Name: three-dimensional culture of murine colonic crypts to study intestinal stem cell function ex vivo
Uploaded: 2022-10-11T14:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Three-Dimensional Culture of Murine Colonic Crypts to Study Intestinal Stem Cell Function Ex Vivo at JoVE.com

This study was funded by NIH DK103166.

All animal experiments and procedures were approved by the East Carolina University (ECU) Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) and conducted in compliance with guidelines from the National Institutes of Health and ECU on laboratory animal care and use. Inducible, intestinal-specific claudin-7 knockout mice were generated by crossing C57BL6 claudin-7-flox transgenic mice with Villin-CreERT2 mice19. Male and female mice aged 3 months were used in this study.
1. Rea...

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(80), e50611 (2013).</li><li>Sugimoto, K., 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=Cell+adhesion+signals+regulate+the+nuclear+receptor+activity.">Cell adhesion signals regulate the nuclear receptor activity.</a> Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 116 (49), 24600-24609 (2019).</li><li>Mansour, 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=Connexin+30+expression+and+frewuency+of+connexin+heterogeneity+in+astrocyte+gap+junction+plaques+increase+with+age+in+the+rat+retina.">Connexin 30 expression and frewuency of connexin heterogeneity in astrocyte gap junction plaques increase with age in the rat retina.</a> PLoS One. 8 (3), 57038 (2013).</li><li>Miranda, M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Antioxidants+rescue+photoreceptors+in+rd1+mice:+relationship+with+thiol+metabolism.">Antioxidants rescue photoreceptors in rd1 mice: relationship with thiol metabolism.</a> Free Radical Biology and Medicine. 48 (2), 216-222 (2010).</li><li>Wang, L., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Mesenchymal+stromal+cells+ameliorate+oxidative+stress-induced+islet+endothelium+apoptosis+and+functional+impairment+via+Wnt4-&#946;-catenin+signaling.">Mesenchymal stromal cells ameliorate oxidative stress-induced islet endothelium apoptosis and functional impairment via Wnt4-&#946;-catenin signaling.</a> Stem Cell Research and Therapy. 8 (1), 188 (2017).</li><li>Almeqdadi, M., Mana, M., Roper, J., Yilmaz, O. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Gut+organoids:+mini-tissues+in+culture+to+study+intestinal+physiology+and+disease.">Gut organoids: mini-tissues in culture to study intestinal physiology and disease.</a> American Journal of Physiology-Cell Physiology. 317 (3), 405-419 (2019).</li></ol>

Organoid culture is an excellent model for studying stem cell function, intestinal physiology, drug discovery, human intestinal diseases, and tissue regeneration and repair7,8,9,10,11,26. While it has many advantages, it can be challenging to establish. Care must be taken in all steps throughout the protocol, but most importa...

Intestinal organoid culture is a three-dimensional (3D) ex vivo system in which stem cells are isolated from the intestinal crypts of primary tissue and plated into a gel matrix1,2. These stem cells are capable of self-renewal, self-organization, and organ functionality2. Organoids mimic the tissue microenvironment and are more similar to in vivo models than two-dimensional (2D) in vitro cell culture models, although less manipulatable than cells3,4. This model eliminates obstacles encountered in 2D models, such as a lack of proper cell-cell adhesions, cell-matrix interactions, and homogenous populations, and also reduces the limitations of animal models, including high costs and lengthy periods of time5. Intestinal organoids-also referred to as colonoids for those grown from colonic crypt-derived stem cells-are essentially mini-organs that contain an epithelium including all cell types that would be present in vivo, as well as a lumen. This model allows manipulation of the system to study many aspects of the intestine, such as the stem cell niche, intestinal physiology, pathophysiology, and gut morphogenesis3,5,6. It also provides a great model for drug discovery, studying human intestinal disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal cancer, patient-specific personalized treatment development, and studying tissue regeneration4,7,8,9. In addition, the organoid system can also be used to study cellular communication, drug metabolism, viability, proliferation, and response to stimuli7,8. While animal models may be used to test potential therapeutics for intestinal pathologic conditions, they are quite limited, as studying multiple drugs at once poses a challenge. There are more confounding variables in vivo, and associated cost and time are high and long, respectively. On the other hand, the organoid culture system allows for the screening of many therapeutics at once in a shorter time period and also allows for personalized treatment through the use of patient-derived organoid culture4,8. The ability of colonic organoids to mimic tissue organization, microenvironment, and functionality also makes them an excellent model for studying regeneration and tissue repair9. Our lab has established a small intestine organoid culture system to study the effect of claudin-7 on small intestine stem cell functions10. In this study, a large intestinal organoid culture system is established to study stem cells&#39; ability, or lack of ability, to self-renew, differentiate, and proliferate in a conditional claudin-7 knockout (cKO) model.
Claudin-7 is a very important tight junction (TJ) protein that is highly expressed in the intestine and is essential for maintaining TJ function and integrity11. cKO mice suffer from an IBD-like phenotype, exhibiting severe inflammation, ulcerations, epithelial cell sloughing, adenomas, and increased cytokine levels11,12. While it is widely accepted that claudins are vital for epithelial barrier function, new roles for claudins are emerging; they are involved in proliferation, migration, cancer progression, and stem cell function10,12,13,14,15,16,17. It is currently unknown how claudin-7 impacts the stem cell niche and function of colonic stem cells. As the intestine rapidly self-renews approximately every 5-7 days, maintenance of the stem cell niche and proper functioning of the active stem cells is vital18. Here, a system is established to examine the potential regulatory effects of claudin-7 on the colonic stem cell niche.

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		<tr>
			<td>0.09 cubic feet space-saver vacuum desiccator&#160;</td>
			<td>United States Plastic Corp</td>
			<td>78564</td>
			<td>anesthesia chamber</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>0.5 M EDTA pH 8.0</td>
			<td>Invitrogen</td>
			<td>AM9261</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>1.5 mL microcentrifuge tubes</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher</td>
			<td>69715</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>15 mL conical centrifuge tubes</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>14-959-53A</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>1x Dulbecco&#8217;s Phosphate buffered saline</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>14190-144</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2-methylbutane</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>277258</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>4% paraformaldehyde</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher</td>
			<td>J61899.AK</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>4-hydroxytamoxifen (4OH-TAM)</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>579002</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>50 mL conical centrifuge tubes</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>14-432-22</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>70 &#181;m nylon cell strainer</td>
			<td>Corning</td>
			<td>352350</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>96 well culture plate</td>
			<td>Greiner Bio-One</td>
			<td>655180</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>B-27 Supplement (50x)</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>12587-010</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Bovine serum albumin</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>BP1605-100</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Claudin-7 anti-murine rabbit antibody</td>
			<td>Immuno-Biological Laboratories&#160;</td>
			<td>18875</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cover glass (24 x 50-1.5)</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>12544E</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cryomolds</td>
			<td>vwr</td>
			<td>25608-916</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cultrex RCF BME, Type 2</td>
			<td>R&#38;D Systems</td>
			<td>3533-005-02</td>
			<td>gel matrix</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cy3 anti-rabbit antibody</td>
			<td>Jackson Immunoresearch</td>
			<td>111-165-003</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Dewar Flask</td>
			<td>Thomas Scientific</td>
			<td>1173F61</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>DMEM High Glucose with L-Glutamine</td>
			<td>ATCC</td>
			<td>30-2002</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>EVOS FLoid Imaging System</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher</td>
			<td>4477136</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fluoro-Gel II with DAPI</td>
			<td>Electron Microscopy Sciences</td>
			<td>17985-50</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>GlutaMAX (100x)</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>35050-061</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Glycine</td>
			<td>JT Baker</td>
			<td>4059-02</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>HEPES (1 M) Buffer Solution</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>15630-080</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Hoechst</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher</td>
			<td>62249</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>In situ cell death detection kit, TMR Red</td>
			<td>Roche</td>
			<td>12156792910</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Isoflurane</td>
			<td>Pivetal</td>
			<td>07-893-8440</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>L-WRN Media</td>
			<td>Harvard Medical School Gastrointestinal Organoid Derivation and Culture Core</td>
			<td>N/A</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Mouse surgical kit</td>
			<td>Kent Scientific Corporation</td>
			<td>INSMOUSEKIT</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Murine EGF</td>
			<td>PeproTech</td>
			<td>315-09-500UG</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>N2 Supplement (100x)</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>17502-048</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Optimum cutting temperature (OCT) compound&#160;</td>
			<td>Agar Scientific</td>
			<td>AGR1180</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Penicillin-Streptomycin</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>15140-122</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sequenza Rack</td>
			<td>vwr</td>
			<td>10129-584</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sodium Citrate</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>S-279</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sucrose</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>S9378</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Triton X-100</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>X100</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Vacuum filter (0.22 &#181;m; cellulose acetate)</td>
			<td>Corning</td>
			<td>430769</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Y-27632 dihydrochloride</td>
			<td>Tocris Bioscience</td>
			<td>1254</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

three-dimensional culture of murine colonic crypts to study intestinal stem cell function ex vivo

The intestinal epithelium regenerates every 5-7 days, and is controlled by the intestinal epithelial stem cell (IESC) population located at the bottom of the crypt region. IESCs include active stem cells, which self-renew and differentiate into various epithelial cell types, and quiescent stem cells, which serve as the reserve stem cells in the case of injury. Regeneration of the intestinal epithelium is controlled by the self-renewing and differentiating capabilities of these active IESCs. In addition, the balance of the crypt stem cell population and maintenance of the stem cell niche are essential for intestinal regeneration. Organoid culture is an important and attractive approach to studying proteins, signaling molecules, and environmental cues that regulate stem cell survival and functions. This model is less expensive, less time-consuming, and more manipulatable than animal models. Organoids also mimic the tissue microenvironment, providing in vivo relevance. The present protocol describes the isolation of colonic crypts, embedding these isolated crypt cells into a three-dimensional gel matrix system and culturing crypt cells to form colonic organoids capable of self-organization, proliferation, self-renewal, and differentiation. This model allows one to manipulate the environment-knocking out specific proteins such as claudin-7, activating/deactivating signaling pathways, etc.-to study how these effects influence the functioning of colonic stem cells. Specifically, the role of tight junction protein claudin-7 in colonic stem cell function was examined. Claudin-7 is vital for maintaining intestinal homeostasis and barrier function and integrity. Knockout of claudin-7 in mice induces an inflammatory bowel disease-like phenotype exhibiting intestinal inflammation, epithelial hyperplasia, weight loss, mucosal ulcerations, epithelial cell sloughing, and adenomas. Previously, it was reported that claudin-7 is required for intestinal epithelial stem cell functions in the small intestine. In this protocol, a colonic organoid culture system is established to study the role of claudin-7 in the large intestine.

In order to examine the regulatory effects of claudin-7 on colon stem cells, colonic crypts were isolated from murine colon tissue as described above and shown in Figure 1A. Once the crypts were isolated from the primary tissue, they were plated in a 3D matrix in a 96-well plate to grow for 11 days (Figure 1). Normal healthy crypts will close the lumen and become spheroids by day 2 and eventually begin budding and forming the various epithelial cell types at app...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Three-Dimensional Culture of Murine Colonic Crypts to Study Intestinal Stem Cell Function Ex Vivo at JoVE.com

Three-Dimensional Culture of Murine Colonic Crypts to Study Intestinal Stem Cell Function Ex Vivo

The present protocol describes establishing a murine colonic organoid system to study the activity and functioning of colonic stem cells in a claudin-7 knockout model.

Three-Dimensional Culture of Murine Colonic Crypts to Study Intestinal Stem Cell Function Ex Vivo

The intestinal epithelium regenerates every 5-7 days, and is controlled by the intestinal epithelial stem cell (IESC) population located at the bottom of ...

This protocol provides a method to study the function of colon stem cells in a manipulatable environment with lower cost in time than animal models. Organoid culture allows the study of stem cell function in an immune-free environment. This allows for pinpointing the effects of a specific cause, such as the knockout of claudin-7.Understanding the mechanisms of stem cell function may shed light on new therapeutic targets for debilitating diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer. To begin the isolation of colonic crypts from the euthanized mouse, make an incision of approximately two inches down the midline of the mouse. Then, pin back the skin to expose the abdomen.Cut the colon just below the coecum from the proximal side and above the rectum from the distal side to isolate the colon. Next, remove the adipose tissue attached to the colon using forceps. After pushing out feces from the isolated colon with the flat end of the forceps, cut the tissue open longitudinally.Wash the tissue 10 to 15 times with cold PBS by swirling the tissue around in PBS between washes with forceps. Then using a pair of clean, sharp scissors, cut the tissue into small pieces ranging from approximately three to five millimeters. After isolating the colon from another euthanized mouse, combine all the tissue pieces in a 50-milliliter centrifuge tube containing cold epithelial dissociation media and incubate the colon tissue pieces in epithelial dissociation media for 90 minutes at four degrees Celsius with gentle rocking.After incubation, allow the tissue fragments to sink to the bottom of the tube. Once settled, discard the epithelial dissociation media without disrupting the tissue fragments. Repeat the process when washing the tissue 10 to 15 times with cold PBS.Discard as much PBS as possible during the final wash. Next, add cold crypt dissociation media to the washed colon tissue pieces in a 50-milliliter tube and shake for five to 10 minutes by hand. Under the cell culture hood, filter the media containing the tissue with a 70-micron nylon cell strainer into a fresh-50 milliliter centrifuge tube.After filtration, centrifuge the tube at 200 G for 10 minutes at room temperature, followed by discarding the supernatant without disturbing the pelleted crypts. Resuspend the pellet in three to four milliliters of cold PBS. Pipette 10 microliters of the crypt suspension in a line on a microscope slide.Using the microscope, count the number of full, long crypts to estimate crypt concentration and calculate the appropriate volume of crypts required to plate 10 crypts per microliter in a 96-well plate. Centrifuge an appropriate volume of isolated crypts in a 1.5-milliliter microcentrifuge tube at 200 G for five minutes at four degrees Celsius. Then, remove the supernatant using a 1, 000-microliter pipette without disrupting the pelleted crypts.Then, add 100 microliters of gel matrix to the pelleted crypts without introducing air bubbles. Wait for one to two minutes until the gel matrix is partially solidified. Then, plate 10 microliters of the gel matrix mixed with the crypts in each well of a pre-warmed 96-well culture plate to form a dome shape.Allow 10 to 20 minutes for the gel matrix to be fully set by placing the plate in an incubator at 37 degree Celsius under 5%carbon dioxide. Finally, add 100 microliters of the freshly prepared working solution of L-WRN media supplemented with antibiotics to each well and incubate the plate at 37 degrees Celsius under 5%carbon dioxide for 24 hours. To harvest the organoids, remove old media from the wells by applying vacuum suction and fix the organoids with 4%paraformaldehyde for one hour at room temperature.Then remove 4%paraformaldehyde from the wells by vacuum suction and treat the organoids with 100 microliters of 30%sucrose per well at four degrees Celsius. After 24 hours, remove 30%sucrose from the wells by vacuum suction before adding 10 microliters of PBS to each well. Use a pipette tip to gently scratch the bottom of the well to dissociate the dome-containing organoids.Next, remove the PBS containing the dissociated organoids from the well with a pipette and transfer it to a labeled plastic mold filled 90%with optimum cutting temperature, or OCT, compound. Continue the process until all organoids have been removed from all wells. Add 2-methylbutane to a stainless steel Dewar flask containing dry ice pellets, enough to cover the pellets.Flash-freeze the organoid containing OCT block by steadily holding it above the 2-methylbutane. Finally, store the organoid-containing OCT block at minus 80 degrees Celsius until ready to section. The representative image highlights the successful growth of colonoids from normal crypts containing claudin-7.The crypts containing claudin-7 began to form spheroids by day two, started budding on day five, and continued growing and budding until they were harvested on day nine. In contrast, crypts lacking claudin-7 failed to form proper colonoids. After treatment with 4-hydroxytamoxifen for two to three days, the claudin-7 knockout crypts appeared as circular clumps of cells.Unlike the control, the crypts did not grow into healthy spheroids. Immunofluorescence staining for claudin-7 in the harvested control and the conditional knockout organoids confirmed the successful knockout of claudin-7 in culture. The control colonoids exhibited very little apoptotic signal on day nine.However, claudin-7 knockout colonoids displayed high apoptosis at the same time. Ensure partial solidification prior to plating. Plating before partial solidification will cause the gel matrix to spread and the dome will not be formed, affecting the survival and growth of the crypts.This protocol may be utilized for drug discovery, studying cellular communication, drug metabolism, viability, proliferation, and developing patient-specific personalized treatment. The establishment of organoid culture has revolutionized the study of diseases and personalized medicine.

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Research

JoVE Journal

Cancer Research

Study of Viral Vectors in a Three-dimensional Liver Model Repopulated with the Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Line HepG2

This protocol describes the generation of a three-dimensional (3D) ex vivo liver model and its application to the study and development of viral vector systems. The model is obtained by repopulating the extracellular matrix of a decellularized rat liver with a human hepatocyte cell line. The model permits studies in a vascularized 3D cell system, replacing potentially harmful experiments with living animals. Another advantage is the humanized nature of the model, which is closer to human physiology than animal models.
In this study, we demonstrate the transduction of this liver model with a viral vector derived from adeno-associated viruses (AAV vector). The perfusion circuit that supplies the 3D liver model with media provides an easy means to apply the vector. The system permits monitoring of the major metabolic parameters of the liver. For final analysis, tissue samples can be taken to determine the extent of recellularization by histological techniques. Distribution of the virus vector and expression of the delivered transgene can be analyzed by quantitative PCR (qPCR), Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Numerous applications of the vector model in basic research and in the development of gene therapeutic applications can be envisioned, including the development of novel antiviral therapeutics, cancer research, and the study of viral vectors and their potential side effects.

The recellularized extracellular matrix of a decellularized rat liver can be used as a humanized, three-dimensional ex vivo model to study the distribution and transgene expression of a virus or viral vector.

This protocol describes the generation of a three-dimensional (3D) ex vivo liver model and its application to the study and development of viral vector ...

A Protocol for Rapid Post-mortem Cell Culture of Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG)

Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) is a childhood brainstem tumor that carries a universally fatal prognosis. Because surgical resection is not a viable treatment strategy and biopsy is not routinely performed, the availability of patient samples for research is limited. Consequently, efforts to study this disease have been challenged by a paucity of faithful disease models. To address this need, we describe here a protocol for the rapid processing of post-mortem autopsy tissue samples in order to generate durable patient-derived cell culture models that can be used in in vitro assays or in vivo orthotopic xenograft experiments. These models can be used to screen for potential drug targets and to study fundamental pathobiological processes within DIPG. This protocol can further be extended to analyze and isolate tumor and microenvironmental cells using Fluorescence-activated Cell Sorting (FACS), which enables subsequent analysis of gene expression, protein expression, or epigenetic modifications of DNA at the bulk cell or single cell level. Finally, this protocol can also be adapted to generate patient-derived cultures for other central nervous system tumors.

A Protocol for Rapid Post-mortem Cell Culture of Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma DIPG

This protocol describes a method for the rapid processing of post-mortem diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma samples for the establishment of patient-derived cell culture models or direct characterization of tumor and microenvironmental cells.

Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) is a childhood brainstem tumor that carries a universally fatal prognosis. Because surgical resection is not a ...

Moving Upwards: A Simple and Flexible In Vitro Three-dimensional Invasion Assay Protocol

Although 3D invasion assays have been developed, the challenge remains to study cells without affecting the integrity of their microenvironment. Traditional 3D assays such as the Boyden Chamber require that cells are displaced from the original culture location and moved to a new environment. Not only does this disrupt the cellular processes that are intrinsic to the microenvironment, but it often results in a loss of cells. These problems are especially challenging when dealing with cells that are either rare, or extremely sensitive to their microenvironment. Here, we describe the development of a 3D invasion assay that avoids both concerns. In this assay, cells are plated within a small well and an ECM matrix containing a chemoattractant is laid atop the cells. This requires no cell displacement, and allows the cells to invade upwards into the matrix. In this assay, cell invasion as well as cell morphology can be assessed within the collagen gel. Using this assay, we characterize the invasive capacity of rare and sensitive cells; the hybrid cells resulting from fusion between breast cancer cells MCF7 and mesenchymal/multipotent stem/stroma cells (MSCs).

Moving Upwards: A Simple and Flexible In Vitro Three-dimensional Invasion Assay Protocol

This protocol describes an inverted vertical invasion assay that could be used to quantify the migration and invasion capabilities of cells in a three-dimensional setting while preserving the cell microenvironment. This assay is suitable for rare and/or sensitive cells.

Although 3D invasion assays have been developed, the challenge remains to study cells without affecting the integrity of their microenvironment. ...

Live-Cell Imaging Assays to Study Glioblastoma Brain Tumor Stem Cell Migration and Invasion

Glioblastoma (GBM) is an aggressive brain tumor that is poorly controlled with the currently available treatment options. Key features of GBMs include rapid proliferation and pervasive invasion into the normal brain. Recurrence is thought to result from the presence of radio- and chemo-resistant brain tumor stem cells (BTSCs) that invade away from the initial cancerous mass and, thus, evade surgical resection. Hence, therapies that target BTSCs and their invasive abilities may improve the otherwise poor prognosis of this disease. Our group and others have successfully established and characterized BTSC cultures from GBM patient samples. These BTSC cultures demonstrate fundamental cancer stem cell properties such as clonogenic self-renewal, multi-lineage differentiation, and tumor initiation in immune-deficient mice. In order to improve on the current therapeutic approaches for GBM, a better understanding of the mechanisms of BTSC migration and invasion is necessary. In GBM, the study of migration and invasion is restricted, in part, due to the limitations of existing techniques which do not fully account for the in vitro growth characteristics of BTSCs grown as neurospheres. Here, we describe rapid and quantitative live-cell imaging assays to study both the migration and invasion properties of BTSCs. The first method described is the BTSC migration assay which measures the migration toward a chemoattractant gradient. The second method described is the BTSC invasion assay which images and quantifies a cellular invasion from neurospheres into a matrix. The assays described here are used for the quantification of BTSC migration and invasion over time and under different treatment conditions.

Here, we describe live-cell imaging techniques to quantitatively measure the migration and invasion of glioblastoma brain tumor stem cells over time and under multiple treatment conditions.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is an aggressive brain tumor that is poorly controlled with the currently available treatment options. Key features of GBMs include ...

A Three-dimensional Thymic Culture System to Generate Murine Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-derived Tumor Antigen-specific Thymic Emigrants

The inheritance of pre-rearranged T cell receptors (TCRs) and their epigenetic rejuvenation make induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived T cells a promising source for adoptive T cell therapy (ACT). However, classical in vitro methods for producing regenerated T cells from iPSC result in either innate-like or terminally differentiated T cells, which are phenotypically and functionally distinct from na&#239;ve T cells. Recently, a novel three-dimensional (3D) thymic culture system was developed to generate a homogenous subset of CD8&#945;&#946;+ antigen-specific T cells with a na&#239;ve T cell-like functional phenotype, including the capacity for proliferation, memory formation, and tumor suppression in vivo. This protocol avoids aberrant developmental fates, allowing for the generation of clinically relevant iPSC-derived T cells, designated as iPSC-derived thymic emigrants (iTE), while also providing a potent tool to elucidate the subsequent functions necessary for T cell maturation after thymic selection.

This article describes a novel method to generate tumor antigen-specific induced pluripotent stem cell-derived thymic emigrants (iTE) by a three-dimensional (3D) thymic culture system. iTE are a homogenous subset of T cells closely related to na&#239;ve T cells with the capacity for proliferation, memory formation, and tumor suppression.

The inheritance of pre-rearranged T cell receptors (TCRs) and their epigenetic rejuvenation make induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived T cells a ...

Mesenchymal Stem Cell Isolation from Pulp Tissue and Co-Culture with Cancer Cells to Study Their Interactions

Cancer as a multistep process and complicated disease is not only regulated by individual cell proliferation and growth but also controlled by tumor environment and cell-cell interactions. Identification of cancer and stem cell interactions, including changes in extracellular environment, physical interactions, and secreted factors, might enable the discovery of new therapy options. We combine known co-culture techniques to create a model system for mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and cancer cell interactions. In the current study, dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) and PC-3 prostate cancer cell interactions were examined by direct and indirect co-culture techniques. Condition medium (CM) obtained from DPSCs and 0.4 &#181;m pore sized trans-well membranes were used to study paracrine activity. Co-culture of different cell types together was performed to study direct cell-cell interaction. The results revealed that CM increased cell proliferation and decreased apoptosis in prostate cancer cell cultures. Both CM and trans-well system increased cell migration capacity of PC-3 cells. Cells stained with different membrane dyes were seeded into the same culture vessels, and DPSCs participated in a self-organized structure with PC-3 cells under this direct co-culture condition. Overall, the results indicated that co-culture techniques could be useful for cancer and MSC interactions as a model system.

We provide protocols for evaluation of mesenchymal stem cells isolated from dental pulp and prostate cancer cell interactions based on direct and indirect co-culture methods. Condition medium and trans-well membranes are suitable to analyze indirect paracrine activity. Seeding differentially stained cells together is an appropriate model for direct cell-cell interaction.

Cancer as a multistep process and complicated disease is not only regulated by individual cell proliferation and growth but also controlled by tumor ...

Three-Dimensional Bone Extracellular Matrix Model for Osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common and a highly aggressive primary bone tumor. It is characterized with anatomic and histologic variations along with diagnostic or prognostic difficulties. OS comprises genotypically and phenotypically heterogeneous cancer cells. Bone microenvironment elements are proved to account for tumor heterogeneity and disease progression. Bone extracellular matrix (BEM) retains the microstructural matrices and biochemical components of native extracellular matrix. This tissue-specific niche provides a favorable and long-term scaffold for OS cell seeding and proliferation. This article provides a protocol for the preparation of BEM model and its further experimental application. OS cells can grow and differentiate into multiple phenotypes consistent with the histopathological complexity of OS clinical specimens. The model also allows visualization of diverse morphologies and their association with genetic alterations and underlying regulatory mechanisms. As homologous to human OS, this BEM-OS model can be developed and applied to the pathology and clinical research of OS.

The bone extracellular matrix (BEM) model for osteosarcoma (OS) is well established and shown here. It can be used as a suitable scaffold for mimicking primary tumor growth in vitro and providing an ideal model for studying the histologic and cytogenic heterogeneity of OS.

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common and a highly aggressive primary bone tumor. It is characterized with anatomic and histologic variations along with ...

Flow Cytometric Analysis of Mitochondrial Reactive Oxygen Species in Murine Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells and MLL-AF9 Driven Leukemia

We present a flow cytometric approach for analyzing mitochondrial ROS in various live bone marrow (BM)-derived stem and progenitor cell populations from healthy mice as well as mice with AML driven by MLL-AF9. Specifically, we describe a two-step cell staining process, whereby healthy or leukemia BM cells are first stained with a fluorogenic dye that detects mitochondrial superoxides, followed by staining with fluorochrome-linked monoclonal antibodies that are used to distinguish various healthy and malignant hematopoietic progenitor populations. We also provide a strategy for acquiring and analyzing the samples by flow cytometry. The entire protocol can be carried out in a timeframe as short as 3-4 h. We also highlight the key variables to consider as well as the advantages and limitations of monitoring ROS production in the mitochondrial compartment of live hematopoietic and leukemia stem and progenitor subpopulations using fluorogenic dyes by flow cytometry. Furthermore, we present data that mitochondrial ROS abundance varies among distinct healthy HSPC sub-populations and leukemia progenitors and discuss the possible applications of this technique in hematologic research.

We describe a method for using multiparameter flow cytometry to detect mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) in murine healthy hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) and leukemia cells from a mouse model of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) driven by MLL-AF9.

We present a flow cytometric approach for analyzing mitochondrial ROS in various live bone marrow (BM)-derived stem and progenitor cell populations from ...

Evaluating Cell Death Using Cell-Free Supernatant of Probiotics in Three-Dimensional Spheroid Cultures of Colorectal Cancer Cells

This manuscript describes a protocol to evaluate cancer cell deaths in three dimensional (3D) spheroids of multicellular types of cancer cells using supernatants from Lactobacillus fermentum cell culture, considered as probiotics cultures. The use of 3D cultures to test Lactobacillus cell-free supernatant (LCFS) are a better option than testing in 2D monolayers, especially as L. fermentum can produce anti-cancer effects within the gut. L. fermentum supernatant was identified to possess increased anti-proliferative effects against several colorectal cancer (CRC) cells in 3D culture conditions. Interestingly, these effects were strongly related to the culture model, demonstrating the notable ability of L. fermentum to induce cancer cell death. Stable spheroids were generated from diverse CRCs (colorectal cancer cells) using the protocol presented below. This protocol of generating 3D spheroid is time saving and cost effective. This system was developed to easily investigate the anti-cancer effects of LCFS in multiple types of CRC spheroids. As expected, CRC spheroids treated with LCFS strongly induced cell death during the experiment and expressed specific apoptosis molecular markers as analyzed by qRT-PCR, western blotting, and FACS analysis. Therefore, this method is valuable for exploring cell viability and evaluating the efficacy of anti-cancer drugs.

Here methods are presented to understand anti-cancer effects of Lactobacillus cell-free supernatant (LCFS). Colorectal cancer cell lines show cell deaths when treated with LCFS in 3D cultures. The process of generating spheroids can be optimized depending on the scaffold and the analysis methods presented are useful for evaluating the involved signaling pathways.

This manuscript describes a protocol to evaluate cancer cell deaths in three dimensional (3D) spheroids of multicellular types of cancer cells using ...

A Three-dimensional Model of Spheroids to Study Colon Cancer Stem Cells

Colorectal cancers are characterized by heterogeneity and a hierarchical organization comprising a population of cancer stem cells (CSCs) responsible for tumor development, maintenance, and resistance to drugs. A better understanding of CSC properties for their specific targeting is, therefore, a pre-requisite for effective therapy. However, there is a paucity of suitable preclinical models for in-depth investigations. Although in vitro two-dimensional (2D) cancer cell lines provide valuable insights into tumor biology, they do not replicate the phenotypic and genetic tumor heterogeneity. In contrast, three-dimensional (3D) models address and reproduce near-physiological cancer complexity and cell heterogeneity. The aim of this work was to design a robust and reproducible 3D culture system to study CSC biology. The present methodology describes the development and optimization of conditions to generate 3D spheroids, which are homogenous in size, from Caco2 colon adenocarcinoma cells, a model that can be used for long-term culture. Importantly, within the spheroids, the cells which were organized around lumen-like structures, were characterized by differential cell proliferation patterns and by the presence of CSCs expressing a panel of markers. These results provide the first proof-of-concept for the appropriateness of this 3D approach to study cell heterogeneity and CSC biology, including the response to chemotherapy.

This protocol presents a novel, robust, and reproducible culture system to generate and grow three-dimensional spheroids from Caco2 colon adenocarcinoma cells. The results provide the first proof-of-concept for the appropriateness of this approach to study cancer stem cell biology, including the response to chemotherapy.

Colorectal cancers are characterized by heterogeneity and a hierarchical organization comprising a population of cancer stem cells (CSCs) responsible for ...