This protocol has been developed through our work within and in collaboration with the laboratories of Paul Martin and Antonio Jacinto. We thank the Bloomington Stock Centre for its excellent service and the Drosophila community for continuing to share fly lines. BS is currently funded by a BBSRC project grant. WW is funded by a Wellcome Trust Career Development Fellowship.

Preparation
<ol>
	<li>Obtain appropriate Drosophila lines containing a hemocyte-specific Gal4 driver (e.g. srp-Gal42) and a genetically encoded fluorescent reporter under UAS control (e.g. uas-GFP). Flies homozygous for srp-Gal4,uas-GMA3 or crq-Gal4,uas-GFP4, 5 are particularly useful for imaging purposes (n.b. GMA is GFP fused to the actin-binding domain of moesin); see below for a discussion of the range of Gal4 drivers and uas c...

<ol>
	<li>Brand, A. H., Perrimon, N. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Targeted+gene+expression+as+a+means+of+altering+cell+fates+and+generating+dominant+phenotypes.">Targeted gene expression as a means of altering cell fates and generating dominant phenotypes.</a> Development. 118, 401-415 (1993).</li><li>Bruckner, K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+PDGF/VEGF+receptor+controls+blood+cell+survival+in+Drosophila.">The PDGF/VEGF receptor controls blood cell survival in Drosophila.</a> Dev Cell. 7, 73-84 (2004).</li><li>Dutta, D., Bloor, J. W., Ruiz-Gomez, M., VijayRaghavan, K., Kiehart, D. P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Real-time+imaging+of+morphogenetic+movements+in+Drosophila+using+Gal4-UAS-driven+expression+of+GFP+fused+to+the+actin-binding+domain+of+moesin.">Real-time imaging of morphogenetic movements in Drosophila using Gal4-UAS-driven expression of GFP fused to the actin-binding domain of moesin.</a> Genesis. 34, 146-151 (2002).</li><li>Stramer, B. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Live+imaging+of+wound+inflammation+in+Drosophila+embryos+reveals+key+roles+for+small+GTPases+during+in+vivo+cell+migration.">Live imaging of wound inflammation in Drosophila embryos reveals key roles for small GTPases during in vivo cell migration.</a> J Cell Biol. 168, 567-573 (2005).</li><li>Wood, W., Jacinto, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Drosophila+melanogaster+embryonic+haemocytes:+masters+of+multitasking.">Drosophila melanogaster embryonic haemocytes: masters of multitasking.</a> Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 8, 542-551 (2007).</li><li>Halfon, M. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=New+fluorescent+protein+reporters+for+use+with+the+Drosophila+Gal4+expression+system+and+for+vital+detection+of+balancer+chromosomes.">New fluorescent protein reporters for use with the Drosophila Gal4 expression system and for vital detection of balancer chromosomes.</a> Genesis. 34, 135-138 (2002).</li><li>Sullivan, W., Ashburner, M., Hawley, R. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Drosophila protocols. , (2000).</li><li>Tepass, U., Fessler, L. I., Aziz, A., Hartenstein, V. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Embryonic+origin+of+hemocytes+and+their+relationship+to+cell+death+in+Drosophila.">Embryonic origin of hemocytes and their relationship to cell death in Drosophila.</a> Development. 120, 1829-1837 (1994).</li><li>Millard, T. H., Martin, P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Dynamic+analysis+of+filopodial+interactions+during+the+zippering+phase+of+Drosophila+dorsal+closure.">Dynamic analysis of filopodial interactions during the zippering phase of Drosophila dorsal closure.</a> Development. 135, 621-626 (2008).</li><li>Doerflinger, H., Benton, R., Shulman, J. M., St Johnston, D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+role+of+PAR-1+in+regulating+the+polarised+microtubule+cytoskeleton+in+the+Drosophila+follicular+epithelium.">The role of PAR-1 in regulating the polarised microtubule cytoskeleton in the Drosophila follicular epithelium.</a> Development. 130, 3965-3975 (2003).</li><li>Olofsson, B., Page, D. T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Condensation+of+the+central+nervous+system+in+embryonic+Drosophila+is+inhibited+by+blocking+hemocyte+migration+or+neural+activity.">Condensation of the central nervous system in embryonic Drosophila is inhibited by blocking hemocyte migration or neural activity.</a> Dev Biol. 279, 233-243 (2005).</li><li>Paladi, M., Tepass, U. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Function+of+Rho+GTPases+in+embryonic+blood+cell+migration+in+Drosophila.">Function of Rho GTPases in embryonic blood cell migration in Drosophila.</a> J Cell Sci. 117, 6313-6326 (2004).</li><li>Vlisidou, I. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Drosophila+embryos+as+model+systems+for+monitoring+bacterial+infection+in+real+time.">Drosophila embryos as model systems for monitoring bacterial infection in real time.</a> PLoS Pathog. 5, e1000518-e1000518 (2009).</li><li>Jacinto, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Dynamic+actin-based+epithelial+adhesion+and+cell+matching+during+Drosophila+dorsal+closure.">Dynamic actin-based epithelial adhesion and cell matching during Drosophila dorsal closure.</a> Curr Biol. 10, 1420-1426 (2000).</li><li>Wood, W., Jacinto, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Imaging+cell+movement+during+dorsal+closure+in+Drosophila+embryos.">Imaging cell movement during dorsal closure in Drosophila embryos.</a> Methods Mol Biol. 294, 203-210 (2005).</li><li>Kunwar, P. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Tre1+GPCR+initiates+germ+cell+transepithelial+migration+by+regulating+Drosophila+melanogaster+E-cadherin.">Tre1 GPCR initiates germ cell transepithelial migration by regulating Drosophila melanogaster E-cadherin.</a> J Cell Biol. 183, 157-168 (2008).</li></ol>

The most important elements of this procedure are the selection of healthy embryos with clearly labeled hemocytes and to mount them carefully without damaging them. Once the embryos are in the halocarbon oil they are resistant to dehydration and once mounted can be imaged for several hours. In our hands we can image hemocytes for three hours, with negligible dehydration of the embryo or obvious photo-damage, taking a z-stack of images every three minutes on our Zeiss LSM510 confocal microscope with a 40X objective. Since...

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">	
		
		<div>
		<table border="1">
		<thead>
		<tr>
		<th>Material Name</th>
		<th>Type</th>
		<th>Company</th>
		<th>Catalogue Number</th>
		<th>Comment</th>
		</tr>
		</thead>
		<tbody>
		
<tr>
<td>Cell strainer</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>BD Falcon</td>
<td>352350</td>
<td>70&mu;m pores</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Halcarbon oil 700</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Sigma</td>
<td>H8898</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Lumox/Petriperm dish</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Sarstedt</td>
<td>96077305</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>		</tbody>
		</table>
		</div>

live imaging of drosophila melanogaster embryonic hemocyte migrations

Many studies address cell migration using in vitro methods, whereas the physiologically relevant environment is that of the organism itself. Here we present a protocol for the mounting of Drosophila melanogaster embryos and subsequent live imaging of fluorescently labeled hemocytes, the embryonic macrophages of this organism. Using the Gal4-uas system1 we drive the expression of a variety of genetically encoded, fluorescently tagged markers in hemocytes to follow their developmental dispersal throughout the embryo. Following collection of embryos at the desired stage of development, the outer chorion is removed and the embryos are then mounted in halocarbon oil between a hydrophobic, gas-permeable membrane and a glass coverslip for live imaging. In addition to gross migratory parameters such as speed and directionality, higher resolution imaging coupled with the use of fluorescent reporters of F-actin and microtubules can provide more detailed information concerning the dynamics of these cytoskeletal components.

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Live Imaging Of Drosophila melanogaster Embryonic Hemocyte Migrations at JoVE.com

Live Imaging Of Drosophila melanogaster Embryonic Hemocyte Migrations

Drosophila hemocytes disperse over the entirety of the developing embryo. This protocol demonstrates how to mount and image these migrations using embryos with fluorescently labelled hemocytes.

Live Imaging Of Drosophila melanogaster Embryonic Hemocyte Migrations

Many studies address cell migration using in vitro methods, whereas the physiologically relevant environment is that of the organism itself. Here we ...

live-imaging-of-drosophila-melanogaster-embryonic-hemocyte-migrations

Research

JoVE Journal

Biology

15.6K visualizações.  University of Bath. Hemócitos Drosophila dispersam sobre a totalidade do embrião em desenvolvimento. Este protocolo demonstra como montar e imagem essas migrações usando embriões com hemócitos fluorescente etiquetado.