Name: using primary neurosphere cultures to study primary cilia
Uploaded: 2017-04-14T12:30:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Using Primary Neurosphere Cultures to Study Primary Cilia at JoVE.com

Work in S.M.'s laboratory is funded by recruitment grants from CPRIT (R1220) and NIH (1R01GM113023-01).

1. Isolation of Neurospheres from the Adult Mouse Brain
<ol>
	<li>Euthanize an adult mouse (around 2 months old) by an overdose of isoflurane. Double-check that the mouse has stopped breathing and dissect immediately after death.</li>
	<li>Using scissors, make a midline incision to open the skull. Remove the brain.</li>
	<li>Place the brain in cold PBS in a 10 cm dish on ice. Follow the whole-mount dissection method to obtain the SVZ from the lateral ventricle48.</li>
	<li>Place the lateral vent...

Here, we describe a method to generate and maintain neurosphere cultures from adult mouse SVZ. A few pertinent points regarding the cultures are as follows. First, the sizes of the spheres are typically between 50 - 200 &#181;m. In our experience, when a neurosphere gets larger than 300 &#181;m in diameter, the optimal time for passaging has been missed. These larger spheres contain dead cells in the core. Second, as neurospheres are commonly used to study neural stem/progenitor cells, it is important to use EGF and FGF-...

The primary cilium is a microtubule-based dynamic subcellular compartment that functions as a sensory antenna in coordinating cellular signaling pathways, including the Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) pathway during embryonic neuronal development1,2, and compartmentalized subcellular signaling in adult neuronal function3,4. Signaling components of these pathways, such as the Shh receptor Patched5; the pathway activator Smoothened (Smo)6; and Gpr1617, an orphan G Protein-coupled Receptor (GPCR) that negatively regulates the Shh pathway, localize to cilia in a dynamic fashion. Multiple GPCRs have been reported to localize to the cilia in neurons in the brain7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16. Defects in cilia and cilia-generated signaling pathways affect multiple tissues and are collectively known as ciliopathies17,18,19. The ciliopathy disease spectrum frequently includes neurodevelopmental defects, such as craniofacial abnormalities20,21,22. In addition, primary cilia in hypothalamic neurons regulate central satiety pathways, and defects result in central obesity23, mirroring obesity in syndromic ciliopathies such as Bardet Biedel syndrome24. In addition, neuropeptide receptor signaling in cilia regulates central satiety pathways11,14. Ciliary localization of Adenylyl Cyclase III (ACIII) and GPCRs such as somatostatin receptor 3 in hippocampal neurons result in novel object recognition defects and memory deficits25,26 and parallels a lack of ciliary integrity27. The developmental aspects of cilia-generated signaling are closely tied to tissue homeostasis; in particular, cilia are important to the progression of Shh-subtype medulloblastomas arising from granule progenitors in the cerebellum28,29. Thus, primary cilia play important roles during embryonic, postnatal, and adult neuronal development and function.
Neural Stem Cells (NSCs) reside in the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the lateral ventricle, the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus, and the ventricular zone of the third ventricle in the hypothalamus in mammals30,31,32. NSCs are multipotent, possess the capacity for self-renewal, and are important for brain development and regenerative medicine30. Most NSCs in the SVZ are quiescent and possess a solitary primary cilium that, in many cases, extends out to the lateral ventricle33. The primary cilium signals via the localization of various receptors, inducing downstream cellular responses, particularly in relation to Shh, TGF&#946;, and receptor tyrosine kinase pathways2,34,35,36. Since primary cilia extend into the lateral ventricle, it is hypothesized that primary cilia detect cytokines in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to activate NSCs37. Recent studies suggest that the Shh signaling pathway and primary cilia are critical for the activation of stem cells in the repair and regeneration of multiple tissues, including the olfactory epithelium, lung, and kidney38,39,40,41. However, the mechanisms by which CSF communicates with NSCs and whether primary cilia are involved are not known. Adherent NSCs in culture are ciliated; localize Shh pathway components, such as Smo and Gpr161 in cilia; and are Shh responsive42. Thus, NSCs can serve as an important model system to study the Shh pathway, ciliary trafficking, and neuronal differentiation pathways. In addition, neurons differentiated from NSCs can also be used for ciliary trafficking assays.
Neurospheres are constituted of clusters of free-floating cells arising from the proliferation of neural stem/progenitor cells that grow in the presence of specific growth factors and nonadhesive surfaces43,44. Neurospheres serve as important in vitro culture models to study neural stem/progenitor cells in normal development and disease31,45,46,47. Here, we describe a neurosphere-based assay for culturing neural stem/progenitor cells and for differentiation into neurons/glia. We particularly emphasize the trafficking of signaling components to cilia of neural stem/progenitor cells and differentiated neurons (Figure 1). As opposed to culturing primary neurons, primary neurospheres are relatively easy to culture, are amenable to multiple passages and freeze-thaw cycles, and can undergo differentiation into neurons/glia. Importantly, we determined that neurosphere-derived neural stem/progenitor cells and differentiated neurons are ciliated in culture and localize signaling molecules relevant to ciliary function in these compartments. Neurosphere-based culturing methods can serve as an ideal model system for studying ciliogenesis and ciliary trafficking in NSCs and differentiated neurons.

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			<td>12 mm round cover glass</td>
			<td>Fisherbrand</td>
			<td>12-545-80&#160;</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>24 well plate</td>
			<td>Falcon</td>
			<td>353047</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>4 % paraformaldehyde</td>
			<td>Affymetrix</td>
			<td>19943</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>50 ml tube</td>
			<td>Falcon</td>
			<td>352098</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>95 mm X 15 mm petri dish, slippable lid</td>
			<td>Fisherbrand</td>
			<td>FB0875714G</td>
			<td>10 cm dish</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>70 &#181;m cell strainer</td>
			<td>Falcon</td>
			<td>352350</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Alexa Fluor 488 Affinipure Donkey Anti-Rabbit IgG (H+L)</td>
			<td>Jackson Immunoresearch</td>
			<td>711-545-152</td>
			<td>Donkey anti Rabbit, Alexa 488 secondary antibody</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Arl13B, Clone N295B/66</td>
			<td>Neuromab</td>
			<td>AB_11000053</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>B-27 Supplement (50X), serum free</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher Scientific</td>
			<td>17504001</td>
			<td>B27</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Centrifuge</td>
			<td>Thermo scientific</td>
			<td>ST 40R</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cryogenic vial</td>
			<td>Corning</td>
			<td>430488</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>DAPI</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>D9542-10MG</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Deoxyribonuclease I from bovine pancrease</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>D5025-15KU</td>
			<td>Dnase I</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Dimethyl sulfoxide</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>D8418-100ML</td>
			<td>DMSO</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Disposable Vinyl Specimen Molds</td>
			<td>Sakura Tissue-Tek Cryomold</td>
			<td>4565</td>
			<td>10 mm X 10 mm X 5 mm</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Dulbecco&#39;s Phosphate Buffered Saline 10&#215;, Modified, without calcium chloride and magnesium chloride, liquid, sterile-filtered, suitable for cell culture</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>D1408-500ML</td>
			<td>PBS</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Dumont #5 Forceps</td>
			<td>Fine science tools</td>
			<td>11254-20</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>FBS&#160;</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>F9026-500ML</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fluoromount-G solution</td>
			<td>Southern Biotech</td>
			<td>0100-01</td>
			<td>mounting solution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>GFAP</td>
			<td>DAKO</td>
			<td>Z0334</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Goat anti Mouse IgG1 Secondary Antibody, Alexa Fluor 555 conjugate</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher Scientific</td>
			<td>A-21127</td>
			<td>Goat anti Mouse IgG1, Alexa 555 secondary antibody</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Goat anti Mouse IgG2a Secondary Antibody, Alexa Fluor 555 conjugate</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher Scientific</td>
			<td>A-21137</td>
			<td>Goat anti Mouse IgG2a, Alexa 555 secondary antibody</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Gpr161</td>
			<td>home made</td>
			<td>N/A</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>human bFGF</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>F0291</td>
			<td>FGF</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>hemocytometer</td>
			<td>Hausser Scientific</td>
			<td>0.100 mm deep</td>
			<td>improved neubauer</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Isothesia</td>
			<td>Henry Schein</td>
			<td>NDC 11695-0500-2</td>
			<td>Isofluorane</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Laminin from Engelbreth-Holm-Swarm Sarcoma basement membrane</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>L2020</td>
			<td>Laminin</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>L-Glutamine (200mM)</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>G7513</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Lipofectamine 3000 Transfection Reagent</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher Scientific</td>
			<td>L3000</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Mr. Frosty</td>
			<td>Nalgene&#160;</td>
			<td>5100-0036</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>N-2 supplement (100X)</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher Scientific</td>
			<td>17502001</td>
			<td>N2</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Neurobasal medium</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>21103-049</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Normal Donkey Serum</td>
			<td>Jackson ImmunoResearch</td>
			<td>017-000-121</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>OCT compound</td>
			<td>Sakura Tissue-Tek</td>
			<td>4583</td>
			<td>OCT</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Penicillin-Streptomycin</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>P4333-100ML</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Poly-L-lysine</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>P4707</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Recombinant human EGF protein, CF</td>
			<td>R and D systems</td>
			<td>236-EG-200</td>
			<td>EGF</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Scissor</td>
			<td>Fine science tools</td>
			<td>14060-10</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Superfrost plus microscope slide</td>
			<td>Fisher scientific</td>
			<td>12-550-15</td>
			<td>slides</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Triton X</td>
			<td>Bio-Rad</td>
			<td>161-0407</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Trypsin-EDTA solution (10X)</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>T4174-100</td>
			<td>Trypsin</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>COSTAR 6 Well Plate, With Lid Flat Bottom Ultra-Low Attachment Surface Polystyrene, Sterile</td>
			<td>Corning</td>
			<td>3471</td>
			<td>ultra-low binding 6 well plate</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>&#946;-tubulin III</td>
			<td>Covance</td>
			<td>MMS-435P</td>
			<td>TUJ1</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

using primary neurosphere cultures to study primary cilia

The primary cilium is fundamentally important for the proliferation of neural stem/progenitor cells and for neuronal differentiation during embryonic, postnatal, and adult life. In addition, most differentiated neurons possess primary cilia that house signaling receptors, such as G-protein-coupled receptors, and signaling molecules, such as adenylyl cyclases. The primary cilium determines the activity of multiple developmental pathways, including the sonic hedgehog pathway during embryonic neuronal development, and also functions in promoting compartmentalized subcellular signaling during adult neuronal function. Unsurprisingly, defects in primary cilium biogenesis and function have been linked to developmental anomalies of the brain, central obesity, and learning and memory deficits. Thus, it is imperative to study primary cilium biogenesis and ciliary trafficking in the context of neural stem/progenitor cells and differentiated neurons. However, culturing methods for primary neurons require considerable expertise and are not amenable to freeze-thaw cycles. In this protocol, we discuss culturing methods for mixed populations of neural stem/progenitor cells using primary neurospheres. The neurosphere-based culturing methods provide the combined benefits of studying primary neural stem/progenitor cells: amenability to multiple passages and freeze-thaw cycles, differentiation potential into neurons/glia, and transfectability. Importantly, we determined that neurosphere-derived neural stem/progenitor cells and differentiated neurons are ciliated in culture and localize signaling molecules relevant to ciliary function in these compartments. Utilizing these cultures, we further describe methods to study ciliogenesis and ciliary trafficking in neural stem/progenitor cells and differentiated neurons. These neurosphere-based methods allow us to study cilia-regulated cellular pathways, including G-protein-coupled receptor and sonic hedgehog signaling, in the context of neural stem/progenitor cells and differentiated neurons.

After plating the cells from the SVZ in NSC medium for a week, floating neurospheres were observed (Figure 2A). The sizes of the spheres varied between 50 and 200 &#181;m. To examine if the spheres were derived from neural stem/progenitor cells, the neurospheres were plated onto PLL- and Laminin-coated coverslips in NSC medium for 2 days. They were then immunostained against the neural stem/progenitor cell marker, Nestin. Two days were needed to allow the spheres to attac...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Using Primary Neurosphere Cultures to Study Primary Cilia at JoVE.com

Using Primary Neurosphere Cultures to Study Primary Cilia

The primary cilium is fundamentally important in neural progenitor cell proliferation, neuronal differentiation, and adult neuronal function. Here, we describe a method to study ciliogenesis and the trafficking of signaling proteins to cilia in neural stem/progenitor cells and differentiated neurons using primary neurosphere cultures.

The primary cilium is fundamentally important for the proliferation of neural stem/progenitor cells and for neuronal differentiation during embryonic, ...

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