Lens-free video microscopy enables us to monitor cell cultures directly inside the incubator. Here we describe the full protocol used to acquire and analyze a 2.7 day long acquisition of cultured HeLa cells, leading to a dataset of 2.2 x 106 measurements of individual cell morphology and 10584 cell cycle tracks.

Lente-free Video microscopia per la dinamica e analisi quantitativa della coltura delle cellule aderenti

Here, we demonstrate that lens-free video microscopy enables us to simultaneously capture the kinetics of thousands of cells directly inside the incubator ...

Application of Electrophysiology Measurement to Study the Activity of Electro-Neutral Transporters

The transport of ions through cell membranes ensures the fine control of ion content within and outside the cell that is indispensable for cell survival. These transport mechanisms are mediated by the activities of specialized transporter proteins. Specifically,pH dynamics are finely controlled by plasma membrane proton (H+) extrusion systems, such as the Na+/H+ exchanger (NHE) protein family. Despite extensive efforts to study the mechanisms underlying NHE regulation, our current understanding of the biophysical and molecular properties of the NHE family is inadequate because of the limited availability of methods to effectively measure NHE activity. In this manuscript, we used H+-selective electrodes during whole-cell patch clamping recording to measure NHE-induced H+ flux. We proposed this approach to overcome some limitations of typically used methods to measure NHE activity, such as radioactive uptake and fluorescent membrane permeants. Measurement of NHE activity using the described method enables high sensitivity and time resolution and more efficient control of intracellular H+ concentrations. H+-selective electrodes are based on the fact that transporter activity creates an ion gradient in close proximity to the cell membrane. An H+-selective electrode moving up to and away from the cell membrane in a repetitive, oscillatory fashion records a voltage difference that is dependent on H+ flux. While H+-selective electrodes are used to detect H+ flux moving out of the cell, the patch clamp method in the whole-cell configuration is used to control the intracellular ion composition. Moreover, application of the giant patch clamp technique allows modification of the intracellular composition of not only ions but also lipids. The transporter activity of NHE isoform 3 (NHE3) was measured using this technical approach to study the molecular basis of NHE3 regulation by phosphoinositides.

This manuscript describes the applications of proton-selective electrodes and patch clamping methods to measure the activity of proton transport systems. These methods overcome some limitations of techniques commonly used to study proton transport activity, such as moderate sensitivity, time resolution and insufficient intracellular milieu control.

Applicazione di misura di elettrofisiologia di studiare l'attività dei trasportatori di Electro-neutro

The transport of ions through cell membranes ensures the fine control of ion content within and outside the cell that is indispensable for cell survival. ...

Sequenziale Applicazione di vetrini di vetro per valutare la compressione Rigidità della lente Mouse: Strain e morfometriche analisi

Riepilogo

Esplora Altri Video

Capitoli in questo video

Lens trapianto in Zebrafish e la sua applicazione nell'analisi dei Mutanti Eye

Purificazione della M. magneticum Strain AMB-1 proteina Magnetosome Associated MamAΔ41

Eviscerazione delle Vitreous Mouse e Retina per analisi proteomica

Saggi biofisici per sondare le proprietà meccaniche del nucleo della cellula Interphase: Strain supporto Applicazione e manipolazione microago

Generazione di topi derivati da cellule staminali pluripotenti indotte

Spazi di giunzione intercellulare di comunicazione: un biomarker funzionale per valutare gli effetti avversi dei tossici e tossine, e benefici per la salute di prodotti naturali

Misurare la rigidità

Un metodo di analisi cellulare per condilo mandibolare murino e morfometrica

Lente-free Video microscopia per la dinamica e analisi quantitativa della coltura delle cellule aderenti

Applicazione di misura di elettrofisiologia di studiare l'attività dei trasportatori di Electro-neutro

Sequenziale Applicazione di vetrini di vetro per valutare la compressione Rigidità della lente Mouse: Strain e morfometriche analisi

Riepilogo

Esplora Altri Video

Capitoli in questo video

Lens trapianto in Zebrafish e la sua applicazione nell'analisi dei Mutanti Eye

Purificazione della M. magneticum Strain AMB-1 proteina Magnetosome Associated MamAΔ41

Eviscerazione delle Vitreous Mouse e Retina per analisi proteomica

Saggi biofisici per sondare le proprietà meccaniche del nucleo della cellula Interphase: Strain supporto Applicazione e manipolazione microago

Generazione di topi derivati ​​da cellule staminali pluripotenti indotte

Spazi di giunzione intercellulare di comunicazione: un biomarker funzionale per valutare gli effetti avversi dei tossici e tossine, e benefici per la salute di prodotti naturali

Misurare la rigidità

Un metodo di analisi cellulare per condilo mandibolare murino e morfometrica

Lente-free Video microscopia per la dinamica e analisi quantitativa della coltura delle cellule aderenti

Applicazione di misura di elettrofisiologia di studiare l'attività dei trasportatori di Electro-neutro

Generazione di topi derivati da cellule staminali pluripotenti indotte