We would like to thank Dr. Alengo Nyamay'antu and Dr. Ilse Timmerman for their advices about lentiviral packaging. This work is supported by an American Heart Association Scientist Development Grant 10SDG4170137.

<ol>
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J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Method+for+isolation+of+adult+mouse+cardiac+myocytes+for+studies+of+contraction+and+microfluorimetry.">Method for isolation of adult mouse cardiac myocytes for studies of contraction and microfluorimetry.</a> The American journal of physiology. , 271-1250 (1996).</li><li>Kaestner, L., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Isolation+and+genetic+manipulation+of+adult+cardiac+myocytes+for+confocal+imaging.">Isolation and genetic manipulation of adult cardiac myocytes for confocal imaging.</a> J Vis Exp. 31 (31), (2009).</li><li>Xu, X., Colecraft, H. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Primary+culture+of+adult+rat+heart+myocytes.">Primary culture of adult rat heart myocytes.</a> J Vis Exp. 28 (28), (2009).</li><li>Pinz, I., Zhu, M., Mende, U., Ingwall, 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=An+improved+isolation+procedure+for+adult+mouse+cardiomyocytes.">An improved isolation procedure for adult mouse cardiomyocytes.</a> Cell biochemistry and biophysics. 61, 93-101 (2011).</li><li>Sreejit, P., Kumar, S., Verma, R. 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The authors have nothing to disclose.

Primary cardiomyocytes isolated from neonatal rats have long been used to study cardiomyocyte functions in vitro. This protocol describes a method for the isolation of neonatal cardiomyocytes from rat pups using a two-step enzyme digestion method, first digesting with trypsin O/N at 4 &#176;C and then purified collagenase. One advantage of employing the purified collagenase step is that the same grade of enzyme is used for all isolations. Thus, the quality and amount of isolated cells is consistent from experime...

Primary rat neonatal cardiomyocytes have long been used for investigating cardiomyocyte function in vitro1. They are easy to isolate from rat pups by several well established methods2-4. The most common method employs collagenase or trypsin to digest connective tissue of the heart prior to cell isolation. Researchers have also developed methods for isolating cardiomyocytes from adult rodents5-8 as well as neonatal mice9,10.
This protocol describes a method for isolating cardiomyocytes from neonatal rat pups, employing a two-step enzyme digestion procedure. Trypsin is first used O/N at 4&#160;&#176;C, and then purified collagenase at 37&#160;&#176;C. Incubation of the heart tissue with trypsin O/N at 4&#160;&#176;C&#160;reduces the steps necessary to harvest cells compared to methods using sequential incubations in a warm enzyme solution2. In addition, by using purified collagenase rather than crude enzymes, lot-to-lot variability can be eliminated, thus providing enhanced reproducibility.
Functional studies of a particular protein often employ a protein expression system using an adenovirus11-13 and/or a lentivirus14-16. [CAUTIONARY NOTE] The viral production and manipulation should be carried out according to the NIH guidelines.
The adenovirus does not integrate into the host genome. It has a very high efficiency of transduction in most cell types, including dividing cells and non-dividing cells, as well as primary cells and established cell lines. This makes the adenovirus a reliable vector for gene expression. High levels of the protein encoded by the adenovirus vector develop within 48 hr following transduction, and they can last for several weeks17. However, one drawback to using an adenovirus for protein expression is that the development of a recombinant adenovirus is both complicated and time consuming. This drawback explains in part why many researchers have been turning to lentiviruses for recombinant gene expression. Unlike adenoviral constructs, generating a lentiviral construct is quick and easy. Although lentiviruses generally have lower efficiencies of transduction than adenoviruses, in both dividing and non-dividing cells, they do integrate into the host genome. Consequently, expression of the transduced gene is more stable for lentiviruses than for adenoviruses.
Due to technological advances in the field of microscopy, it is much easier to capture live cell images of cells expressing recombinant proteins. This holds true even at video rate speeds of acquisition. This allows the investigator to determine how particular alterations in the protein of interest functionally impact the cell in real time. The confocal spinning disk microscope has several key features that make it an optimal technique for live cell imaging18,19. The Yokogawa spinning disc allows for much more rapid image acquisition, while at the same time utilizing far less laser power than point scanning confocal microscopes. Both of these special features are due to the spinning disk, which contains numerous confocal holes through which the laser passes simultaneously to the samples. During acquisition, the disk itself spins quickly and continuously18-20. By using the autofocus system of the microscope, stable focus is maintained over long periods of time. This allows researchers to take well-focused live cell images. Acquired images are played back as a movie file. The images are analyzed using image analysis software such as ImageJ21,22, FIJI23, or other commercially available software.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>1 scissors for decapitation</td>
			<td>WPI</td>
			<td>501749</td>
			<td>Autoclave before use</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>1 fine scissors for heart isolation and chopping</td>
			<td>WPI</td>
			<td>14393</td>
			<td>Autoclave before use</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2 fine forceps (Dumont No. 5)</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>F6521</td>
			<td>Autoclave before use</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Three sterilized 10 cm plastic dishes</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>CLS430165</td>
			<td>for hearts isolation</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>3.5 cm glass bottom culture dishes</td>
			<td>MatTek</td>
			<td>P35G-1.5-20-C</td>
			<td>for final plating of cardiomyocytes for future live cell imaging. micro-Dishes from ibidi are an acceptable alternative.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>3.5 cm glass bottom culture dishes</td>
			<td>MatTek</td>
			<td>P35G-0.17-14-C</td>
			<td>for TIRF or high resolution image</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Ethanol solution, 70 % (v/v) in water</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>E7148</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2% gelatin</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>G1393</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>One sterilized 10 cm plastic dish</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>CLS430165</td>
			<td>for trypsinization</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Aluminium foil</td>
			<td>any brand</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>parafilm</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>P7543</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Two 10 cm plastic cell culture dish</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>CLS430165</td>
			<td>for selection</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Auto pipette</td>
			<td>Drummond Scientific&#160;</td>
			<td>4-000-300</td>
			<td>for trituration</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cell counter</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>&#160; Cellometer, automated cell counter</td>
			<td>nexcelom</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>to check and count cells</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>&#160; Microscope and Hematocytometer</td>
			<td>any brand</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>to check and count cells</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Trypan Blue Solution, 0.4%</td>
			<td>invitrogen</td>
			<td>15250-061</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>CO2 incubator</td>
			<td>Sanyo</td>
			<td>MCO-19AIC</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>incubating orbital shaker</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>Z673129</td>
			<td>to shake heart tissue with collagenase at 37 C at 170-200 rpm</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>10 mg/ml BrdU solution</td>
			<td>BD Pharmingen</td>
			<td>550891</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>DMEM, High Glucose</td>
			<td>invitrogen</td>
			<td>41965039</td>
			<td>Mix medium as indicated in the protocol and warm before use</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>MEM</td>
			<td>invitrogen</td>
			<td>31095029</td>
			<td>Mix medium as indicated in the protocol and warm before use</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fetal Bovine Serum</td>
			<td>invitrogen</td>
			<td>26140079</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Penicillin-Streptomycin (10,000 U/mL)&#160;</td>
			<td>invitrogen</td>
			<td>15140-122</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Section 2 lentiviral transduction</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>three packaging plasmids</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>&#160;pMDLg/pRRE</td>
			<td>Addgene</td>
			<td>12251</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>&#160;pRSV-Rev</td>
			<td>Addgene</td>
			<td>12253</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>&#160;pMD2.G</td>
			<td>Addgene</td>
			<td>12259</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>The lentiviral transfer vector, pLVX-IRES-Puro</td>
			<td>Clontech</td>
			<td>632183</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Opti-MEM (serum-free medium)</td>
			<td>invitrogen</td>
			<td>31985070</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>transfection reagent</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>&#160; polyethyleneimine&#8220;Max&#8221;, (Mw 40,000) - High Potency Linear PEI (Equivalent to Mw 25,000 in Free Base Form)&#160;</td>
			<td>Polysciences</td>
			<td>24765-2</td>
			<td>It can be substituted with X-tremeGENE 9 from Roche</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>&#160; X-tremeGENE 9</td>
			<td>Roche</td>
			<td>6365779001</td>
			<td>substitute for PEI as transfection reagent</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>chloroquine</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>C6628</td>
			<td>dissolve in water and make 100 mM stock solution. Inhibition of endosomal acidification can be achieved with 10-100 &#956;M Chloroquine.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>HEPES</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>H3375</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>10 ml Luer-Lok syringe, sterilized</td>
			<td>BD</td>
			<td>309604</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>0.45 um filters</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>F8677</td>
			<td>use only cellulose acetate or polyethersulfone (PES) (low protein binding) filters. Do not use nitrocellulose filters. Nitrocellulose binds surface proteins on the lentiviral envelope and destroys the virus.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Hexadimethrine bromide</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>H9268</td>
			<td>dissolve in water and make 8mg/ml stock solution, then filter it to sterilize.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>polyethylene glicol 6000</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>81260</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sodium chloride</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>S9888</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>sodium hydroxide</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>S5881</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Section 3 Adenoviral transduction</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>HEK 293T cells</td>
			<td>ATCC</td>
			<td>CRL-11268</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Some 10 cm cell culture dishes</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>CLS430165</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>96-Well Microplate with lid, flat-bottom, tissue culture, sterile</td>
			<td>BD Falcon</td>
			<td>353072</td>
			<td>for titration</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Multichannel piptte, 10-100 ul, 8-channel</td>
			<td>eppendorf</td>
			<td>3122 000.035</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Section 4 live cell imaging</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Spinning disk confocal microspopy</td>
			<td>PerkinElmer</td>
			<td>L7267000</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>a temperature controlled chamber</td>
			<td>any brand</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>to keep temperature at 37 C</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>a CO2 environmental system</td>
			<td>any brand</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>optional to maintain CO2 concentration optimal</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Medium</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>&#160; CO2 Independent Medium, No Glutamine</td>
			<td>invitrogen</td>
			<td>18045-054&#160;&#160;</td>
			<td>for long time time-lapse imaging</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>&#160; DMEM, High Glucose, HEPES, no Phenol Red&#160;</td>
			<td>invitrogen</td>
			<td>21063-029</td>
			<td>for long time time-lapse imaging</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

live cell imaging of primary rat neonatal cardiomyocytes following adenoviral and lentiviral transduction using confocal spinning disk microscopy

Primary rat neonatal cardiomyocytes are useful in basic in vitro cardiovascular research because they can be easily isolated in large numbers in a single procedure. Due to advances in microscope technology it is relatively easy to capture live cell images for the purpose of investigating cellular events in real time with minimal concern regarding phototoxicity to the cells. This protocol describes how to take live cell timelapse images of primary rat neonatal cardiomyocytes using a confocal spinning disk microscope following lentiviral and adenoviral transduction to modulate properties of the cell. The application of two different types of viruses makes it easier to achieve an appropriate transduction rate and expression levels for two different genes. Well focused live cell images can be obtained using the microscope&#8217;s autofocus system, which maintains stable focus for long time periods. Applying this method, the functions of exogenously engineered proteins expressed in cultured primary cells can be analyzed. Additionally, this system can be used to examine the functions of genes through the use of siRNAs as well as of chemical modulators.

To illustrate the technique, a lentivirus encoding EGFP (enhanced green fluorescent protein)-tagged Cx43 (Connexin43) or a mutated Cx43 32 was used to express EGFP-tagged proteins in cells, and an adenovirus encoding FGFR1DN (fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 dominant negative) was used to shut down FGF signaling in the cell 33-35. Three days following the isolation of cardiomyocytes, the isolated cardiomyocytes were transduced with lentivirus in order to express EGFP-tagged proteins in the cells....

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Live Cell Imaging of Primary Rat Neonatal Cardiomyocytes Following Adenoviral and Lentiviral Transduction Using Confocal Spinning Disk Microscopy at JoVE.com

Live Cell Imaging of Primary Rat Neonatal Cardiomyocytes Following Adenoviral and Lentiviral Transduction Using Confocal Spinning Disk Microscopy

This protocol describes a method of live cell imaging using primary rat neonatal cardiomyocytes following lentiviral and adenoviral transduction using confocal spinning disk microscopy. This enables detailed observations of cellular processes in living cardiomyocytes.

Primary rat neonatal cardiomyocytes are useful in basic in vitro cardiovascular research because they can be easily isolated in large numbers in a single ...

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Research

JoVE Journal

Biology

13.4K Views.  Max-Planck-Institute for Molecular Biomedicine and Institute of Cell Biology. This protocol describes a method of live cell imaging using primary rat neonatal cardiomyocytes following lentiviral and adenoviral transduction using confocal spinning disk microscopy. This enables detailed observations of cellular processes in living cardiomyocytes.

Video: Live Cell Imaging of Primary Rat Neonatal Cardiomyocytes Following Adenoviral and Lentiviral Transduction Using Confocal Spinning Disk Microscopy