We would like to acknowledge Dr. Bradley Schulte for comments on this protocol. This work was supported by National Institutes of Health grant R00 (5R00DC010220). This project was performed in a renovated laboratory space supported by Grant C06RR014516.

注：生きた動物を使用するすべてのプロトコルを見直し、施設内動物管理使用委員会（IACUC）によって承認され、実験動物の管理と使用のために公式に承認された方法に従わなければなりませんしなければなりません。すべての解剖清浄な層流ベンチで滅菌技術を使用して行われるべきである。手袋とマスクは、必要に応じて、この手順の間に着用してください。 マウス胎児インナーイヤー1.解剖<ol><li>コルチ植片培養のオルガンのためのセットアップ： <ol><li>約30分間、UV光をオンにすることによって、層流組織培養フードを滅菌し、使用前に70％エタノールで表面を消毒する。また、オートクレーブを介して、または、使用前に少なくとも20分間、70％エタノールに浸漬することによって、胚の解剖のための細かい解剖ツールとシルガードコーティングされた料理など、すべての解剖器具を滅菌する。 70％エタノールをオフに注ぎ、料理や楽器がきれいな層流CLEAで空気乾燥することができますn個のベンチ使用前。 </li><li>準備無菌ハンクス平衡塩溶液（HBSS）/（4-（2-ヒドロキシエチル）-1-ピペラジンエタンスルホン酸）、HEPES 10×HBSSおよび0.5％の10％を添加し、約7.2にpHを調整し、フィルター滅菌することにより（HEPES）混合4℃での最終溶液とストア。より良い作業中は組織を維持するために冷やしたHBSS / HEPES溶液中のすべての解剖を行ってください。 </li><li>基底膜マトリックスで被覆ガラスボトムディッシュの滅菌15mlのポリプロピレンチューブ中の基底膜マトリックスの300μlのアリコートを冷（4℃）滅菌ダルベッコ改変イーグル培地（DMEM）を5ml加えることによって。内容をボルテックスで混合し、それは皿の中央にも存在する全体の文化を覆うように、各培養皿の中心に基底膜マトリックス-DMEM混合物の150μlを添加する。使用前に少なくとも45分間37℃のインキュベーター中で料理や店舗をカバーしています。 </li><li>目にHBSSを冷やし4〜5ミリリットルを注ぐREE無菌ポリスチレンペトリ皿やフード内に閉じたまま。 </li><li> DMEMの9ミリリットル、N2サプリメント100μlの、10グラム/ mlのシプロとFBSの1ミリリットルを追加することにより、滅菌15ミリリットルポリプロピレンチューブに培養液を準備します。 </li></ol></li><li>胚の単離： 注：胚のマウスから蝸牛外植体を培養するこの手順では、収穫内耳日胚（E）から13頭骨E1 9として検討されて受精後の日と。プロトコルは、E12からE18に始まる胚性マウス内耳と一緒に使用することができる。 <ol><li>頸椎脱臼または適切な承認されたプロトコルによってCO 2と犠牲動物と時限妊娠マウスを安楽死させる。組織培養室で、無菌性を維持するために、離れた層流の組織培養フードから安楽死を実施する。 </li><li>上に向けて腹部をペーパータオルに安楽死させたマウスを置き、70％エタノールで腹部を消毒する。 </li><li>皮膚をつかんによって腹腔を開き別の手を使用してハサミで正中線に沿って湾曲した一方の手で鉗子とカット表皮と筋肉と。両側の2つの垂直なカットを作成し、慎重に子宮を引き出す鉗子で二国間の子宮角を持ち上げて、ハサミを使って結合組織の下からそれを切り離す。 </li><li>チルド解剖溶液（HBSS / HEPESの混合物）と層流クリーンベンチへの転送を含むペトリ皿に胚チェーンを配置します。 </li><li>胎盤から慎重に胚を取り出し、解剖液を含む滅菌ペトリ皿の1にそれらを配置します。解が血まみれになった場合、新たなペトリ皿に移動します。 注：この時点で、胚はタイラーステージングガイドを使用して上演することができます。 </li><li>清潔な鉗子やハサミで首領域でつまんで胚を斬首し、チルド解剖溶液を含む新鮮なペトリ皿に頭を置く。 </li></ol></li><li>内耳の解剖： <ol><li>置きO冷たい解剖を含む滅菌シルガード皿の中のNE胚ヘッド</li><li>ソリューション。 〜1.6倍の倍率で解剖顕微鏡の下で働く、Minutienの周りにピンまたは眼の領域（ 図1A）に近くに配置することによって、胚の頭部を固定する。 </li><li>滅菌ピンセット二組を使用すると、慎重に皮膚を除去し、正中線（ 図1B）に沿って背側の頭蓋骨を開く。頭蓋腔から脳を取り出し、側頭骨内にある内側の耳は、この段階で識別することができます（ 図1C、D）。通常、内側の耳の周りに存在する血管のライニングは、この段階（ 図1D）で内耳を識別するための目印として使用することができる。 </li><li>組織の下に鉗子を配置し、冷解剖溶液を含む新しい皿に頭蓋骨転送のベースから内耳を単離することによって側頭骨から内耳を分析（ 図1E、F）。 </li></ol></li></ol>オルガンコルチ植片の培養の2世代注：開発のこの段階では、組織は軟骨であり、容易に鉗子を用いて解剖することができる。 <ol><li>オリエント内耳腹側は、（ 図2A）を上に向け、静かに内耳（ 図2B）の前庭部分を通ってMinutienピンの鋭い端を挿入することにより、内耳の安定化されるように。 </li><li>超微細鉗子を使用すると、楕円形の窓の近くに鉗子の一端を使用して切開を行うことによって、上にある軟骨を開き、カットし、慎重に蝸牛（ 図2C）から軟骨を取り除く。 注：これは、その上の軟骨が、時にはそれが下にこすることによって、基礎となる蝸牛管から軟骨を解放するために、閉じた鉗子を使用すると便利である場合には、蝸牛管と融合されているように鉗子が軟骨にあまりにも深く挿入されていないことを確認することが重要ですS軟骨のurface。開発のこの段階では、蝸牛のらせんの長さは、ターンの唯一の四分の三である。 </li><li>次に、ベースまたは非常に頂点のいずれかで、蝸牛管の好ましい領域で鉗子を配置することによって感覚上皮を公開、そして優しく蝸牛（ 図2D）の屋根を引き出す。 注：それは分析を妨害感覚上皮をマスクすることができるように蝸牛の屋根が完全に除去しなければならない。 注：それは感覚上皮を引き裂くことは容易であるように、この手順を静かに行う必要があります。 </li><li>蝸牛外植片のベースが一様に平らになるように、最後のステップとして、慎重にさらさ感覚上皮から下にある結合組織を除去。 </li><li>ピンセットを用いて、内耳の前庭部分から解剖蝸牛を分離します。これは、（ 図2E）の前またはステップ2.4の後に行うことができる。 </li><li>地下membraに解剖蝸牛感覚上皮を転送よく1.5ミリメートル無菌すくう（ 図2F）を使用して、NEマトリックスでコーティングされた文化。 </li><li>オリエントは、上皮の内腔表面を持つ蝸牛外植片が上に向け、慎重に組織をフラット化し、静かに皿に追加することによって、新鮮な培養培地150μlでそれを置き換えるために基底膜マトリックス-DMEM溶液を吸引。注意が各植片がコーティングされたガラスカバースリップによく付着し、培養液中に浮遊していないことを確認するために注意する必要があります。蝸牛外植片の損傷を防ぐために、ガラスウェルに貼付しながら、鉗子の先端がアップ指摘されていることを確認してください。 </li><li>穏やかに所望の期間、 インビトロでの 、通常3-6日間（DIV）、5％CO 2、37℃で組織培養インキュベーター中で無菌の150mm培養皿、所定の位置に培養皿に移す。 1 DIVの後、蝸牛外植片を培養皿によく付着していることを確認するために解剖顕微鏡下での文化を調べます。 </li><li>イン後時間の所望の長さのために、in vitroで cubationは、培養物を免疫組織化学のために処理される。 注：植片培養は通常の発達段階、P0と同等である6 DIVインキュベートする。 インビトロでのインキュベーション後、培養物を、in situハイブリダイゼーション 、および/ ​​またはウェスタンブロットにおいて 、免疫組織化学（ 図3B）、RT-PCRのような更なる下流の適用のために処理することができる。 </li></ol> 3.エレクトロ媒介遺伝子導入<ol><li>エレクトロポレーションのためのセットアップ： <ol><li>約20分間、70％エタノール中でオートクレーブ処理または浸漬ずつ100ミリメートルのSylgard被覆ガラス皿を滅菌し、使用前にクリーンベンチ内で空気乾燥させ。 </li><li>適切な最大またはミディプレップキットを使用して、選択した発現ベクターからDNAを準備します。このプロトコルで使用される発現ベクターは、たpIRES2-Atoh1.EGFPとpCLIG-NeuroD1.EGFPです。 DNAの最終濃度は、無菌のDNA中に少なくともを1μg/μlのあるべき/RNaseフリー水。 </li></ol></li><li>胚性蝸牛外植片にDNAをエレクトロポレーション： <ol><li>新鮮な100ミリメートルのシルガードコートディッシュにプラスミドDNA溶液10μlを加え、DNA溶液に（ステップ2.5から得た）完全に解剖蝸牛外植片を移す。 </li><li>それは皿の面に垂直だように、上向きに上皮の管腔表面では、わずかに蝸牛を傾ける。 </li><li>感覚上皮と蝸牛のベースに隣接して配置された正パドル（アノード）に向かって負のパドル（カソード）との蝸牛の両側に電極パドルを置きます。 注：DNAが負に帯電しているので、それが負から正極に、感覚上皮に隣接するプローブのカソード端を配置することによって移行し、 DNAは、主に感覚上皮の表面を通過します。 </li><li>エレクトロを使用して、トンで24 mVでの9~10パルス、フットペダルスイッチと30ミリ秒のパルス持続時間を提供彼エレクトロ、その後にエレクトロ蝸牛に暖かい培養培地100μlを追加。 </li><li>繰り返しますが、すべての蝸牛外植のために、目的のすべての遺伝子のDNAに対する3.2.1-4ステップと、（ステップ2.7）をめっきするための基底膜マトリックスコートディッシュにエレクトロポ蝸牛を移す。その後、免疫細胞化学のために処理される時間の所望の長さのために37℃、5％CO 2の加湿インキュベーター中で培養すべてのエレクトロポ蝸牛。 注：CD1マウス（約8〜12匹）の全体のごみから蝸牛は、孤立顕微解剖、エレクトロポレーションおよび&lt;4時間でめっきすることができる。 </li></ol></li></ol> 4.分析蝸牛外植片の文化注：培養物は、通常の発達段階、P0と同等である6 DIVインキュベートする。 インビトロでのインキュベーション後、培養物を固定し、免疫細胞化学のために処理した。 <ol><li>株式会社の所望の長さの後にubation、培地を除去し、すぐにリン酸緩衝生理食塩水（PBS）中の蝸牛外植片をすすぎ、室温で15分間（PBS中で調製）を4％パラホルムアルデヒド中でインキュベートする。 </li><li> PBSを加えることによって固定液を洗浄し、15分間PBSで3回リンス。 </li><li> 10％ヤギ血清を含むPBS-Tでブロッキングする前に、30分間、PBS-T（PBS + 0.5％のTween）を用いて透過性。 </li><li> 4℃で一晩、1％ヤギ血清を含むPBS-T中で一次抗体を含む一次抗体溶液中でインキュベートする。 </li><li>適切なアレクサ結合二次抗体を加える前に、各PBS-Tの15分を使用して室温で蝸牛を3回洗浄します。 </li><li>蝸牛外植片、ガラスカバースリップ上で培養しているので、それは皿からカバースリップを分離し、スライド上に取り付けることにより、個別に処理することができます。これは、室温で少なくとも1時間OS30溶媒中​​で培養皿を浸漬することによって達成することができる。無菌のカミソリの刃を使用して、dからカバースリップを切り離すISHとスライド上にマウントし、蛍光顕微鏡下で可視化する。 </li></ol>

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No conflicts of interest declared.

、感覚非感覚と螺旋神経節ニューロンを含むマウス内耳の膜迷路内のすべての細胞はすべてE8 10-14の周りに、外胚葉の後脳に隣接して位置placodally由来の耳胞に由来している。 E11で、耳胞の腹側領域は蝸牛管を形成するように延びており、開発が進むにつれて、となる蝸牛内の上皮細胞、ならびに内耳胞の他の領域群は、その後に生じさせるprosensoryパッチとして指定機械感覚有毛細?...

The mammalian organ of Corti is comprised of a mosaic of specialized cell types, including two types of mechanosensory hair cells as well as at least four types of nonsensory supporting cells making it an ideal model system to study normal cellular processes like proliferation, fate specification, differentiation and patterning. In addition, the normal development of these different cell types is essential for normal hearing function. Hence, it is crucial to understand the factors, both molecular and cellular, that regulate their development. However, the small size of the mouse cochlea as well as its inaccessibility poses a particular challenge for gene expression studies. Moreover, most of the cell fate specification and patterning events occur during embryonic time periods and are mostly completed before birth. Therefore, identification and characterization of signaling events during embryonic time periods is essential to gain insight into the molecular basis of cochlear morphogenesis. 
Here, we demonstrate a method to culture intact cochlea in vitro from embryonic mouse inner ears. The rationale behind the use of this technique is that cultured cochleae maintain their molecular and morphological characteristics thereby providing a valuable model for investigating potential candidate genes and exploring the mechanisms involved in cochlear morphogenesis. Although transgenic mice can be used for gene expression studies, an in vitro system is often needed for monitoring specific gene functions. Moreover, cochlear cultures can be established from transgenic mouse embryos so that their in vitro development and response to various soluble factors and antagonists can be studied. Although embryos at day 13 (E13) are used in this protocol, cultures from E12 or E14 to early postnatal inner ears can give similar results. 
We also present a gene transfer technique in cultured embryonic cochlear explants using square wave electroporation. Following the isolation of the cochlear explants, electroporation can be used to express DNA plasmids of gene(s) of interest in individual cells within the cochlear duct. This technique serves as a complementary approach to studies utilizing transgenic mice to gain insight into the molecular pathways underlying cellular phenotype. Using this method of gene transfer, a variety of epithelial cell types within the embryonic cochlea are transfected, thereby enabling loss-and gain-of-function analyses at the single-cell level. In addition, electrophysiological studies can also be performed in cochlear explant cultures8. This method of in vitro electroporation is relatively simple and straightforward, combined with minimal damage to the tissue, has resulted in a rapid expansion of this technique.

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			<td height="43" style="height:43px;width:316px;">Conical Tubes, 15ml</td>
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culture of embryonic mouse cochlear explants and gene transfer by electroporation

Auditory hair cells located within the mouse organ of Corti detect and transmit sound information to the central nervous system. The mechanosensory hair cells are aligned in one row of inner hair cells and three rows of outer hair cells that extend along the basal to apical axis of the cochlea. The explant culture technique described here provides an efficient method to isolate and maintain cochlear explants from the embryonic mouse inner ear. Also, the morphology and molecular characteristics of sensory hair cells and nonsensory supporting cells within the cochlear explant cultures resemble those observed in vivo and can be studied within its intrinsic cellular environment. The cochlear explants can serve as important experimental tools for the identification and characterization of molecular and genetic pathways that are involved in cellular specification and patterning. Although transgenic mouse models provide an effective approach for gene expression studies, a considerable number of mouse mutants die during embryonic development thereby hindering the analysis and interpretation of developmental phenotypes. The organ of Corti from mutant mice that die before birth can be cultured so that their in vitro development and responses to different factors can be analyzed. Additionally, we describe a technique for electroporating embryonic cochlear explants ex vivo which can be used to downregulate or overexpress specific gene(s) and analyze their potential endogenous function and test whether specific gene product is necessary or sufficient in a given context to influence mammalian cochlear development1-8.

We describe a method to isolate cochlea from embryonic inner ears and micro-dissect to expose the sensory epithelium. Once dissected, it may be plated and cultured as an intact cochlear duct (Figure 3) and analyzed by immunohistochemistry. The cultured cochlear explants provide a useful assay to examine the effect of variety of soluble factors and pharmacological drugs on cochlear development. Following dissection of cochlear explants, electroporation technique can be used to misexpress genes of interest...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Culture of Embryonic Mouse Cochlear Explants and Gene Transfer by Electroporation at JoVE.com

Culture of Embryonic Mouse Cochlear Explants and Gene Transfer by Electroporation

We present a method that describes isolation and culture of cochlear explants from embryonic mouse inner ear. We also demonstrate a method for gene transfer into cochlear explants via square-wave electroporation. The in vitro explant culture coupled with gene transfer technique enables researchers to study the effects of altering gene expression during development.

エレクトロポレーションによりマウス胎児蝸牛外植の文化と遺伝子導入

Auditory hair cells located within the mouse organ of Corti detect and transmit sound information to the central nervous system. The mechanosensory hair ...

culture-embryonic-mouse-cochlear-explants-gene-transfer

Research

JoVE Journal

Developmental Biology

12.8K ビュー.  Medical University of South Carolina, College of Medicine. We present a method that describes isolation and culture of cochlear explants from embryonic mouse inner ear. We also demonstrate a method for gene transfer into cochlear explants via square-wave electroporation. The in vitro explant culture coupled with gene transfer technique enables researchers to study the effects of altering gene expression during development. 

ビデオ: Culture of Embryonic Mouse Cochlear Explants and Gene Transfer by Electroporation

Efficient Gene Transfer in Chick Retinas for Primary Cell Culture Studies: An Ex-ovo Electroporation Approach

The cone photoreceptor-enriched cultures derived from embryonic chick retinas have become an indispensable tool for researchers around the world studying the biology of retinal neurons, particularly photoreceptors. The applications of this system go beyond basic research, as they can easily be adapted to high throughput technologies for drug development. However, genetic manipulation of retinal photoreceptors in these cultures has proven to be very challenging, posing an important limitation to the usefulness of the system. We have recently developed and validated an ex&#160;ovo plasmid electroporation technique that increases the rate of transfection of retinal cells in these cultures by five-fold compared to other currently available protocols1. In this method embryonic chick eyes are enucleated at stage 27, the RPE is removed, and the retinal cup is placed in a plasmid-containing solution and electroporated using easily constructed custom-made electrodes. The retinas are then dissociated and cultured using standard procedures. This technique can be applied to overexpression studies as well as to the downregulation of gene expression, for example via the use of plasmid-driven RNAi technology, commonly achieving transgene expression in 25% of the photoreceptor population. The video format of the present publication will make this technology easily accessible to researchers in the field, enabling the study of gene function in primary retinal cultures. We have also included detailed explanations of the critical steps of this procedure for a successful outcome and reproducibility.

Efficient Gene Transfer in Chick Retinas for Primary Cell Culture Studies: An Ex-ovo Electroporation Approach

Embryonic chick retinal cell cultures constitute valuable tools for the study of photoreceptor biology. We have developed an efficient gene transfer technique based on ex&#160;ovo plasmid electroporation of the retinas prior to culture. This technique considerably increases transfection efficiencies over currently available protocols, making genetic manipulation feasible for this system.

初代細胞培養研究のためのひよこ網膜における効率的な遺伝子導入：<em&gt;元オボ</em&gt;エレクトロポレーションアプローチ

The cone photoreceptor-enriched cultures derived from embryonic chick retinas have become an indispensable tool for researchers around the world studying ...

発生生物学

Culture and Co-Culture of Mouse Ovaries and Ovarian Follicles

The mammalian ovary is composed of ovarian follicles, each follicle consisting of a single oocyte surrounded by somatic granulosa cells, enclosed together within a basement membrane. A finite pool of follicles is laid down during embryonic development, when oocytes in meiotic arrest form a close association with flattened granulosa cells, forming primordial follicles. By or shortly after birth, mammalian ovaries contain their lifetime&#8217;s supply of primordial follicles, from which point onwards there is a steady release of follicles into the growing follicular pool.
The ovary is particularly amenable to development in vitro, with follicles growing in a highly physiological manner in culture. This work describes the culture of whole neonatal ovaries containing primordial follicles, and the culture of individual ovarian follicles, a method which can support the development of follicles from an immature through to the preovulatory stage, after which their oocytes are able to undergo fertilization in vitro. The work outlined here uses culture systems to determine how the ovary is affected by exposure to external compounds. We also describe a co-culture system, which allows investigation of the interactions that occur between growing follicles and the non-growing pool of primordial follicles.

This protocol describes the primary culture/co-culture of mouse ovarian tissue, using ovaries from neonatal mice and individual ovarian follicles from prepubertal mice. The culture techniques support development in a highly physiological manner, allowing investigation of the effect of extrinsic agents on the ovary, and of interactions between ovarian follicles.

文化と共培養マウスの卵巣と卵胞

The mammalian ovary is composed of ovarian follicles, each follicle consisting of a single oocyte surrounded by somatic granulosa cells, enclosed together ...

Ex Utero Electroporation and Organotypic Slice Culture of Mouse Hippocampal Tissue

Mouse genetics offers a powerful tool determining the role of specific genes during development. Analyzing the resulting phenotypes by immunohistochemical and molecular methods provides information of potential target genes and signaling pathways. To further elucidate specific regulatory mechanisms requires a system allowing the manipulation of only a small number of cells of a specific tissue by either overexpression, ablation or re-introduction of specific genes and follow their fate during development. To achieve this ex utero electroporation of hippocampal structures, especially the dentate gyrus, followed by organotypic slice culture provides such a tool. Using this system to generate mosaic deletions allows determining whether the gene of interest regulates cell-autonomously developmental processes like progenitor cell proliferation or neuronal differentiation. Furthermore it facilitates the rescue of phenotypes by re-introducing the deleted gene or its target genes. In contrast to in utero electroporation the ex utero approach improves the rate of successfully targeting deeper layers of the brain like the dentate gyrus. Overall ex utero electroporation and organotypic slice culture provide a potent tool to study regulatory mechanisms in a semi-native environment mirroring endogenous conditions.

Ex Utero Electroporation and Organotypic Slice Culture of Mouse Hippocampal Tissue

Here we present a protocol providing a tool to examine regulatory mechanisms of specific genes during hippocampal development. Employing ex utero electroporation and organotypic slice culture allows the up- and down-regulation of the expression of genes of interest in single cells and follow their fate during development.

子宮外エレクトロポレーションおよびマウスの海馬組織の器官型スライス培養

Mouse genetics offers a powerful tool determining the role of specific genes during development. Analyzing the resulting phenotypes by immunohistochemical ...

Neural Differentiation of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells in Serum-free Monolayer Culture

The ability to differentiate mouse embryonic stem cells (ESC) to neural progenitors allows the study of the mechanisms controlling neural specification as well as the generation of mature neural cell types for further study. In this protocol we describe a method for the differentiation of ESC to neural progenitors using serum-free, monolayer culture. The method is scalable, efficient and results in production of ~70% neural progenitor cells within 4 - 6 days. It can be applied to ESC from various strains grown under a variety of conditions. Neural progenitors can be allowed to differentiate further into functional neurons and glia or analyzed by microscopy, flow cytometry or molecular techniques. The differentiation process is amenable to time-lapse microscopy and can be combined with the use of reporter lines to monitor the neural specification process. We provide detailed instructions on media preparation and cell density optimization to allow the process to be applied to most ESC lines and a variety of cell culture vessels.

This protocol describes in detail the method for generating neural progenitors from embryonic stem cells using a serum-free monolayer method. These progenitors can be used to derive mature neural cell types or to study the process of neural specification and is amenable to multiwell format scaling for compound screening.

無血清単層培養中のマウス胚性幹細胞の神経分化

The ability to differentiate mouse embryonic stem cells (ESC) to neural progenitors allows the study of the mechanisms controlling neural specification as ...

Whole Retinal Explants from Chicken Embryos for Electroporation and Chemical Reagent Treatments

The retina is a good model for the developing central nervous system. The large size of the eye and most importantly the accessibility for experimental manipulations in ovo/in vivo makes the chicken embryonic retina a versatile and very efficient experimental model. Although the chicken retina is easy to target in ovo by intraocular injections or electroporation, the effective and exact concentration of the reagents within the retina may be difficult to fully control. This may be due to variations of the exact injection site, leakage from the eye or uneven diffusion of the substances. Furthermore, the frequency of malformations and mortality after invasive manipulations such as electroporation is rather high.
This protocol describes an ex ovo technique for culturing whole retinal explants from chicken embryos and provides a method for controlled exposure of the retina to reagents. The protocol describes how to dissect, experimentally manipulate, and culture whole retinal explants from chicken embryos. The explants can be cultured for approximately 24 hr and be subjected to different manipulations such as electroporation. The major advantages are that the experiment is not dependent on the survival of the embryo and that the concentration of the introduced reagent can be varied and controlled in order to determine and optimize the effective concentration. Furthermore, the technique is rapid, cheap and together with its high experimental success rate, it ensures reproducible results. It should be emphasized that it serves as an excellent complement to experiments performed in ovo.

This protocol describes a method to dissect, experimentally manipulate and culture whole retinal explants from chicken embryos. The explant cultures are useful when high success rate, efficacy and reproducibility are needed to test the effects of plasmids for electroporation and/or reagent substances, i.e., enzymatic inhibitors.

エレクトロポレーションおよび化学試薬の治療のための鶏胚からの全網膜の外植片

The retina is a good model for the developing central nervous system. The large size of the eye and most importantly the accessibility for experimental ...

Gene Transfer into the Chicken Auditory Organ by In Ovo Micro-electroporation

Chicken embryos are ideal model systems for studying embryonic development as manipulations of gene function can be conducted with relative ease in ovo. The inner ear auditory sensory organ is critical for our ability to hear. It houses a highly specialized sensory epithelium that consists of mechano-transducing hair cells (HCs) and surrounding glial-like supporting cells (SCs). Despite structural differences in the auditory organs, molecular mechanisms regulating the development of the auditory organ are evolutionarily conserved between mammals and aves. In ovo electroporation is largely limited to early stages at E1 - E3. Due to the relative late development of the auditory organ at E5, manipulations of the auditory organ by in ovo electroporation past E3 are difficult due to the advanced development of the chicken embryo at later stages. The method presented here is a transient gene transfer method for targeting genes of interest at stage E4 - E4.5 in the developing chicken auditory sensory organ via in ovo micro-electroporation. This method is applicable for gain- and loss-of-functions with conventional plasmid DNA-based expression vectors and can be combined with in ovo cell proliferation assay by adding EdU (5-ethynyl-2&#180;-deoxyuridine) to the whole embryo at the time of electroporation. The use of green or red fluorescent protein (GFP or RFP) expression plasmids allows the experimenter to quickly determine whether the electroporation successfully targeted the auditory portion of the developing inner ear. In this method paper, representative examples of GFP electroporated specimens are illustrated; embryos were harvested 18 - 96 hr&#160;after electroporation and targeting of GFP to the pro-sensory area of the auditory organ was confirmed by RNA in situ hybridization. The method paper also provides an optimized protocol for the use of the thymidine analog EdU to analyze cell proliferation; an example of an EdU based cell proliferation assay that combines immuno-labeling and click EdU chemistry is provided.

Gene Transfer into the Chicken Auditory Organ by In Ovo Micro-electroporation

The auditory organ mediates hearing. Here we present a modified in ovo micro-electroporation method optimized for studying auditory progenitor cell proliferation and differentiation in the developing chicken auditory organ.

チキン聴覚器官への遺伝子導入によって、<em&gt;卵内</em&gt;マイクロエレクト​​ロポレーション

Chicken embryos are ideal model systems for studying embryonic development as manipulations of gene function can be conducted with relative ease in ovo. ...

Culture of Adult Transgenic Zebrafish Retinal Explants for Live-cell Imaging by Multiphoton Microscopy

An endogenous regeneration program is initiated by M&#252;ller glia in the adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) retina following neuronal damage and death. The M&#252;ller glia re-enter the cell cycle and produce neuronal progenitor cells that undergo subsequent rounds of cell divisions and differentiate into the lost neuronal cell types. Both M&#252;ller glia and neuronal progenitor cell nuclei replicate their DNA and undergo mitosis in distinct locations of the retina, i.e. they migrate between the basal Inner Nuclear Layer (INL) and the Outer Nuclear Layer (ONL), respectively, in a process described as Interkinetic Nuclear Migration (INM). INM has predominantly been studied in the developing retina. To examine the dynamics of INM in the adult regenerating zebrafish retina in detail, live-cell imaging of fluorescently-labeled M&#252;ller glia/neuronal progenitor cells is required. Here, we provide the conditions to isolate and culture dorsal retinas from Tg[gfap:nGFP]mi2004 zebrafish that were exposed to constant intense light for 35 h. We also show that these retinal cultures are viable to perform live-cell imaging experiments, continuously acquiring z-stack images throughout the thickness of the retinal explant for up to 8 h using multiphoton microscopy to monitor the migratory behavior of gfap:nGFP-positive cells. In addition, we describe the details to perform post-imaging analysis to determine the velocity of apical and basal INM. To summarize, we established conditions to study the dynamics of INM in an adult model of neuronal regeneration. This will advance our understanding of this crucial cellular process and allow us to determine the mechanisms that control INM.

Zebrafish retinal regeneration has mostly been studied using fixed retinas. However, dynamic processes such as interkinetic nuclear migration occur during the regenerative response and require live-cell imaging to investigate the underlying mechanisms. Here, we describe culture and imaging conditions to monitor Interkinetic Nuclear Migration (INM) in real-time using multiphoton microscopy.

多光子顕微鏡によるライブセルイメージングのための大人のトランスジェニックゼブラフィッシュ網膜外植片の文化

An endogenous regeneration program is initiated by M&#252;ller glia in the adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) retina following neuronal damage and death. The ...

Dissection and Culture of Mouse Embryonic Kidney

The goal of this protocol is to describe a method for the dissection, isolation, and culture of mouse metanephric rudiments. 
During mammalian kidney development, the two progenitor tissues, the ureteric bud and the metanephric mesenchyme, communicate and reciprocally induce cellular mechanisms to eventually form the collecting system and the nephrons of the kidney. As mammalian embryos grow intrauterine and therefore are inaccessible to the observer, an organ culture has been developed. With this method, it is possible to study epithelial-mesenchymal interactions and cellular behavior during kidney organogenesis. Furthermore, the origin of congenital kidney and urogenital tract malformations can be investigated. After careful dissection, the metanephric rudiments are transferred onto a filter that floats on culture medium and can be kept in a cell culture incubator for several days. However, one must be aware that the conditions are artificial and could influence the metabolism in the tissue. Also, the penetration of test substances could be limited due to the extracellular matrix and basal membrane present in the explant.
One main advantage of organ culture is that the experimenter can gain direct access to the organ. This technology is cheap, simple, and allows a large number of modifications, such as the addition of biologically active substances, the study of genetic variants, and the application of advanced imaging techniques.

This protocol describes a method for isolating and culturing metanephric rudiments from mouse embryos.

マウス胎児腎臓の解剖および培養

The goal of this protocol is to describe a method for the dissection, isolation, and culture of mouse metanephric rudiments. 
During mammalian kidney ...

CRISPR-mediated Loss of Function Analysis in Cerebellar Granule Cells Using In Utero Electroporation-based Gene Transfer

Brain malformation is often caused by genetic mutations. Deciphering the mutations in patient-derived tissues has identified potential causative factors of the diseases. To validate the contribution of a dysfunction of the mutated genes to disease development, the generation of animal models carrying the mutations is one obvious approach. While germline genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs) are popular biological tools and exhibit reproducible results, it is restricted by time and costs. Meanwhile, non-germline GEMMs often enable exploring gene function in a more feasible manner. Since some brain diseases (e.g., brain tumors) appear to result from somatic but not germline mutations, non-germline chimeric mouse models, in which normal and abnormal cells coexist, could be helpful for disease-relevant analysis. In this study, we report a method for the induction of CRISPR-mediated somatic mutations in the cerebellum. Specifically, we utilized conditional knock-in mice, in which Cas9 and GFP are chronically activated by the CAG (CMV enhancer/chicken &#223;-actin) promoter after Cre-mediated recombination of the genome. The self-designed single-guide RNAs (sgRNAs) and the Cre recombinase sequence, both encoded in a single plasmid construct, were delivered into cerebellar stem/progenitor cells at an embryonic stage using in utero electroporation. Consequently, transfected cells and their daughter cells were labeled with green fluorescent protein (GFP), thus facilitating further phenotypic analyses. Hence, this method is not only showing electroporation-based gene delivery into embryonic cerebellar cells but also proposing a novel quantitative approach to assess CRISPR-mediated loss-of-function phenotypes.

CRISPR-mediated Loss of Function Analysis in Cerebellar Granule Cells Using In Utero Electroporation-based Gene Transfer

Conventional loss-of-function studies of genes using knockout animals have often been costly and time-consuming. Electroporation-based CRISPR-mediated somatic mutagenesis is a powerful tool to understand gene functions in vivo. Here, we report a method to analyze knockout phenotypes in proliferating cells of the cerebellum.

CRISPR を介した損失関数における小脳顆粒細胞のエレクトロポレーション法による遺伝子導入の子宮内を使用して

Brain malformation is often caused by genetic mutations. Deciphering the mutations in patient-derived tissues has identified potential causative factors ...

Isolation and Differentiation of Primary Myoblasts from Mouse Skeletal Muscle Explants

Primary myoblasts are undifferentiated proliferating precursors of skeletal muscle. They can be cultured and studied as muscle precursors or induced to differentiate into later stages of muscle development. The protocol provided here describes a robust method for the isolation and culture of a highly proliferative population of myoblast cells from young adult mouse skeletal muscle explants. These cells are useful for the study of the metabolic properties of skeletal muscle of different mouse models, as well as in other downstream applications such as transfection with exogenous DNA or transduction with viral expression vectors. The level of differentiation and metabolic profile of these cells depends on the length of exposure, and composition of the media used to induce myoblast differentiation. These methods provide a robust system for the study of mouse muscle cell metabolism ex vivo. Importantly, unlike in vivo models, the methods described here provide a cell population that can be expanded and studied with high levels of reproducibility.

Myoblasts are proliferating precursor cells that differentiate to form polynucleated myotubes and eventually skeletal muscle myofibers. Here, we present a protocol for efficient isolation and culture of primary myoblasts from young adult mouse skeletal muscles. The method enables molecular, genetic, and metabolic studies of muscle cells in culture.

マウス骨格筋移植からの原発性筋芽生の単離と分化

Primary myoblasts are undifferentiated proliferating precursors of skeletal muscle. They can be cultured and studied as muscle precursors or induced to ...