Name: mass isolation and in vitro cultivation of intramolluscan stages of the human blood fluke schistosoma mansoni
Uploaded: 2018-01-14T13:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Mass Isolation and In Vitro Cultivation of Intramolluscan Stages of the Human Blood Fluke Schistosoma Mansoni at JoVE.com

Funded in part by NIH grant RO1AI015503. Schistosome-infected mice were provided by the NIAID Schistosomiasis Resource Center at the Biomedical Research Institute (Rockville, MD) through NIH-NIAID Contract HHSN272201000005I for distribution through BEI Resources.

All animal care and experimental procedures were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of the University of Wisconsin-Madison under Protocol no. V005717. The following protocol involves working in a Biosafety Level 2 (BSL2) facility for human pathogens, although none of the schistosome stages depicted in this protocol are infective to humans or other mammals. Follow institutional policies for handling Risk Group 2 (RG2) human pathogens.
NOTE: We use female Swiss-Webster m...

<ol>
	<li>Colley, D. G., Bustinduy, A. L., Secor, W. E., King, C. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Human+schistosomiasis.">Human schistosomiasis.</a> Lancet. 383, 2253-2264 (2014).</li><li>WHO. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Schistosomiasis:+number+of+people+treated+worldwide+in+2013.">Schistosomiasis: number of people treated worldwide in 2013.</a> Wkly. Epidemiol. Rec. 5 (90), 25-32 (2015).</li><li>Yoshino, T. P., Gourbal, B., Th&#233;ron, A., Jamieson, B. G. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Schistosoma+sporocysts.">Schistosoma sporocysts.</a> Schistosoma: biology, pathology and control. , 118-148 (2017).</li><li>Bayne, C. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Successful+parasitism+of+vector+snail+Biomphalaria+glabrata+by+the+human+blood+fluke+(trematode)+Schistosoma+mansoni:+a+2009+assessment.">Successful parasitism of vector snail Biomphalaria glabrata by the human blood fluke (trematode) Schistosoma mansoni: a 2009 assessment.</a> Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. 165 (1), 8-18 (2009).</li><li>Yoshino, T. P., Coustau, C., Toledo, R., Fried, B. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Immunobiology+of+Biomphalaria-trematode+interactions.">Immunobiology of Biomphalaria-trematode interactions.</a> Biomphalaria snails and larval trematodes. , 159-189 (2011).</li><li>Coustau, C., 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=Advances+in+gastropod+immunity+from+the+study+of+the+interaction+between+the+snail+Biomphalaria+glabrata+and+its+parasites:+A+review+of+research+progress+over+the+last+decade.">Advances in gastropod immunity from the study of the interaction between the snail Biomphalaria glabrata and its parasites: A review of research progress over the last decade.</a> Fish Shellfish Immunol. 46 (1), 5-16 (2015).</li><li>Bayne, C. J., Hahn, U. K., Bender, R. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Mechanisms+of+molluscan+host+resistance+and+of+parasite+strategies+for+survival.">Mechanisms of molluscan host resistance and of parasite strategies for survival.</a> Parasitology. 123, S159-S167 (2001).</li><li>McMullen, D. B., Beaver, P. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Studies+on+schistosome+dermatitis.+IX.+The+life+cycles+of+three+dermatitis-producing+schistosomes+from+birds+and+a+discussion+of+the+subfamily+Bilharziellinae+(Trematoda:+Schistosomatidae).">Studies on schistosome dermatitis. IX. The life cycles of three dermatitis-producing schistosomes from birds and a discussion of the subfamily Bilharziellinae (Trematoda: Schistosomatidae).</a> Amer. J. Hyg. 42, 128-154 (1945).</li><li>Voge, M., Seidel, J. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Transformation+in+vitro+of+miracidia+of+Schistosoma+mansoni+and+S.+japonicum+into+young+sprocysts.">Transformation in vitro of miracidia of Schistosoma mansoni and S. japonicum into young sprocysts.</a> J. Parasitol. 58 (4), 699-704 (1972).</li><li>Eloi-Santos, S., Olsen, N. J., Correa-Oliveira, R., Colley, D. G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Schistosoma+mansoni:+mortality,+pathophysiology,+and+susceptibility+differences+in+male+and+female+mice.">Schistosoma mansoni: mortality, pathophysiology, and susceptibility differences in male and female mice.</a> Exp. Parasitol. 75 (2), 168-175 (1992).</li><li>Tucker, M. S., Karunaratne, L. B., Lewis, F. A., Freitas, T. C., Liang, Y. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Schistosomiasis.">Schistosomiasis.</a> Curr Proto Immunol. 103, 19.1:19.1.1-19.1.58 (2013).</li><li>Basch, P. F., DiConza, J. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+miracidium-sporocyst+transition+in+Schistosoma+mansoni:+surface+changes+in+vitro+with+ultrastructural+correlation.">The miracidium-sporocyst transition in Schistosoma mansoni: surface changes in vitro with ultrastructural correlation.</a> J. Parasitol. 60 (6), 935-941 (1974).</li><li>Hansen, E. L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Secondary+daughter+sporocysts+of+Schistosoma+mansoni:+their+occurrence+and+cultivation.">Secondary daughter sporocysts of Schistosoma mansoni: their occurrence and cultivation.</a> Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 266, 426-436 (1975).</li><li>Stibbs, H. H., Owczarzak, O., Bayne, C. J., DeWan, P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Schistosome+sporocyst-killing+amoebae+Isolated+from+Biomphalaria+glabrata.">Schistosome sporocyst-killing amoebae Isolated from Biomphalaria glabrata.</a> J. Invertebr. Pathol. 33, 159-170 (1979).</li><li>DiConza, J. J., Basch, P. F. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Axenic+cultivation+of+Schistosoma+mansoni+daughter+sporocysts.">Axenic cultivation of Schistosoma mansoni daughter sporocysts.</a> J. Parasitol. 60 (5), 757-763 (1974).</li><li>Hansen, E. L., Maramorosch, K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+cell+line+from+embryos+of+Biomphalaria+glabrata+(Pulmonata):+Establishment+and+characteristics.">A cell line from embryos of Biomphalaria glabrata (Pulmonata): Establishment and characteristics.</a> Invertebrate tissue culture: Research applications. , 75-97 (1976).</li><li>Yoshino, T. P., Laursen, J. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Production+of+Schistosoma+mansoni+daughter+sporocysts+from+mother+sporocysts+maintained+in+synxenic+culture+with+Biomphalaria+glabrata+embryonic+(Bge)+cells.">Production of Schistosoma mansoni daughter sporocysts from mother sporocysts maintained in synxenic culture with Biomphalaria glabrata embryonic (Bge) cells.</a> J. Parasitol. 81 (5), 714-722 (1995).</li><li>Ivanchenko, M. G., 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=Continuous+in+vitro+propagation+and+differentiation+of+cultures+of+the+intramolluscan+stages+of+the+human+parasite+Schistosoma+mansoni.">Continuous in vitro propagation and differentiation of cultures of the intramolluscan stages of the human parasite Schistosoma mansoni.</a> Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 96, 4965-4970 (1999).</li><li>Yoshino, T. P., Bayne, C. J., Bickham, U. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Molluscan+cells+in+culture:+primary+cell+cultures+and+cell+lines.">Molluscan cells in culture: primary cell cultures and cell lines.</a> Can. J. Zool. 91, 391-404 (2013).</li><li>Coustau, C., Yoshino, T. P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Flukes+without+snails:+Advances+in+the+in+vitro+cultivation+of+intramolluscan+stages+of+trematodes.">Flukes without snails: Advances in the in vitro cultivation of intramolluscan stages of trematodes.</a> Exp. Parasitol. 94, 62-66 (2000).</li><li>Milligan, J. N., Jolly, E. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cercarial+transformation+and+in+vitro+cultivation+of+Schistosoma+mansoni+schistosomules.">Cercarial transformation and in vitro cultivation of Schistosoma mansoni schistosomules.</a> J. Vis. Exp. (54), e3191 (2011).</li><li>Basch, P. F. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cultivation+of+Schistosoma+mansoniin+vitro.+II+production+of+infertile+eggs+by+worm+pairs+cultured+from+cercariae.">Cultivation of Schistosoma mansoniin vitro. II production of infertile eggs by worm pairs cultured from cercariae.</a> J. Parasitol. 67 (2), 186-190 (1981).</li></ol>

Miracidia of S. mansoni, isolated and manipulated as described herein, can infect only the snail intermediate host, and therefore do not represent a human biohazard during this phase of larval development. However, to avoid accidental exposure/infection of snails, care should be taken to perform miracidial isolations in a different location from areas where susceptible Biomphalaria snail species may be present or maintained. A separate room, registered as BSL2 space, is highly recommended. In addition, ...

The human blood flukes Schistosoma spp., are the causative agents of schistosomiasis, a neglected tropical disease afflicting an estimated 230 million people worldwide1. The most widespread species, Schistosoma mansoni, is geographically distributed in South America, the Caribbean archipelago, the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa2. The life cycle of S. mansoni, and other schistosomes, is complex, involving a mammalian definitive host and freshwater snails of the genus Biomphalaria that serve as obligate intermediate hosts.
S. mansoni male and female adult worm pairs living in the posterior mesenteric veins of the mammalian host reproduce, resulting in the release of embryonated eggs (ova) that become lodged in the small venules of the intestinal mucosa. Eggs then breaks through the vessel walls, migrate through mucosal tissue, and eventually enter the intestinal lumen where they are voided with the feces. When ova enter freshwater and free-swimming larvae (miracidia) hatch, they must, in short order, find a suitable Biomphalaria snail to infect in order to continue its life cycle. This infection process involves miracidial attachment to the snail&#39;s outer body surface followed by active penetration and entry of the larva into the host. Soon after entry, the miracidium begins to shed its outer ciliated epidermal plates as it forms a syncytium that will become the new outer surface (tegument) of the next larval stage, the primary or mother sporocyst. Through asexual reproduction, each primary sporocyst produces and releases a second generation of sporocysts, termed secondary or daughter sporocysts, which in turn, generate and release large numbers of the final intramolluscan stage, the cercaria3. Upon escape from the snail host, free-swimming cercariae are capable of attaching to and directly penetrating the skin of a human or other suitable mammalian host. Upon entry into their new host, cercariae transform to the parasitic schistosomula stage and invade the vascular system. They, in turn, migrate to the lung and then to the hepatic vein where they mature to adult worms, form male and female pairs and travel to the mesenteric veins to complete their life cycle.
Successful intramolluscan or &#34;snail phase&#34; development of larval schistosomes is essential to continuation of the cycle of human host-to-host transmission. Of critical importance is the period following entry of the free-swimming miracidium into the snail host and its early transformation to the primary sporocyst stage. Depending on the physiological and immunological compatibility between host and parasite, it is during this phase of larval development that initial success or failure to establish infections is determined4,5,6. Subsequent development of primary sporocysts capable of asexually producing secondary sporocysts, which then generate human-infective cercariae, further require a permissive physiological host environment that provides for all of the parasite&#39;s growth and reproductive needs.
To date, little is known about the underlying physiological, biochemical and molecular processes controlling schistosome-snail interactions, especially the molecules and pathways involved in regulating larval development and reproduction, or modulating host immune responses. Ready access to large numbers of these larval stages under in vitro culture conditions that permit experimental manipulation would greatly facilitate the discovery of developmental pathways and underlying mechanisms of cell growth, differentiation and reproduction. Critical parasite pathways or mechanisms, identified through in vitro experimentation, could then be used to disrupt larval growth/reproduction in the snail host, or to identify snail host immune mechanisms involved in recognition and elimination of miracidial or sporocyst stages.
In this article and video presentation, we provide a detailed description of a method for isolating large numbers of free-swimming S. mansoni miracidia for introduction into in vitro culture that may then be subjected to follow-up experimental manipulation (see Figure 1 for a schematic overview of the protocol workflow). Although similar procedures have been described previously7,8,9, we felt that a detailed protocol would be useful to researchers who wish to employ this model to address still unanswered questions related to intramolluscan larval development, cellular proliferation, and schistosome-snail immune interactions. In addition, this approach could easily be adapted for isolation of eggs from other medically important trematodes such as bladder-dwelling S. haematobium, liver flukes or lung flukes.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Chernin&#39;s balanced salt solution (CBSS+)</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>For 1L of solution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2.8 g sodium chloride</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>S271-3</td>
			<td>Dissolve salts, except calcium chloride, and&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>0.15 g of potassium chloride&#160;</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>P5405</td>
			<td>sugars in 800 mL ddH2O</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>0.07 g sodium phosphate, dibasic anhydrous</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>S374-500</td>
			<td>Dissolve calcium chloride separately in 200&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>0.45 g magnesium sulfate heptahydrate&#160;</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>M1880</td>
			<td>mL ddH2O</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>0.53 g calcium chloride dihydrate&#160;</td>
			<td>Mallinckrodt</td>
			<td>4160</td>
			<td>Slowly add calcium soln to the salt/sugar soln with&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>0.05 g sodium bicarbonate&#160;&#160;</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>S233-3</td>
			<td>with constant mixing</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>1 g glucose</td>
			<td>MP Biomedicals</td>
			<td>152527</td>
			<td>Adjust to pH 7.2 and filter sterilize using a&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>1 g trehalose</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>T0167</td>
			<td>0.22 &#181;m disposable bottle-top filter</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>10 mL 100X penicillin/streptomycin</td>
			<td>Hyclone</td>
			<td>SV30010</td>
			<td>Add filtered penicillin and streptomycin soln&#160; 
			prior use</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Incomplete Bge&#160; medium (Ibge)</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>For 900 mL solution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>220 mL Schneider&#8217;s Drosophila medium modified</td>
			<td>Lonza</td>
			<td>04-351Q</td>
			<td>Mix Schneider&#39;s medium with 680 mL ddH2O</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>4.5 g lactalbumin enzymatic hydrolysate</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>L9010</td>
			<td>Add lactalbumin hydrolysate and galactose</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>1.3 g galactose</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>G0625</td>
			<td>Adjust to pH 7.2 and filter sterilize using a 0.22 &#181;m 
			pre-sterilized disposable bottle-top filter</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Complete Bge medium (cBge)</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>For 100 mL of solution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>90 mL Incomplete Bge medium</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>To heat-inactivate FBS: Incubate thawed FBS in&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>9 mL heat-inact. fetal bovine serum (FBS) (Optima)</td>
			<td>Atlanta Biologicals</td>
			<td>S12450</td>
			<td>waterbath at 60&#176;C for 1 hr while gently&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>1 mL 100X penicillin/streptomycin</td>
			<td>Hyclone</td>
			<td>SV30010</td>
			<td>swirling the bottle every 10 min 
			Aliquot heat-inactivated FBS into 15-mL tubes&#160; 
			and store at -20&#176;C.&#160; Mix medium + FBS and 
			filter sterilize using a 0.22 &#181;m pre-sterilized&#160; 
			disposable bottle-top filter&#160; 
			Add penicillin and streptomycin prior to use</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Pond water (stock solution)</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>1L of stock solution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>12.5 g calcium carbonate</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>C64-500</td>
			<td>Mix all salts in 1L of ddH2O</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>1.25 g magnesium carbonate</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>M27-500</td>
			<td>Note that the salts will not have completely&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>1.25 g&#160; sodium chloride</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>S271-3</td>
			<td>dissolved.&#160; Shake vigorously to suspend&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>0.25 g&#160; potassium chloride</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>P5405</td>
			<td>salts prior to making the working soln&#160;&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Pond water (working solution)</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>1.5L of solution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>0.8 mL stock solution pond water (shake prior use) in&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Mix stock to ddH2O</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>1500 mL of ddH2O</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Sterilize pond water by autoclaving (slow&#160;cycle)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>1.5 mL of 100X penicillin/streptomycin&#160;</td>
			<td>Hyclone</td>
			<td>SV30010</td>
			<td>Add penicillin and streptomycin prior use</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Saline solution (1.2% NaCl)</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>1.5L of solution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>18 g sodium chloride in 1500 mL of ddH2O</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>S271-3</td>
			<td>Autoclave saline solution to sterilize</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>1.5 mL of 100X penicillin/ streptomycin</td>
			<td>Hyclone</td>
			<td>SV30010</td>
			<td>Add penicillin and streptomycin prior use</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Additional equipment and material:&#160;</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>7-L mouse euthanizing chamber</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Following approved IACUC protocol no. V001551</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Mice</td>
			<td>Taconic Biosciences</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Swiss-Webster, female, 6-wk old, murine&#160;&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>CO2 tank and regulator</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>pathogen-free</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>24-well tissue culture plate</td>
			<td>TPP</td>
			<td>92424</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>1-L volumetric flasks</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Light source (150W)</td>
			<td>Chiu Tech Corp</td>
			<td>Model F0-150</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Centrifuge, refrigerated, swinging bucket</td>
			<td>Eppendorf</td>
			<td>Model 5810R</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Centrifuge bottles (250 mL)</td>
			<td>Nalgene</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>15-mL centrifuge tubes, sterile</td>
			<td>Corning</td>
			<td>430053</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sterile disposable transfer pipets&#160;</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>1371120</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>0.22 &#181;m pre-sterilized disposable bottle-top filter&#160;</td>
			<td>EMD Millipore</td>
			<td>SCGPS05RE</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Stainless steel blender</td>
			<td>Waring Commercial</td>
			<td>Model 51BL31</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Blender cup, 100 mL capacity</td>
			<td>Waring Commercial</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Inverted compound microscope</td>
			<td>Nikon Instruments&#160;</td>
			<td>Eclipse TE300</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

mass isolation and in vitro cultivation of intramolluscan stages of the human blood fluke schistosoma mansoni

Human blood flukes, Schistosoma spp., have a complex life cycle that involves asexual and sexual developmental phases within a snail intermediate and mammalian final host, respectively. The ability to isolate and sustain the different life cycle stages under in vitro culture conditions has greatly facilitated investigations of the cellular, biochemical and molecular mechanisms regulating parasite growth, development and host interactions. Transmission of schistosomiasis requires asexual reproduction and development of multiple larval stages within the snail host; from the infective miracidium, through primary and secondary sporocysts, to the final cercarial stage that is infective to humans. In this paper we present a step-by-step protocol for mass hatching and isolation of Schistosoma mansoni miracidia from eggs obtained from livers of infected mice, and their subsequent introduction into in vitro culture. It is anticipated that the detailed protocol will encourage new researchers to engage in and broaden this important field of schistosome research.

The vast majority of miracidia typically will have been collected in the first two &#34;harvests&#34;. Incubation of isolated miracidia in CBSS+ triggers the miracidium-to-sporocyst transformation process (Figure 4A-C). Within the first hour following transfer to culture wells containing CBSS+, the majority of miracidia cease swimming (Figure 4A). At 6 h in culture, miracidia are in the process of actively sheddi...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Mass Isolation and In Vitro Cultivation of Intramolluscan Stages of the Human Blood Fluke Schistosoma Mansoni at JoVE.com

Mass Isolation and In Vitro Cultivation of Intramolluscan Stages of the Human Blood Fluke Schistosoma Mansoni

This article describes a protocol for the large-scale axenic isolation and collection of free-swimming miracidia of the human blood fluke Schistosoma mansoni and their subsequent processing for introduction into in vitro culture.

Mass Isolation and In Vitro Cultivation of Intramolluscan Stages of the Human Blood Fluke Schistosoma Mansoni

Human blood flukes, Schistosoma spp., have a complex life cycle that involves asexual and sexual developmental phases within a snail intermediate and ...

In this video, we describe a detailed protocol for the large scale hatching and isolation of free swimming Schistosoma mansoni miracidia and the subsequent introduction into in vitro culture. Schistosoma mansoni is one of four major blood fluke species that infect over two hundred million people worldwide causing the neglected tropical disease known as Schistosomiasis. The schistosome life cycle is complex involving snails as intermediate hosts and mammals including humans as the definitive hosts.In vitro cultivation of larval and adult schistosomes represents an invaluable tool for advancing research towards control and elimination of this parasitic disease. In this video, using a mouse model to produce S.mansoni eggs containing the snail-infected miracidial stage, we illustrate a step by step procedure for mass isolation of miracidia hatched from eggs recovered from livers and their in vitro cultivation. Assisting me in this demonstration is Nathalie Dinguirard and Codie Heinemann.The following is a workflow diagram illustrating the three major steps to be covered in the accompanying video. In the first segment, we illustrate the processing of infected livers. Using mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni adults, we will describe how to remove their infected livers and the steps used to prepare them for tissue blending including removing a non-liver tissue and subsequent washing in sterile saline solution.In the second segment, we will show how eggs are extracted from livers and miracidia are isolated. Eggs are released from livers by mechanical blending followed by the repeated washing of the homogenized liver tissue in saline by centrifugation. Pelleted liver tissue containing eggs are then re-suspended in sterile artificial pond water and carefully transferred to foil covered volumetric flasks.Excess foam and floating liver debris is eliminated by the rapid sequential removal and addition of approximately 12 mills of pond water to the flask. After the last wash, pre-warmed pond water is gently added to the flask followed by illumination of the top few centimeters of the flask neck with the bright light source to attract miracidia. Once the miracidia have accumulated at the light source, in the third and final segment of the video, we will demonstrate the collection of these larvae and their cultivation.Miracidia are transferred from the flask to 15 milliliters centrifuged tubes. Then immobilized on ice and concentrated by centrifugation. In the final steps, miracidia are pulled into a single tube.The pond water is replaced with Chernin's balanced salt solution and miracidia are allocated into wells of the 24 well tissue culture plate for in vitro cultivation at 26 degrees centigrade. After euthanizing infected mice following institutional animal care approved protocols, they are placed on their back and 70%ethanol is sprayed on the ventral surfaces. To remove the liver, pinch and pull up skin of the lower abdomen and cut across the pinched skin with sterile surgical scissors.Pull the skin up to reveal the liver and gently remove it by hand. Livers from infected mice appear enlarged and speckled due to an egg-induced granulomatous response. Once the liver's removed, place it in a beaker containing 200 mills of sterile 1.2%saline solution containing Pen Strep and proceed to remover livers from the remaining mice.Livers are then transferred to a sterile Petri dish and any non-liver fat and connective tissues are removed with sterile forceps. Once the trimming is complete, livers are transferred to sterile 250 milliliter centrifuge bottles containing approximately 200 mills of sterile saline and vigorously shaken to suspend the extraneous tissues and excess blood. Using a sterile disposable pipette, remove the surface foam and any floating tissue debris.Recap the bottle and vigorously shake a second time followed by, again, removing foam and debris and then carefully decanting and discarding the saline wash solution. Add 200 milliliters of fresh saline solution to the livers and repeat the process three more times. You should see a noticeable clearing of the discarded wash solution.Place the washed livers into a small sterile stainless steel blender cup and add approximately two mills of saline with antibiotics. Cover the cup with foil and a Petri dish to prevent spills and blend for one minute by alternating low and high speeds. After blending, evenly distribute the liver suspension into sterile 250 milliliter centrifuged bottles.Typically, four bottles are used when processing 20 livers. Fill each bottle with approximately 200 milliliters of sterile saline. Weigh or balance the bottles and shake each one prior to centrifuging the blended livers.Following centrifugation, gently decant and discard the wash saline. You should observe the pelleted liver sediment containing the eggs at the bottom of the bottle and then repeat this step once more by adding 200 milliliters of fresh saline to each bottle and shaking vigorously to thoroughly re-suspend the liver sediment prior to centrifuging. During the centrifugation step, prepare two sterile one liter volumetric flasks by covering them completely with aluminum foil except for the top three centimeters.Use separate pieces of foil to cover the body and neck of the flask to facilitate washing steps that will be described in the next segment. Okay, back to the livers. After centrifugation and discarding the last saline wash, add 200 milliliters of sterile artificial pond water containing Pen Strep to the pelleted liver tissue and again shake to completely re-suspend the sediment.Carefully transfer the pond water liver suspension to the volumetric flasks that are now covered with aluminum foil. Using sterile pond water, fill up the flask including the neck and without delay, remove residual foam and floating liver tissue by quickly pipetting up approximately 12 mills of pond water containing debris and discarding it into a separate tube. Replace the fresh pond water and repeat this cleaning step three more times checking for the presence of miracidia in the discard tube.Seize additional cleaning steps if miracidia appear swimming in the discard tube or when no more tissue debris is observed. After the last wash, slowly add eight milliliters of pre-warmed sterile pond water to create a temperature gradient at the top of the flask. This is best accomplished by slowly discharging water along the side of the flask neck to avoid mixing.Place a small Petri dish to cover the flask opening and shine a bright light across the top of the neck above the foil cover to illuminate the upper surface of the water. Typically, within five to 10 minutes, swimming miracidia attracted to the light will concentrate in large numbers within the top two to three centimeters of the pond water surface. When miracidia have amassed at the surface, using a sterile pipette, remove and transfer approximately eight mills of pond water to a sterile 15 mill centrifuged tube.Place the tube containing miracidia on ice. Add eight mills of warm, sterile pond water along the side of the volumetric flask and wait for another 10 minutes. Repeat the collection of miracidia three more times using new 15 mill tubes each time.After the fourth collection, keep the final tube on ice for 10 minutes to allow immobilized miracidia to settle. This first set of isolated parasites typically represents approximately 80%of the total miracidial harvest. Pellet miracidia by centrifuging tubes for one minute in a pre-cooled refrigerated centrifuge.Following centrifugation, immediately remove most of the supernatant, being careful not to disturb the parasite pellets. This step should be done quickly as miracidia will soon begin to start swimming. Gently re-suspend the miracidia and transfer them to a single 15 mill tube.Rinse each of the original tubes with approximately one mill of sterile pond water and add to the pooled tube. Allow parasites to settle on ice for about five minutes and again, pellet them by centrifugation. Carefully remove the supernatant without disturbing the pellet and add six to eight milliliters of sterile Chernin's balanced salt solution or CBSS containing antibiotics.Gently re-suspend the miracidia in CBSS and allocate them into a 24 well tissue culture plate. Incubate parasites at 26 degrees centigrade under normoxic conditions. As you can see, miracidia will actively swim in wells following initial incubation and most will start to settle at the bottom of the well to begin transforming to the primary sporocyst stage.Larvae will start shedding the ciliated epidermal plates after two to three hours in CBSS culture. After 24 hours, the vast majority of miracidia will have shed their plates and completed their transformation to sporocysts. In vitro cultivation of parasitic elements, especially those of medical and veterinary importance, represents an invaluable research tool, not only for identifying and characterizing unique pathways, regulating growth, development, reproduction, and host immune interactions, but also by providing practical methods for screening identified molecules and pathways for potential therapeutic intervention.Looking to the future with development and continual refinement of tools currently available for manipulating genes and gene expression in vitro through transgenic RNA interference and genome editing approaches, it is envisioned that efficient methods for large scale isolation and cultivation of miracidia from other important schistosome species, for example, liver flukes or lung flukes will be needed to further research advancements in this field. We anticipate that the basic approach for the isolation of larval schistosomes presented here could be easily adapted to accommodate these and other helmin species.

mass-isolation-vitro-cultivation-intramolluscan-stages-human-blood

Research

JoVE Journal

Developmental Biology

Isolation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells and their Cultivation on the Porous Bone Matrix

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have a differentiation potential towards osteoblastic lineage when they are stimulated with soluble factors or specific biomaterials. This work presents a novel option for the delivery of MSCs from human amniotic membrane (AM-hMSCs) that employs bovine bone matrix Nukbone (NKB) as a scaffold. Thus, the application of MSCs in repair and tissue regeneration processes depends principally on the efficient implementation of the techniques for placing these cells in a host tissue. For this reason, the design of biomaterials and cellular scaffolds has gained importance in recent years because the topographical characteristics of the selected scaffold must ensure adhesion, proliferation and differentiation into the desired cell lineage in the microenvironment of the injured tissue. This option for the delivery of MSCs from human amniotic membrane (AM-hMSCs) employs bovine bone matrix as a cellular scaffold and is an efficient culture technique because the cells respond to the topographic characteristics of the bovine bone matrix Nukbone (NKB), i.e., spreading on the surface, macroporous covering and colonizing the depth of the biomaterial, after the cell isolation process. We present the procedure for isolating and culturing MSCs on a bovine matrix.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have a differentiation potential towards osteoblastic lineage when they are stimulated with soluble factors or specific biomaterials. This work presents a novel option for the delivery of MSCs from human amniotic membrane (AM-hMSCs) that employs the bovine bone matrix Nukbone (NKB) as a scaffold.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have a differentiation potential towards osteoblastic lineage when they are stimulated with soluble factors or specific ...

Analysis of Zebrafish Larvae Skeletal Muscle Integrity with Evans Blue Dye

The zebrafish model is an emerging system for the study of neuromuscular disorders. In the study of neuromuscular diseases, the integrity of the muscle membrane is a critical disease determinant. To date, numerous neuromuscular conditions display degenerating muscle fibers with abnormal membrane integrity; this is most commonly observed in muscular dystrophies. Evans Blue Dye (EBD) is a vital, cell permeable dye that is rapidly taken into degenerating, damaged, or apoptotic cells; in contrast, it is not taken up by cells with an intact membrane. EBD injection is commonly employed to ascertain muscle integrity in mouse models of neuromuscular diseases. However, such EBD experiments require muscle dissection and/or sectioning prior to analysis. In contrast, EBD uptake in zebrafish is visualized in live, intact preparations. Here, we demonstrate a simple and straightforward methodology for performing EBD injections and analysis in live zebrafish. In addition, we demonstrate a co-injection strategy to increase efficacy of EBD analysis. Overall, this video article provides an outline to perform EBD injection and characterization in zebrafish models of neuromuscular disease.

In this study, we describe a straightforward method to perform Evans Blue Dye (EBD) analysis on zebrafish larvae. This technique is a powerful tool for the characterization of skeletal muscle integrity and delineation of zebrafish models of muscular dystrophy, and is a valuable method for the development of novel therapeutics.

The zebrafish model is an emerging system for the study of neuromuscular disorders.  In the study of neuromuscular diseases, the integrity of the muscle ...

Isolation of Mouse Endometrial Epithelial and Stromal Cells for In Vitro Decidualization

Decidualization is a progesterone-dependent differentiation process of endometrial stromal cells and is a prerequisite for successful embryo implantation. Although many efforts have been made to reveal the underlying mechanisms of decidualization, the exact signaling between the epithelial cells that are in contact with the embryo and the underlying stromal cells remains poorly understood. Therefore, studying decidualization in a way that takes both the epithelial and stromal cells into account could improve our knowledge about the molecular details of decidualization. For this purpose, in vivo models of artificial decidualization are physiologically the most relevant; however, manipulation of intercellular communication is limited. Currently, in vitro cultures of endometrial stromal cells are being used to investigate the modulation of decidualization by several signaling molecules. Conventionally, human or mouse endometrial stromal cells are used. However, the availability of human samples is very often limited. Furthermore, the use of murine tissues is accompanied with variety in the method of culturing. This study presents a validated and standardized method to obtain pure Endometrial Epithelial Cell (EEC) and Stromal Cell (ESC) cultures using adult intact mice treated with estrogen for three consecutive days. The protocol is optimized to improve the yield, viability, and purity of the cells and was further extended in order to study decidualization in a coculture of EEC and ESC. This model may be suitable to exploit the importance of both cell types in decidualization and to evaluate the contribution of significant signaling molecules secreted by EEC or ESC during the intercellular communication.

Isolation of Mouse Endometrial Epithelial and Stromal Cells for In Vitro Decidualization

This study presents a standardized and validated method for the isolation and culture of primary mouse endometrial stromal and epithelial cells, which can be used in a coculture system to study in vitro decidualization.

Decidualization is a progesterone-dependent differentiation process of endometrial stromal cells and is a prerequisite for successful embryo implantation. ...

In Vitro Ovule Cultivation for Live-cell Imaging of Zygote Polarization and Embryo Patterning in Arabidopsis thaliana

In most flowering plants, the zygote and embryo are hidden deep in the mother tissue, and thus it has long been a mystery of how they develop dynamically; for example, how the zygote polarizes to establish the body axis and how the embryo specifies various cell fates during organ formation. This manuscript describes an in vitro ovule culture method to perform live-cell imaging of developing zygotes and embryos of Arabidopsis thaliana. The optimized cultivation medium allows zygotes or early embryos to grow into fertile plants. By combining it with a poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) micropillar array device, the ovule is held in the liquid medium in the same position. This fixation is crucial to observe the same ovule under a microscope for several days from the zygotic division to the late embryo stage. The resulting live-cell imaging can be used to monitor the real-time dynamics of zygote polarization, such as nuclear migration and cytoskeleton rearrangement, and also the cell division timing and cell fate specification during embryo patterning. Furthermore, this ovule cultivation system can be combined with inhibitor treatments to analyze the effects of various factors on embryo development, and with optical manipulations such as laser disruption to examine the role of cell-cell communication.

In Vitro Ovule Cultivation for Live-cell Imaging of Zygote Polarization and Embryo Patterning in Arabidopsis thaliana

This manuscript describes an in vitro ovule cultivation method that enables live-cell imaging of Arabidopsis zygotes and embryos. This method is utilized to visualize the intracellular dynamics during zygote polarization and the cell fate specification in developing embryos.

In most flowering plants, the zygote and embryo are hidden deep in the mother tissue, and thus it has long been a mystery of how they develop dynamically; ...

Isolation of Endothelial Progenitor Cells from Human Umbilical Cord Blood

The existence of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in peripheral blood and its involvement in vasculogenesis was first reported by Ashara and colleagues1. Later, others documented the existence of similar types of EPCs originating from bone marrow2,3. More recently, Yoder and Ingram showed that EPCs derived from umbilical cord blood had a higher proliferative potential compared to ones isolated from adult peripheral blood4,5,6. Apart from being involved in postnatal vasculogenesis, EPCs have also shown promise as a cell source for creating tissue-engineered vascular and heart valve constructs7,8. Various isolation protocols exist, some of which involve the cell sorting of mononuclear cells (MNCs) derived from the sources mentioned earlier with the help of endothelial and hematopoietic markers, or culturing these MNCs with specialized endothelial growth medium, or a combination of these techniques9. Here, we present a protocol for the isolation and culture of EPCs using specialized endothelial medium supplemented with growth factors, without the use of immunosorting, followed by the characterization of the isolated cells using Western blotting and immunostaining.

The goal of this protocol is to isolate endothelial progenitor cells from umbilical cord blood. Some of the applications include using these cells as a biomarker for identifying patients with cardiovascular risk, treating ischemic diseases, and creating tissue-engineered vascular and heart valve constructs.

The existence of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in peripheral blood and its involvement in vasculogenesis was first reported by Ashara and ...

Corneal Tissue Engineering: An In Vitro Model of the Stromal-nerve Interactions of the Human Cornea

Tissue engineering has gained substantial recognition due to the high demand for human cornea replacements with an estimated 10 million people worldwide suffering from corneal vision loss1. To address the demand for viable human corneas, significant progress in three-dimensional (3D) tissue engineering has been made2,3,4. These cornea models range from simple monolayer systems to multilayered models, leading to 3D full-thickness corneal equivalents2.
However, the use of a 3D tissue-engineered cornea in the context of in vitro disease models studied to date lacks resemblance to the multilayered 3D corneal tissue structure, function, and the networking of different cell types (i.e., nerve, epithelium, stroma, and endothelium)2,3. In addition, the demand for in vitro cornea tissue models has increased in an attempt to reduce animal testing for pharmaceutical products. Thus, more sophisticated models are required to better match systems to human physiological requirements, and the development of a model that is more relevant to the patient population is absolutely necessary. Given that multiple cell types in the cornea are affected by diseases and dystrophies, such as Keratoconus, Diabetic Keratopathy, and Fuchs, this model includes a 3D co-culture model of primary human corneal fibroblasts (HCFs) from healthy donors and neurons from the SH-SY5Y cell line. This allows us for the first time to investigate the interactions between the two cell types within the human corneal tissue. We believe that this model could potentially dissect the underlying mechanisms associated with the stromal-nerve interactions of corneal diseases that exhibit nerve damages. This 3D model mirrors the basic anatomical and physiological nature of the corneal tissue in vivo and can be used in the future as a tool for investigating corneal defects as well as screening the efficacy of various agents before animal testing.

Corneal Tissue Engineering: An In Vitro Model of the Stromal-nerve Interactions of the Human Cornea

This protocol describes a novel three-dimensional in vitro model, where corneal stromal cells and differentiated neuronal cells are cultured together to assist in the examination and understanding of the interactions of the two cell types.

Tissue engineering has gained substantial recognition due to the high demand for human cornea replacements with an estimated 10 million people worldwide ...

Cell Aggregation Assays to Evaluate the Binding of the Drosophila Notch with Trans-Ligands and its Inhibition by Cis-Ligands

Notch signaling is an evolutionarily conserved cell-cell communication system used broadly in animal development and adult maintenance. Interaction of the Notch receptor with ligands from neighboring cells induces activation of the signaling pathway (trans-activation), while interaction with ligands from the same cell inhibits signaling (cis-inhibition). Proper balance between trans-activation and cis-inhibition helps establish optimal levels of Notch signaling in some contexts during animal development. Because of the overlapping expression domains of Notch and its ligands in many cell types and the existence of feedback mechanisms, studying the effects of a given post-translational modification on trans- versus cis-interactions of Notch and its ligands in vivo is difficult. Here, we describe a protocol for using Drosophila S2 cells in cell-aggregation assays to assess the effects of knocking down a Notch pathway modifier on the binding of Notch to each ligand in trans and in cis. S2 cells stably or transiently transfected with a Notch-expressing vector are mixed with cells expressing each Notch ligand (S2-Delta or S2-Serrate). Trans-binding between the receptor and ligands results in the formation of heterotypic cell aggregates and is measured in terms of the number of aggregates per mL composed of &#62;6 cells. To examine the inhibitory effect of cis-ligands, S2 cells co-expressing Notch and each ligand are mixed with S2-Delta or S2-Serrate cells and the number of aggregates is quantified as described above. The relative decrease in the number of aggregates due to the presence of cis-ligands provides a measure of cis-ligand-mediated inhibition of trans-binding. These straightforward assays can provide semi-quantitative data on the effects of genetic or pharmacological manipulations on the binding of Notch to its ligands, and can help deciphering the molecular mechanisms underlying the in vivo effects of such manipulations on Notch signaling.

Cell Aggregation Assays to Evaluate the Binding of the Drosophila Notch with Trans-Ligands and its Inhibition by Cis-Ligands

Complexity of in vivo systems makes it difficult to distinguish between the activation and inhibition of Notch receptor by trans- and cis-ligands, respectively. Here, we present a protocol based on in vitro cell-aggregation assays for qualitative and semi-quantitative evaluation of the binding of Drosophila Notch to trans-ligands vs cis-ligands.

Notch signaling is an evolutionarily conserved cell-cell communication system used broadly in animal development and adult maintenance. Interaction of the ...

Isolation of Human Endometrial Stromal Cells for In Vitro Decidualization

The differentiation of human endometrial stromal cells (HESC) from fibroblast-like appearance into secretory decidua is a transformation required for embryo implantation into the uterine lining of the maternal womb. Improper decidualization has been established as a root cause for implantation failure and subsequent early embryo miscarriage. Therefore, understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying decidualization is advantageous to improving the rate of successful births. In vivo based studies of artificial decidualization are often limiting due to ethical dilemmas associated with human research, as well as translational complications within animal models. As a result, in vitro assays through primary cell culture are often utilized to explore the modulation of decidualization via hormones. This study provides a detailed protocol for the isolation of HESC and subsequent artificial decidualization via the supplementation of hormones to the culturing medium. Further, this study provides a well-designed method to knockdown any gene of interest by utilizing lipid-based siRNA transfections. This protocol permits the optimization of culture purity as well as product yield, thereby maximizing the ability to utilize this model as a reliable method to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying decidualization, and the subsequent quantification of secreted agents by decidualized endometrial stromal cells.

Isolation of Human Endometrial Stromal Cells for In Vitro Decidualization

This study presents a validated and optimized procedure for the isolation and culture of human endometrial stromal cells to conduct in vitro decidualization assay. Further, this study provides a detailed method to efficiently knockdown a specific gene using siRNAs in human endometrial stromal cells.

The differentiation of human endometrial stromal cells (HESC) from fibroblast-like appearance into secretory decidua is a transformation required for ...

Imaging and Analysis of Tissue Orientation and Growth Dynamics in the Developing Drosophila Epithelia During Pupal Stages

Within multicellular organisms, mature tissues and organs display high degrees of order in the spatial arrangements of their constituent cells. A remarkable example is given by sensory epithelia, where cells of the same or distinct identities are brought together via cell-cell adhesion showing highly organized planar patterns. Cells align to one another in the same direction and display equivalent polarity over large distances. This organization of the mature epithelia is established over the course of morphogenesis. To understand how the planar arrangement of the mature epithelia is achieved, it is crucial to track cell orientation and growth dynamics with high spatiotemporal fidelity during development in vivo. Robust analytical tools are also essential to identify and characterize local-to-global transitions. The Drosophila pupa is an ideal system to evaluate oriented cell shape changes underlying epithelial morphogenesis. The pupal developing epithelium constitutes the external surface of the immobile body, allowing long-term imaging of intact animals. The protocol described here is designed to image and analyze cell behaviors at both global and local levels in the pupal abdominal epidermis as it grows. The methodology described can be easily adapted to the imaging of cell behaviors at other developmental stages, tissues, subcellular structures, or model organisms.

Imaging and Analysis of Tissue Orientation and Growth Dynamics in the Developing Drosophila Epithelia During Pupal Stages

This protocol is designed for the imaging and analysis of the dynamics of cell orientation and tissue growth in the Drosophila abdominal epithelia as the fruit fly undergoes metamorphosis. The methodology described here can be applied to the study of different developmental stages, tissues, and subcellular structures in Drosophila or other model organisms.

Within multicellular organisms, mature tissues and organs display high degrees of order in the spatial arrangements of their constituent cells. A ...

Generation of a Human iPSC-Based Blood-Brain Barrier Chip

The blood brain barrier (BBB) is formed by neurovascular units (NVUs) that shield the central nervous system (CNS) from a range of factors found in the blood that can disrupt delicate brain function. As such, the BBB is a major obstacle to the delivery of therapeutics to the CNS. Accumulating evidence suggests that the BBB plays a key role in the onset and progression of neurological diseases. Thus, there is a tremendous need for a BBB model that can predict penetration of CNS-targeted drugs as well as elucidate the BBB&#39;s role in health and disease.
We have recently combined organ-on-chip and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technologies to generate a BBB chip fully personalized to humans. This novel platform displays cellular, molecular, and physiological properties that are suitable for the prediction of drug and molecule transport across the human BBB. Furthermore, using patient-specific BBB chips, we have generated models of neurological disease and demonstrated the potential for personalized predictive medicine applications. Provided here is a detailed protocol demonstrating how to generate iPSC-derived BBB chips, beginning with differentiation of iPSC-derived brain microvascular endothelial cells (iBMECs) and resulting in mixed neural cultures containing neural progenitors, differentiated neurons, and astrocytes. Also described is a procedure for seeding cells into the organ chip and culturing of the BBB chips under controlled laminar flow. Lastly, detailed descriptions of BBB chip analyses are provided, including paracellular permeability assays for assessing drug and molecule permeability as well as immunocytochemical methods for determining the composition of cell types within the chip.

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a multicellular neurovascular unit tightly regulating brain homeostasis. By combining human iPSCs and organ-on-chip technologies, we have generated a personalized BBB chip, suitable for disease modeling and CNS drug penetrability predictions. A detailed protocol is described for the generation and operation of the BBB chip.

The blood brain barrier (BBB) is formed by neurovascular units (NVUs) that shield the central nervous system (CNS) from a range of factors found in the ...