Reconhecemos Juliann Jaumotte para a idéia de poupar nos volumes de reagentes no ensaio ATP. Estamos profundamente gratos pelo apoio administrativo soberba de Maria Caruso, Deb Willson, e Jackie Farrer e para a Escola de Farmácia Mylan para a prestação de apoio financeiro para estes estudos. Agradecimentos também são devidos às Doenças Hunkele temido Fundação eo Parkinson e Distúrbios do Movimento da Fundação pelo apoio financeiro dos estudos neuronais primários.

Nenhum dos autores tem quaisquer conflitos de divulgar.

Verificou-se que a intensidade do sinal em todos os três ensaios de viabilidade é linear e correlacionada com a densidade do revestimento. No entanto, nem todos os ensaios são igualmente sensíveis a 2 vezes ou alterações de 1,5 vezes na densidade de revestimento. Para células N2a, os ensaios de infravermelhos são menos sensíveis do que o ensaio de ATP, particularmente a densidades mais baixas do chapeamento. Embora os ensaios de infravermelhos são menos sensíveis que o ATP, os DRAQ5 + Safira ensaios e ensaios...

O ensaio de viabilidade mais comum nas ciências biológicas envolve a contagem de células. Isto é evidenciado por uma análise das principais (mais recentes) 200 publicações que apareceram no PubMed com qualquer uma das palavras-chave &quot;in vitro&quot; ou &quot;cultura&quot; em 2013/04/29 e 2013/04/30. Dessas publicações, 23,5% usaram ensaios de contagem de células, incluindo a contagem de número de células manuais, o número de células automatizado conta com software de imagem, e azul exclusão Trypan. O ensaio vivo / morto foi utilizada em 1% destas publicações. O número de publicações com o MTT (brometo de 3 - (4,5-dimetiltiazol-2-il) -2,5-difeniltetrazólio) para ensaio de viabilidade metabólica foi de 11%. Esta pesquisa da literatura também mostra que o número de publicações, utilizando ensaios tais como o MTT em conjunto com os ensaios de contagem de células foi de 3,5%. Apesar da tendência de usar um teste de viabilidade, por si só, avaliar a função celular em combinação com o número de células parece ser a melhor escolha para avaliar i celularntegrity. A contagem celular por si só não é suficiente, porque as células remanescentes poderão não ser funcional ou saudável, embora eles estejam presentes no poço 1,2. Por outro lado, as medidas funcionais, tais como o ATP pode aumentar ou diminuir, na ausência de mudanças paralelas no número de células. O desacoplamento de leituras metabólicas a partir do número de células sugere que o ATP e ensaios MTT nunca deve ser usada como o único ensaio de viabilidade. No presente relatório, três ensaios de viabilidade que pesquisamos ambas as estruturas celulares e função metabólica são descritos, para uma visão mais abrangente da integridade celular de um ensaio por si só, qualquer pode pagar. Dois dos nossos ensaios requerem um imageador infravermelho que mede a fluorescência em 700 nm e 800 canais. O ruído é baixo nos comprimentos de onda infravermelhos, levando ao aumento de sinal-para-ruído relações 3. O gerador de imagens Odyssey que usamos tem uma gama dinâmica 4,5 log e uma profundidade de bits de 16, Translating a 2 16 ou 65.536 tons de infravermelho. Isto pode ser contrastado de imagens a cores de 8 bits, que só oferece 2 8 ou 256 tons de cor para cada comprimento de onda. Assim, a imagem de 16 bits tem resolução mais fina. Deve notar-se que as imagens de infravermelhos originais são frequentemente pseudocolored verde (800 nm) e vermelha (700 nm) em relatórios publicados para apresentação. Imageadores Odyssey são comumente usados ​​tanto para Western blot e In-Cell Westerns 4-7. Em-Cell Westerns em células fixadas em formaldeído usar anticorpos primários contra qualquer proteína de interesse e classificá-los por sua vez, com anticorpos secundários fluorescentes infravermelhos. Esta técnica é conhecida por ser particularmente útil para terminais de fosforilação 6. Na nossa No celular Westerns, que corar as células fixas para as proteínas do citoesqueleto α-tubulina ou a microtúbulos neuronal proteína associada 2 (MAP2) no canal de 800 nm. Estas proteínas são suficientemente abundante para originar elevadas relações sinal-para-ruído. Também manchar nossos pratos no 700nm canal para núcleos com a mancha DRAQ5 e para o citoplasma com a mancha Sapphire. Ambas as proteínas do citoesqueleto e os DRAQ5 + safira manchas assim reflectir estruturas celulares. O ensaio terceiro viabilidade mede a função metabólica e é chamado de &quot;celular Titer Glo.&quot; Neste ensaio baseado luciferase, os valores de luminescência estão em proporção direta com os níveis de ATP. Os ensaios de ATP são comumente usados ​​para quantificar as células viáveis ​​8-12. No entanto, a inclusão da palavra &quot;título&quot; no nome do ensaio é um tanto inapropriado porque saída ATP por célula pode mudar como uma função do tratamento a toxina e é, por conseguinte, não é sempre, em proporção ao número de células 8. Níveis de ATP também pode ser afetada por ritmos circadianos 13 e 14 por divisão celular e diferenciação celular 15. No entanto, o ensaio de ATP mostrado aqui é simples de executar e útil porque o ATP é uma medida robusta de metabólicaviabilidade 16-21, se não o número de células em si. Usando este ensaio para complementar o infravermelho no celular Westerns, portanto, produz uma visão mais abrangente da integridade celular do que qualquer um ensaio sozinha.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="821">
	<colgroup>
		<col />
		<col />
		<col />
		<col />
	</colgroup>
	<tbody>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:43px;width:109px;">Cell Titer Glo</td>
			<td style="width:112px;">Promega</td>
			<td style="width:93px;">G7572</td>
			<td style="width:507px;">Buy in 100 ml quantities and aliquot, instead of purchasing the more expensive 10 ml quantity. Reconstituted, unused reagents can be refrozen at -20 &#176;C for at least 21 weeks</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:43px;width:109px;">18% Formalin</td>
			<td style="width:112px;">Thermo-Shandon</td>
			<td style="width:93px;">9990244</td>
			<td style="width:507px;">Buying this fixative avoids the weighing out of formaldehyde powders and boiling of the solution; exposure to vapors is thereby minimized</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:43px;width:109px;">Sucrose</td>
			<td style="width:112px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:93px;">S0389</td>
			<td style="width:507px;">It is not essential to add this to formaldehyde solutions but it improves the appearance of the fixed cells</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:43px;width:109px;">Odyssey Block</td>
			<td style="width:112px;">LI-COR</td>
			<td style="width:93px;">927-40003</td>
			<td style="width:507px;">This fish serum can be bought in bulk and frozen at -20 &#176;C for long term use</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:43px;width:109px;">Triton-X 100</td>
			<td style="width:112px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:93px;">21568</td>
			<td style="width:507px;">We store a stock solution of 10% Triton-X 100 in sterile water at 4 &#176;C</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:43px;width:109px;">Sodium Phosphate Monobasic</td>
			<td style="width:112px;">Fisher</td>
			<td style="width:93px;">S468</td>
			<td style="width:507px;">One can also buy PBS tablets or 10x PBS solutions, but they are more expensive</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:43px;width:109px;">Sodium Phosphate Dibasic</td>
			<td style="width:112px;">Fisher</td>
			<td style="width:93px;">S373</td>
			<td style="width:507px;">See above</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:43px;width:109px;">Sodium Azide (250x)</td>
			<td style="width:112px;">Ricca Chemical Company</td>
			<td style="width:93px;">7144.8-16</td>
			<td style="width:507px;">Do not buy the powder because sodium azide is very toxic. We store all our used antibodies in 1x sodium azide at 4 &#176;C until they become contaminated with debris</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:43px;width:109px;">Mouse anti-&#945;-tubulin</td>
			<td style="width:112px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:93px;">T5168</td>
			<td style="width:507px;">This antibody is expensive but can be greatly diluted and is highly specific</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:43px;width:109px;">Mouse anti-MAP2</td>
			<td style="width:112px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:93px;">M9942</td>
			<td style="width:507px;">This antibody is expensive but is highly specific (a prerequisite for In-Cell Westerns)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:43px;width:109px;">800 nm Goat anti-mouse IgG</td>
			<td style="width:112px;">LI-COR</td>
			<td style="width:93px;">926-32210</td>
			<td style="width:507px;">Other companies also sell infrared secondary antibodies. Be sure to purchase the highly cross-adsorbed antibodies and note that concentrations of IgGs may vary with the source</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:43px;width:109px;">DRAQ5</td>
			<td style="width:112px;">Biostatus</td>
			<td style="width:93px;">DR50200</td>
			<td style="width:507px;">This compound used to be sold by LI-COR at 1 mM</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:43px;width:109px;">Sapphire</td>
			<td style="width:112px;">LI-COR</td>
			<td style="width:93px;">928-40022</td>
			<td style="width:507px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:43px;width:196px;">Luminometer</td>
			<td style="width:129px;">PerkinElmer</td>
			<td style="width:189px;">VICTOR3 1420 multilabel counter</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:43px;width:196px;">Odyssey Imager</td>
			<td style="width:129px;">LI-COR</td>
			<td style="width:189px;">9201-01</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:43px;width:196px;">Shaker/Mixer</td>
			<td style="width:129px;">Research Products International</td>
			<td style="width:189px;">248555</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

viability assays for cells in culture

Contagens de células do manual sobre um microscópio são um meio sensível de avaliar a viabilidade celular, mas são consumidoras de tempo e, por conseguinte, caros. Ensaios de viabilidade computadorizados são caros em termos de equipamento, mas pode ser mais rápido e mais objetivo do que a contagem de células manuais. O presente relatório descreve o uso de três desses ensaios de viabilidade. Dois destes ensaios são infravermelhos e um é luminescente. Ambos os ensaios infravermelhos dependem de um Imager 16 bits Odyssey. Um ensaio de infravermelho usa a mancha DRAQ5 para núcleos combinados com a mancha Sapphire para citosol e é visualizado no canal 700 nm. O outro ensaio de infravermelhos, uma In-Cell Ocidental, utiliza anticorpos contra as proteínas do citoesqueleto (α-tubulina ou do microtúbulo associado à proteína 2) e rotula no canal de 800 nm. O terceiro ensaio de viabilidade é um ensaio luminescente utilizada para o ATP, mas que utilizam um quarto do volume recomendado para economizar no custo. Estas medições são todos linear e correlacionam-se com o número de cells chapeado, mas variam em sensibilidade. Todos os três ensaios de contornar microscopia demorado e amostrar todo o bem, reduzindo assim o erro de amostragem. Finalmente, todos os ensaios facilmente pode ser completada dentro de um dia do final da experiência, o que permite um maior número de experiências para ser executadas dentro de intervalos de tempo curtos. No entanto, todos eles contam com a suposição de que o número de células permanecem em proporção à intensidade do sinal depois de tratamentos, uma suposição de que, por vezes, não é cumprida, especialmente para ATP celular. Além disso, se as células de aumentar ou diminuir de tamanho após o tratamento, esta pode afectar a potência do sinal, sem afectar o número de células. Conclui-se que todos os ensaios de viabilidade, incluindo as contagens manuais, sofrem de uma série de ressalvas, mas que testes computadorizados de viabilidade são bem vale o investimento inicial. Usando todos os três ensaios em conjunto produz uma visão abrangente da estrutura e função celular.

O factor limitante da velocidade nestas experiências é a coloração de infravermelhos, como o ensaio de ATP é relativamente curta duração. Para os ensaios de infravermelhos, prevemos que oito placas de 96 poços pode ser corada e digitalizado no prazo de um dia após escalonamento dois lotes de quatro placas de cada (ver Figura 1). Esta estimativa assume 20 min de fixação, 30 min de lavagem, 30 min de bloqueio, 2 horas de incubação do anticorpo primário seguido por 30 min de lavagens, 1 hora ...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Viability Assays for Cells in Culture at JoVE.com

Viability Assays for Cells in Culture

Os compostos terapêuticos são muitas vezes primeiro analisou in vitro com ensaios de viabilidade. Contagem de células cegos por um observador humano pode ser altamente sensível a pequenas alterações no número de células, mas não avaliar a função. Ensaios de viabilidade computadorizados, como descrito aqui, pode avaliar a estrutura e função de uma forma objectiva.

Ensaios de viabilidade para células em cultura

Manual cell counts on a microscope are a sensitive means of assessing cellular viability but are time-consuming and therefore expensive. Computerized ...

Research

JoVE Journal

Biology

46.0K visualizações.  Duquesne University.  Os compostos terapêuticos são muitas vezes primeiro analisou in vitro com ensaios de viabilidade. Contagem de células cegos por um observador humano pode ser altamente sensível a pequenas alterações no número de células, mas não avaliar a função. Ensaios de viabilidade computadorizados, como descrito aqui, pode avaliar a estrutura e função de uma forma objectiva. 

Vídeo: Viability Assays for Cells in Culture

Counting and Determining the Viability of Cultured Cells

Determining the number of cells in culture is important in standardization of culture conditions and in performing accurate quantitation experiments. A hemacytometer is a thick glass slide with a central area designed as a counting chamber. Cell suspension is applied to a defined area and counted so cell density can be calculated. 

Determining the number of cells in culture is important in standardization of culture conditions and in performing accurate quantitation experiments. In this video, we demonstrate how cells are counted using a hemacytometer.

Contagem e determinação da viabilidade das células em cultura

Determining the number of cells in culture is important in standardization of culture conditions and in performing accurate quantitation experiments. A ...

Biologia

Neurocircuit Assays for Seizures in Epilepsy Mutants of Drosophila

Drosophila melanogaster is a useful tool for studying seizure like activity. A variety of mutants in which seizures can be induced through either physical shock or electrical stimulation is available for study of various aspects of seizure activity and behavior. All flies, including wild-type, will undergo seizure-like activity if stimulated at a high enough voltage. Seizure like activity is an all-or-nothing response and each genotype has a specific seizure threshold. The seizure threshold of a specific genotype of fly can be altered either by treatment with a drug or by genetic suppression or enhancement. The threshold is easily measured by electrophysiology. Seizure-like activity can be induced via high frequency electrical stimulation delivered directly to the brain and recorded through the dorsal longitudinal muscles (DLMs) in the thorax. The DLMs are innervated by part of the giant fiber system. Starting with low voltage, high frequency stimulation, and subsequently raising the voltage in small increments, the seizure threshold for a single fly can be measured.

Neurocircuit Assays for Seizures in Epilepsy Mutants of Drosophila

Using high frequency electrical stimulation, seizure-like activity can be induced in Drosophila. This activity is easily recorded from the giant fiber system.

Ensaios Neurocircuit para Apreensões em mutantes de Epilepsia Drosophila</em

Drosophila melanogaster is a useful tool for studying seizure like activity. A variety of mutants in which seizures can be induced through either physical ...

Analysis of Schwann-astrocyte Interactions Using In Vitro Assays

Schwann cells are one of the commonly used cells in repair strategies following spinal cord injuries. Schwann cells are capable of supporting axonal regeneration and sprouting by secreting growth factors 1,2 and providing growth promoting adhesion molecules 3 and extracellular matrix molecules 4. In addition they myelinate the demyelinated axons at the site of injury 5.
However following transplantation, Schwann cells do not migrate from the site of implant and do not intermingle with the host astrocytes 6,7. This results in formation of a sharp boundary between the Schwann cells and astrocytes, creating an obstacle for growing axons trying to exit the graft back into the host tissue proximally and distally. Astrocytes in contact with Schwann cells also undergo hypertrophy and up-regulate the inhibitory molecules 8-13.
In vitro assays have been used to model Schwann cell-astrocyte interactions and have been important in understanding the mechanism underlying the cellular behaviour.
These in vitro assays include boundary assay, where a co-culture is made using two different cells with each cell type occupying different territories with only a small gap separating the two cell fronts. As the cells divide and migrate, the two cellular fronts get closer to each other and finally collide. This allows the behaviour of the two cellular populations to be analyzed at the boundary. Another variation of the same technique is to mix the two cellular populations in culture and over time the two cell types segregate with Schwann cells clumped together as islands in between astrocytes together creating multiple Schwann-astrocyte boundaries.
The second assay used in studying the interaction of two cell types is the migration assay where cellular movement can be tracked on the surface of the other cell type monolayer 14,15. This assay is commonly known as inverted coverslip assay. Schwann cells are cultured on small glass fragments and they are inverted face down onto the surface of astrocyte monolayers and migration is assessed from the edge of coverslip.
Both assays have been instrumental in studying the underlying mechanisms involved in the cellular exclusion and boundary formation. Some of the molecules identified using these techniques include N-Cadherins 15, Chondroitin Sulphate proteoglycans(CSPGs) 16,17, FGF/Heparin 18, Eph/Ephrins19.
This article intends to describe boundary assay and migration assay in stepwise fashion and elucidate the possible technical problems that might occur.

Analysis of Schwann-astrocyte Interactions Using In Vitro Assays

This article intends to describe in stepwise fashion the commonly used in vitro assays used in studying Schwann cell-asrtocyte interactions.

Análise de Schwann-astrócito Interações Usando In Vitro Ensaios

Schwann cells are one of the commonly used cells in repair strategies following spinal cord injuries. Schwann cells are capable of supporting axonal ...

Isolation and Primary Culture of Rat Hepatic Cells

Primary hepatocyte culture is a valuable tool that has been extensively used in basic research of liver function, disease, pathophysiology, pharmacology and other related subjects. The method based on two-step collagenase perfusion for isolation of intact hepatocytes was first introduced by Berry and Friend in 1969 1 and, since then, has undergone many modifications. The most commonly used technique was described by Seglenin 1976 2. Essentially, hepatocytes are dissociated from anesthetized adult rats by a non-recirculating collagenase perfusion through the portal vein. The isolated cells are then filtered through a 100 &mu;m pore size mesh nylon filter, and cultured onto plates. After 4-hour culture, the medium is replaced with serum-containing or serum-free medium, e.g. HepatoZYME-SFM, for additional time to culture. These procedures require surgical and sterile culture steps that can be better demonstrated by video than by text. Here, we document the detailed steps for these procedures by both video and written protocol, which allow consistently in the generation of viable hepatocytes in large numbers.

Primary hepatocytes provide a valuable tool to evaluate biochemical, molecular, and metabolic functions in a physiologically relevant experimental system. We describe a reliable protocol for rat in situ liver perfusion, which consistently generates viable hepatocytes up to 1.0 &times; 108 cells per preparation with cell viability between 88 ~ 96%.

Isolamento e cultura primária de células hepáticas de ratos

Primary hepatocyte culture is a valuable tool that has been extensively used in basic research of liver function, disease, pathophysiology, pharmacology ...

Assessment of Mitochondrial Functions and Cell Viability in Renal Cells Overexpressing Protein Kinase C Isozymes

The protein kinase C (PKC) family of isozymes is involved in numerous physiological and pathological processes. Our recent data demonstrate that PKC regulates mitochondrial function and cellular energy status. Numerous reports demonstrated that the activation of PKC-a and PKC-&epsilon; improves mitochondrial function in the ischemic heart and mediates cardioprotection. In contrast, we have demonstrated that PKC-&alpha; and PKC-&epsilon; are involved in nephrotoxicant-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and cell death in kidney cells. Therefore, the goal of this study was to develop an in vitro model of renal cells maintaining active mitochondrial functions in which PKC isozymes could be selectively activated or inhibited to determine their role in regulation of oxidative phosphorylation and cell survival. Primary cultures of renal proximal tubular cells (RPTC) were cultured in improved conditions resulting in mitochondrial respiration and activity of mitochondrial enzymes similar to those in RPTC in vivo. Because traditional transfection techniques (Lipofectamine, electroporation) are inefficient in primary cultures and have adverse effects on mitochondrial function, PKC-&epsilon; mutant cDNAs were delivered to RPTC through adenoviral vectors. This approach results in transfection of over 90% cultured RPTC.
Here, we present methods for assessing the role of PKC-&epsilon; in: 1. regulation of mitochondrial morphology and functions associated with ATP synthesis, and 2. survival of RPTC in primary culture. PKC-&epsilon; is activated by overexpressing the constitutively active PKC-&epsilon; mutant. PKC-&epsilon; is inhibited by overexpressing the inactive mutant of PKC-&epsilon;. Mitochondrial function is assessed by examining respiration, integrity of the respiratory chain, activities of respiratory complexes and F0F1-ATPase, ATP production rate, and ATP content. Respiration is assessed in digitonin-permeabilized RPTC as state 3 (maximum respiration in the presence of excess substrates and ADP) and uncoupled respirations. Integrity of the respiratory chain is assessed by measuring activities of all four complexes of the respiratory chain in isolated mitochondria. Capacity of oxidative phosphorylation is evaluated by measuring the mitochondrial membrane potential, ATP production rate, and activity of F0F1-ATPase. Energy status of RPTC is assessed by determining the intracellular ATP content. Mitochondrial morphology in live cells is visualized using MitoTracker Red 580, a fluorescent dye that specifically accumulates in mitochondria, and live monolayers are examined under a fluorescent microscope. RPTC viability is assessed using annexin V/propidium iodide staining followed by flow cytometry to determine apoptosis and oncosis.
These methods allow for a selective activation/inhibition of individual PKC isozymes to assess their role in cellular functions in a variety of physiological and pathological conditions that can be reproduced in in vitro.

The effects of activation of protein kinase C (PKC) isozymes on mitochondrial functions associated with respiration and oxidative phosphorylation and on cell viability are described. The approach adapts adenoviral technique to selectively overexpress PKC isozymes in primary cell culture and a variety of assays to determine mitochondrial functions and energy status of the cell.

Avaliação de funções mitocondriais e viabilidade celular em células renais Proteína Kinase C superexpressão Isozimas

The protein kinase C (PKC) family of isozymes is involved in numerous physiological and pathological processes. Our recent data demonstrate that PKC ...

Coupled Assays for Monitoring Protein Refolding in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Proteostasis, defined as the combined processes of protein folding/biogenesis, refolding/repair, and degradation, is a delicate cellular balance that must be maintained to avoid deleterious consequences 1. External or internal factors that disrupt this balance can lead to protein aggregation, toxicity and cell death. In humans this is a major contributing factor to the symptoms associated with neurodegenerative disorders such as Huntington's, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's diseases 10. It is therefore essential that the proteins involved in maintenance of proteostasis be identified in order to develop treatments for these debilitating diseases. This article describes techniques for monitoring in vivo protein folding at near-real time resolution using the model protein firefly luciferase fused to green fluorescent protein (FFL-GFP). FFL-GFP is a unique model chimeric protein as the FFL moiety is extremely sensitive to stress-induced misfolding and aggregation, which inactivates the enzyme 12. Luciferase activity is monitored using an enzymatic assay, and the GFP moiety provides a method of visualizing soluble or aggregated FFL using automated microscopy. These coupled methods incorporate two parallel and technically independent approaches to analyze both refolding and functional reactivation of an enzyme after stress. Activity recovery can be directly correlated with kinetics of disaggregation and re-solubilization to better understand how protein quality control factors such as protein chaperones collaborate to perform these functions. In addition, gene deletions or mutations can be used to test contributions of specific proteins or protein subunits to this process. In this article we examine the contributions of the protein disaggregase Hsp104 13, known to partner with the Hsp40/70/nucleotide exchange factor (NEF) refolding system 5, to protein refolding to validate this approach.

Coupled Assays for Monitoring Protein Refolding in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

This article describes the use of a firefly luciferase-GFP fusion protein to investigate in vivo protein folding in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Using this reagent, refolding of a model heat-denatured protein can be monitored simultaneously by fluorescence microscopy and an enzymatic assay to probe the roles of proteostasis network components in protein quality control.

Ensaios para Monitoramento juntamente redobramento de proteínas em<em&gt; Saccharomyces cerevisiae</em

Proteostasis, defined as the combined processes of protein folding/biogenesis, refolding/repair, and degradation, is a delicate cellular balance that must ...

Efficient Generation Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells from Human Somatic Cells with Sendai-virus

A few years ago, the establishment of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) ushered in a new era in biomedicine. Potential uses of human iPSCs include modeling pathogenesis of human genetic diseases, autologous cell therapy after gene correction, and personalized drug screening by providing a source of patient-specific and symptom relevant cells. However, there are several hurdles to overcome, such as eliminating the remaining reprogramming factor transgene expression after human iPSCs production. More importantly, residual transgene expression in undifferentiated human iPSCs could hamper proper differentiations and misguide the interpretation of disease-relevant in vitro phenotypes. With this reason, integration-free and/or transgene-free human iPSCs have been developed using several methods, such as adenovirus, the piggyBac system, minicircle vector, episomal vectors, direct protein delivery and synthesized mRNA. However, efficiency of reprogramming using integration-free methods is quite low in most cases.
Here, we present a method to isolate human iPSCs by using Sendai-virus (RNA virus) based reprogramming system. This reprogramming method shows consistent results and high efficiency in cost-effective manner.

Here, we present our established method to reprogram human somatic cells into transgene-free human iPSCs with Sendai virus, which shows consistent outcome and enhanced efficiency.

Eficiente Geração induzida pelo homem células-tronco pluripotentes a partir de células somáticas humanas com Sendai-vírus

A few years ago, the establishment of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) ushered in a new era in biomedicine. Potential uses of human iPSCs ...

Massively Parallel Reporter Assays in Cultured Mammalian Cells

The genetic reporter assay is a well-established and powerful tool for dissecting the relationship between DNA sequences and their gene regulatory activities. The potential throughput of this assay has, however, been limited by the need to individually clone and assay the activity of each sequence on interest using protein fluorescence or enzymatic activity as a proxy for regulatory activity. Advances in high-throughput DNA synthesis and sequencing technologies have recently made it possible to overcome these limitations by multiplexing the construction and interrogation of large libraries of reporter constructs. This protocol describes implementation of a Massively Parallel Reporter Assay (MPRA) that allows direct comparison of hundreds of thousands of putative regulatory sequences in a single cell culture dish.

The genetic reporter assay is a well-established and powerful tool for dissecting the relationship between DNA sequences and their gene regulatory activities. Coupling candidate regulatory elements to reporter genes that carry identifying sequence tags enables massive parallelization of these assays.

Ensaios Repórter Massively Parallel em células de mamíferos cultivadas

The genetic reporter assay is a well-established and powerful tool for dissecting the relationship between DNA sequences and their gene regulatory ...

Nephrotoxin Microinjection in Zebrafish to Model Acute Kidney Injury

The kidneys are susceptible to harm from exposure to chemicals they filter from the bloodstream. This can lead to organ injury associated with a rapid decline in renal function and development of the clinical syndrome known as acute kidney injury (AKI). Pharmacological agents used to treat medical circumstances ranging from bacterial infection to cancer, when administered individually or in combination with other drugs, can initiate AKI. Zebrafish are a useful animal model to study the chemical effects on renal function in vivo, as they form an embryonic kidney comprised of nephron functional units that are conserved with higher vertebrates, including humans. Further, zebrafish can be utilized to perform genetic and chemical screens, which provide opportunities to elucidate the cellular and molecular facets of AKI and develop therapeutic strategies such as the identification of nephroprotective molecules. Here, we demonstrate how microinjection into the zebrafish embryo can be utilized as a paradigm for nephrotoxin studies.

Renal injuries incurred from nephrotoxins, which include drugs ranging from antibiotics to chemotherapeutics, can result in complex disorders whose pathogenesis remains incompletely understood. This protocol demonstrates how zebrafish can be used for disease modeling of these conditions, which can be applied to the identification of renoprotective measures.

Nefrotoxina microinjeção no peixe-zebra ao modelo de lesão renal aguda

The kidneys are susceptible to harm from exposure to chemicals they filter from the bloodstream. This can lead to organ injury associated with a rapid ...

Assays for the Degradation of Misfolded Proteins in Cells

Protein misfolding and aggregation are associated with various neurodegenerative diseases. Cellular mechanisms that recognize and degrade misfolded proteins may serve as potential therapeutic targets. To distinguish degradation of misfolding-prone proteins from other mechanisms that regulate their levels, one important method is to measure protein half-life in cells. However, this can be challenging because misfolding-prone proteins may exist in different forms, including the native form and misfolded forms of distinct characteristics. Here we describe assays to examine the half-life of misfolded proteins in mammalian cells using a highly aggregation-prone protein, Ataxin-1 with an extended polyglutamine (polyQ) stretch, and a conformationally unstable luciferase mutant as models. Cycloheximide chase is combined with cell fractionation to examine the turnover rate of misfolding-prone proteins in various cellular fractions. We further depict a fluorescence-based assay using an enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP)-fusion of the luciferase mutant, which can be adapted for high throughput screening on a microplate-reader.

This report describes protocols for measuring degradation rates of misfolded proteins by either western blot or fluorescence-based assays. The methods can be applied to analysis of other misfolded proteins and for high throughput screening.

Os ensaios para a degradação de proteínas em células deformadas

Protein misfolding and aggregation are associated with various neurodegenerative diseases. Cellular mechanisms that recognize and degrade misfolded ...